Panela — Restaurant in Lowell

I went there for lunch. I got a blue moon , cheese balls. And the dish that comes with multiple meats. Sorry for not using proper item names. I drank by deer ate two out of 4 cheese balls. Put aside on plate. Main meal come out. Steak which asked for rare was well done. Where beans overloaded plate. I put steak in side with cheese balls. So could see how it wss cooked without beans getting in thebway When I pointed out steak was well done not rare. Took my side plate. Long story short I paid 46$ plus tip for 2 cheese balls and a blue noon. Was not offered any of money back this place is horrible. As I told the barmaid the over cook egg ontop of the rice whivh could be used as a bouncy ball. was a perfect metaphor for the while plste. Edit) response to owner. With the steak that was being cooked. How did it come out after I walked out? While I was waiting for barmaid to talk to cook well person attempting too cook. I tired the pork belly it it wss extremely undercooked. At thst point I didn't trust the cook enough to eat food they cooked. Why I said I'd love to go to the back and teach them how to cook. The taste of all the food wss great so I liked it if it wss cooked correctly. Mr or Ms owner. Are you the one who attempted to cook my steak. If so cute attempt. What you guys fell short at was cooking the food. Steak was overcooked , the pork belly didn't seem to get pass the prep pre cook stage. So the sausage, I didn't want to attempt. I rather not eat raw pork and get worms. But the taste of everything I tried was good. So my problem wasn't a taste preference. It seemed like the cook was upset there was a lunch rush a party around 10 left around the time I got my cheese balls. Oh I wish they didn't get taken away from me without asking or any community when barmaid took steak away from me. Anywho seem like after that large party. The cook put zero effect into anything that wasn't put into hot geese take out of hot geese. Great cheese balls though. Only had sauce on two of them. Could see the lack of effort of the cook with everything he or she put...

After the epic failure of a meal earlier in the day, I had to find something to remedy the taste buds. As I began to drive back towards Boston, I searched for possible options along the way that were recommended restaurant stops for their food quality. This Colombian restaurant popped up on the list and immediately beckoned a slight detour to visit. As New England states are so tiny compared to the West Coast, it wasn’t long before I exited the freeway and parked along the street outside Panela.

While the restaurant had a large space (noticed later there was a dance floor) and an almost equally large bar area, there were only a couple patrons that day - nursing their beers and quietly chatting. Service was fast and prompt and menus were on the table before I even sat down. Water showed up shortly before I was given a little more time to peruse the menu. It was an interesting menu and well thought out. I had no idea what to order so I just followed my gut on what I felt like gorging on (and was glad I did).

I won’t go much into dissecting each dish. But I can tell you that the flavors were balanced and pleasant. Each bite beckoned more until the plate was empty. I couldn’t stop myself. I had to keep going on everything disappeared from the table. It’s one of those times that you’re not claiming a dish to be perfect in whatever culinary pedigree BUT that it’s so balanced in flavor that your palate is tickled in all forms. It was a tongue-gasmic moment and immediately remedied the most boring meal on earth that I just had earlier today.

PS. Researched the background of the restaurant later on. Now everything makes sense. I applaud your need to create and...

When I first discovered Panela it wasn’t just a restaurant for me, it was a place to meet a community of people. COVID was ending and I was new to Lowell. I was interested in taking salsa dancing lessons and Panela came highly recommended for its Thursday night socials. Panela quickly became a home for me — and Vivi and her staff became family. The food is a unique blend of traditional Colombian cuisine fused with Vivi’s unique artisan flare. At Panela, you can be sure to find classic Colombian dishes, but also some nuanced recipes that Vivi has thoughtfully and strategically designed to represent different regions of her home country. I was fortunate enough to bear witness to Vivi’s creative process when I visited Colombia with her and saw her enjoying various street foods and traditional plates while journaling ideas to bring back to Panela. You can even find some of the ceramic dish ware at Panela is brought all the way from the mountains of Carmen de Viboral, Colombia! In addition to the savory flavors, large portion sizes, and reasonable pricing — you will fall in love with the vibrant and welcoming atmosphere. Just don’t forget your dance shoes! Panela has, and will, remain a cornerstone of the Lowell community — representing it’s diverse charm. My wife and I have celebrated many special occasions here including: our birthdays, our engagement, our wedding, hosting friends from out of town, and more. Each time Vivi has gone above and beyond to make the occasions feel special. Gracias por...