La Comedia – Mexican Restaurant

Plaza Herrera, Casco Viejo
Reservations: 6722-7212 / 6842-0895

Food: ****1/2
Ambience: *****
Servicio: ****

Traditional Mexican gourmet — and fun!

Kiko, La Chilindrina and El Chavo are part of the magic at La Comedia.

Traditional Mexican gastronomy and entertaining shows are the recipe that Roberto Arana is using to create a new destination restaurant in Plaza Herrera, Casco Viejo. The dinner-only venue has been open for just two months and word is spreading like wildfire: La Comedia offers a wide range of food, from traditional street-style tacos to 21-day aged imported beef, accompanied by hilarious shows put on by a talented cast of actors interpreting everyone from Michael Jackson to the Mexican TV star “El Chavo”.

With a couple of margaritas and Coronas already on the table, we began our meal with some traditional starters: Frijoles Refritos — Refried Beans ($4.75) and Queso Fundido — Melted mozzarela ($4.50). The beans have a touch of garlic and the cheese (which must be eaten quickly while it is still manageable) is dressed up with jalapeño and chorizo (sausage).

La Comedia’s mission is not just to entertain, but to showcase traditional dishes, just as grandma used to make them. Sopa de Tortillas — Tortilla Soup ($6.80) is an excellent and flavourful starter, with the accompanying white cheese, avocado, julienned tortillas and onion served separately so the diner can add as much or as little as they wish to the broth. Huarache de Ceviche — Ceviche on crisp tortillas ($5.00) is a great dish for its flavor and value. The corvina fish comes tossed with sweet yellow corn, tomato and a touch of cilantro.

The Mexican Ambassador to Panama, Luz María de la Mora, left the restaurant at this point and sent her sincere praises to the chef for the authenticity of her meal. Molcajete ($22.00) is an impressive dish, served in a piping-hot traditional “macerador” (masher). Cuts of chicken, beef, cheese and sausage lay are semi-submerged in a traditional “mortajada” sauce made of a secret blend of grilled Mexican vegetables. This dish is great for sharing in a group. It comes with homemade tortillas.

For a main course, we tried Guachinango a la veracruzana ($26.00). The fillet of grilled pargo fish is served in a Veracruz-style sauce of white wine, Mexican peppers, capers, onion and olives. The presentation is fun; the head and tail of the fish are breaded, fried and served at opposite ends of the fillet. Inarguably at the top of the list was the Arrachera ($32.00). This is the prime cut of the skirt steak. The thin layer of fat is removed and the beef is aged at a controlled temperature in a secret marinade for 21 days. The result is a spectacularly tender cut of meat full of sweet flavor. It is also an enormous portion, but nevertheless the plate was clean when it returned to the kitchen.

Do not miss the tacos, step outside and watch them being prepared by master taco-makers.

Chef Oscar Rodriguez of La Valentina restaurant in Mexico is the culinary force behind the La Comedia. He has done extensive consulting to assure that the same standards are met at this restaurant as in La Valentina, known as the most authentic restaurant in all of Mexico.

But one can’t forget the Tacos ($4.50 for two)! Outside, a traditional taco stand is operated by master taco makers who catch a slice of pineapple on the taco as it flies through the air. The live entertainment is a great compliment to the atmosphere. Watch for Michael Jackson verses a Mariachi in a dance-off or “El Chavo” up to his antics during a meal.

We did not have room for dessert, but it is safe to say that one should only ask one of the well-dressed, attentive waiters for his personal reccomendation.

Article courtesy of The Visitor Newspaper, Panama’s Tourism Newspaper.

For more useful information about moving to Panama contact one of our experts today.