It had been nearly two years since my last visit to Boquete, and a lot has changed in that time. The community has embraced tourism, and there has been a flood of visitors and new residents from Panama and abroad, among the latter a lot of folks from the United States, Canada and The Netherlands. There has been a corresponding growth in the restaurant business to provide dining options for the tourists and newcomers.

In a few days and on a modest budget it's not possible to sample all of the offerings. However, a couple of the places that I did lunch deserve special mention.

At the Bistro Boquete, a little establishment in an old wooden building on the little town's main drag, the mountain breezes cool a tastefully and subtly decorated restaurant and bar. Think cotton (as in woven Guatemalan napkins, etc.) and hardwood (as in a beautiful bar, etc.) --- natural, comfortable, elegant without pretense.

The fresh bread with olive oil set the international mood. The curried chicken salad --- chicken, apples and raisins in a mildly spicy curry sauce that wasn't drippy or runny, with lettuce, romaine, cabbage, tomato slices and shredded carrots on the side --- came with a half-pita and an olive oil and herb concoction that could be a dip for the bread or a dressing for the vegetables.

It was perfect. Served up with a large glass of lemonade, and including an American-standard tip for a waiter who's working to improve his already good English, there were several pieces of folding-type change left over from a $10 bill.

A little way down the street you'll find the Casona Mexicana, in another old wooden building. You can't find Taco Bell in town --- that will probably be coming with the burger strip that Mireya wants to build through the Volcan Baru National Park from Cerro Punta to Boquete --- but there are several Mexican dining options. This one gives you excellent alternatives to the clichés.

I ordered the tortilla soup appetizer and the mixed fajita entree. It was an enormous amount of food, with a little dish of mild green hot sauce to spice to taste.

The soup was a fried corn meal and Mexican cheese in a tomato and something concoction. It was simple, different and excellent. The fajitas came with hot and moist little wheat tortillas, refried black beans topped with grated cheese, a braised mixture of beef, chicken, Spanish onions and sweet and mildly spicy peppers, and shredded lettuce with a dollop of sour cream. Everything was fresh (including the lemonade I ordered), tender and cooked just right. The bill came to $10, plus the 15 percent that people like me who have worked for tips tend to pay waitresses. This was "expensive" by Boquete standards, but worth every cent.

Visitors on the backpacker's budget can grab some of Boquete's famous huge sweet navel oranges at the public market, strong sweet coffee at the little kiosko in front of the Seguro Social clinic, or a hot chocolate and empanada breakfast downstairs from the Pension Virginia.

Boquete's booming, and I have described but a few of its culinary attractions. No doubt there will be more to sample --- and, sadly, to miss --- by the time that I get back to the Chiriqui highlands.