Panamanian cuisine reinvented with fresh ingredients, vibrant setting
XF27+RH7 Edificio el Colegio, C. José D. de la Obaldía, Panama City, Panamá Province, Panama Get directions
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"Fonda Lo Que Hay (What Is Available) reinvents the cherished fonda genre with modern interpretations of traditional recipes, made from the freshest daily ingredients. Eater Award-winning chef José Olmedo Carles Rojas (of Si! Mon in Los Angeles) crafts inventive fish curry empanadas, shrimp cocktail spiced up with cachucha pepper paste, and bollo preñado (“pregnant” buns): steamed corn rolls stuffed with cheese, labneh, and spicy honey. The restaurant’s cozy yet vibrant setting features a mix of wooden tables, neon lights, and a tree anchoring the patio. There’s also a standout cocktail program, which centers local ingredients." - Jorge Chanis
"Chef José Olmedo Carles Rojas’s modern spin on a typical Panamanian roadside restaurant."
"In Panama City at Lo Que Hay, the fried chicken recipe Carles deemed finished enough to serve in 2017 showcases years of R&D: after experimenting with buttermilk, pickle brine, and American- and Japanese-inspired techniques, he landed on a version that met his goals for color and texture and has since evolved to include a dry curry rub, a gingery egg wash, and an umami-packed finishing salt. The restaurant also reflects his scale — he notes a very large kitchen there with multiple fryers (four on the line and three in production) and two kitchens in Panama — which supported the intensive testing and refinement of the recipe." - Cathy Chaplin
"In Panama City I encountered the chef’s seminal Fonda Lo Que Hay, where his cooking is described as playful—dishes often arrive with instructions on how to eat various components—and where the signature yuca tostadas first appeared; the Lo Que Hay version inspired the three-day–prepared yuca rafts and other preparations that he’s brought to his Los Angeles restaurant." - Cathy Chaplin
"In Panama City, Fonda Lo Que Hay is an award-winning restaurant owned and led by José Olmedo Carles Rojas and is currently ranked number 57 on Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants list." - Cathy Chaplin
