Azahar Panama — Restaurant in Bella Vista

Visited in July 2024. Panama. Panama-city.

We found this restaurant after reading some great reviews online. It offers Japanese cuisine with a touch of Western influence. The restaurant itself is on the seventh floor, spacious, with a dark and moody atmosphere that feels almost like a trendy lounge.

The Food:

We were delighted to see some of our favourite ingredients on the menu, such as wagyu beef, bluefin tuna, foi-gras and other fish varieties you typically find in Japan. The restaurant features Pan-Asian cuisine, so we opted for a variety of small plates to try and experience as many flavours as possible.

We started with three different tartare dishes served in tin cans - beautifully and uniquely presented. The fish was incredibly fresh, each dish carefully balanced with spices. Our favourite was the kampachi tartare. Next, we tried the bluefin tuna tartare - this fish is prized for its rich, fatty flavour - absolutely delicious and fresh. Another favourite was the salmon mousse tubes - the intense smoked flavour gave the dish a unique twist, reminding us of a sausage. We were also impressed with the Senator rolls, which are served without rice. The light texture of the delicate crab and slightly crispy prawn, combined with the sauce, was a delightful experience. All of the nigiri we tried were delicious - our favourite was the foie gras brioche with green apple and unagi - highly recommended. I must also mention their divine bread, which they brought out as a complimentary treat.

Service:

The service was excellent. The waiters spoke a little English, making it easy for us to order. We also felt well looked after by the manager, which was a nice touch.

Overall:

Highly recommended! We haven't had such tasty Pan-Asian cuisine outside of Asia in a long time. Everything we tried was delicious and faultless. They use high-quality, fresh ingredients. If you're looking for a good Asian restaurant, this is the place for you - perfect for a more formal evening or a more...

A must visit! For a family of four (2 kids + 2 adults) we spent $180 for dinner. That’s without dessert and alcohol drinks.

We decided on dessert at a cafe at our hotel which had what we wanted. They do NOT have a kid’s menu but they have kid-friendly options.

Meals we had: Lamb Short Ribs 2 Grilled chicken breast + French fries (kids) 4 Drinks: 2 Lemonades, 2 Mocktails (hibiscus breeze) Onion soup Lamb Dumpling bites

Atmosphere: Absolutely loved the rooftop views and the atmosphere was quite lovely. I think it is fitting for a family or couple. Very romantic. Music wasn’t too loud either.

Service: The service was premier. Every server was attentive and often asked how was the meal. They offered to take photos and although didn’t speak English, they did their best to understand and respond. Professional and pleasant.

Noteworthy: I enjoyed the booth with the flowers named Madame butterfly. Perfect location for last minute or surprise treat for a date. As tourist that have no knowledge of local vendors, this was an added touch to our experience as My husband was able to purchase roses for both my daughter and I. Also, the bread in the dresser was an impressionable experience. Such a signature stamp that will make us remember our time at Azahar.

Suggestion: The only small suggestion I’d make is for the team to take note of special occasions mentioned in bookings. We mentioned we were celebrating our 10th anniversary, huge milestone, and a little gesture—like a candle or ‘Happy Anniversary’ plate would add an extra memorable touch to an already incredible experience.

Overall a great experience and...

Everything about this place is very hip and mod - starting with the speakeasy hidden entrance through the backdoor of what appears to be a flower shop.

With that little hocus pocus aside, you enter into a bustling, sprawling restaurant. This place has an ambitious menu - almost like the cheesecake factory but instead of pan american, mass produced pablum, they are turning out thoughtful and playful small plates and bites with fresh, high quality ingredients. If I hadn't ordered sushi, escargot and stewed lamb off the same menu and enjoyed all three, i would not have believed the range the kitchen has. Special shout out for their bread service, which are house made fluffy and delicious pop overs...hard to execute and time consuming!

As an added bonus, the service we experienced was excellent. From the waiter to the food runners to the hostess, everyone was polite, prompt and professional. We were seated in a room with about 8 tables, all of whom had 8 PM reservations and arrived within 10 mins of each other but the trains still ran on time and the staff didn't miss a beat that I could tell. The Manager introduced himself and seemed to genuinely want his patrons to have a good experience. When a manager is highly visible, that shows a lot of care to me.

Lastly, this place is very instagrammable, if that's your thing. The food and drinks are as tasty as they are artistic and the decor is chic and dramatic. Whether you're doing it for the 'gram or doing it for a good, inventive meal, you will be happy you dined here....