Italian dinner at Rino's

The standard wisdom is that there are but three truly great cuisines in the world, French, Chinese and Italian. There is plenty of room for argument, either by way of promoting other culinary cultures or by noting the regional variations among the three that have been mentioned. Nevertheless, it’s a good rule of thumb and one of its proofs is the proliferation of Italian eateries in Panama City.

Understand that Panamanian culture has featured strong Italian influences ever since the Spanish Conquest. The Spaniards came here to conquer bearing the writ of an Italian priest --- Pope Leo X --- to do so. Most likely, the ruins of a caravel resting in shallow water just past Nombre de Dios were left there half a millennium ago by an Italian, one Christopher Columbus (Cristobal Colón in Spanish, Cristoforo Colombo as his Genoese parents named him). Fort San Lorenzo is an example of Italian military architecture, and much of Portobelo and Panama Viejo were built by black slaves working according to the plans of Italian builders. Our legal system traces its heritage back to Roman law. Later Italian influences include hundreds of Italian workers who worked on the construction of the Panama Canal.

As it affects the dining page of The Panama News, the net effect of all of this is that pasta and pizza are easy to come by in Panama City, and a few of our Italian restaurants are very good.

To the upper tier of Italian places we must now add Ristorante Rino’s, an establishment on Avenida Federico Boyd.

Yes, you can do spaghetti and meatballs or pizza there, but you really ought to sample some of their more sophisticated offerings, maybe with a little wine.

I tried a stuffed chicken breast concoction, with the chicken having been cooked with cheese wrapped in pepperoni inside --- kind of like an Italian version of cordon bleu --- and then cut into medallions and topped with just enough sauce to enhance the flavor. The person I was with ordered a seafood-based pasta. With the fresh bread they brought in at first, a little salad and a glass of wine added to round out the experience, we had a fine Italian meal.

I’ll have to go back some time and try some of their other entrees, or to sample their Italian desserts.

The food is the main thing, but let me not fail to mention the excellent service, tasteful decor, relaxed atmosphere and moderate prices, all of which add to this establishment’s attractions.

I will hold the superlatives here because there are other excellent Italian restaurants in town. But with Rino’s they have a new peer.

dining

Another good Italian option