Mambo Italiano — Restaurant in Panamá Oeste

We went with a small group (5 people) on a Wednesday evening. The restaurant is located at a crossroad in Nueva Gorgona so there's a fair bit of traffic noise - certainly not the restaurant's fault but the idling semis and loud buses don't create a wonderful ambiance. Service is attentive and prompt so that is a real plus. Menu is presented on a chalkboard (much better than a QR-coded online menu). It is not extensive but offers a reasonable selection of Italian and other dishes. They offer a wide range of wood-oven pizzas - no one in our party ordered pizza but they provided complimentary slices of their basic pizzas which everyone agreed were very tasty. One of our group ordered fish of the day (corvina) which she said was good but not great. Three people (including me) ordered spaghetti carbonara. I found it good but not great. The recipe used bacon and unfortunately Panamanian bacon leaves much to be desired. Also unfortunate was that the food was warm but not hot. The other person in our party had the lasagna (which was huge) and she reported it was very good. One criticism of the service: they were only accepting cash (which is fine for a new restaurant - they said they would start accepting cards next week); however, they took the cash and never returned with change. If you pay cash, specify "cambio" and insist they bring back your change. Otherwise you may be on the hook for a possibly exorbitant tip.

Overall, Mambo Italiano is very good but not amazing. Perhaps with time and experience, they'll develop into a great (or...

This is the the hidden gem of all of Nueva Gorgona/Corando area. It is a very cute restaurant on the corner of the Main Street of Nueva Gorgona. The atmosphere is cozy and romantic. The owner/chef provides amazing service. The food is to die for. The restaurant offers daily specials, and my favorite is their blue cheese gnocchi , and when I say blue cheese(if you are a lover) there is so much in it and it is creamy and smooth. The pasta is made fresh daily and I have tried many of their pastas and it is all to die for.

Now if you are a pizza lover , this is the place for you. This is hands down the best pizza I have had in all of Panama and it is very fair priced as well. The restaurant has an amazing pizza oven, the size of a small sedan, and is heated via a wood fire. The dough is made fresh daily and I have to say it is some of the best pizza dough/crust I have had. It is light and fluffy while being perfectly crisped on the bottom. The cheese they use is high quality and you can’t go wrong at all with any combination you pick, when the base of bread and sauce is already sublime.

I highly recommend anyone visiting the area or locals to make this a destination to go. It is a hidden gem which as a foodie I am always so...

One of the most authentically Italian restaurants I've found outside of Italy. All recipes are truly Italian. The husband and wife team running the restaurant will make you feel immediately at home and, at the same time, an honored guest. During the course of dinner they come to the table to make sure that everything is of your liking and are happy to have a little chat, if you so desire. The terrace in the back is absolutely lovely, especially in the evening when a cool sea breeze brings some coolness to the hot Panamanian weather (there is no air conditioning in the main room). If you order a pizza (a small would actually be a regular in most places) prices are really honest, but with the rest of the menu, and especially with wine, it can get more pricey rather quickly (USD 40-50 per person). Still worth it, though, for an evening of authentic Italian food in a cute family-run restaurant with impeccable and very friendly service (kudos also to Bryan, who speaks good English and is most helpful with his suggestions and explanations of the various options). All food is made fresh (like it should be) so they are also happy to accomodate any request you might have to change a dish to your liking (within...