dining

Well, there are no formal democratic institutions for such a thing. However, restaurateurs Koreena and Cesar Marín --- her roots tracing back to the Punjab and his to Colombia, and both long-time figures on the Panamanian restaurant scene --- do know their business and did hear the public clamor. A couple of restaurants ago, the Maríns ran the Calcutta downstairs from the Hotel Costa del Sol, so a new Indian place wasn't entirely unknown territory.

This reviewer, however, remembers the Calcutta. Masala is a much better restaurant than that was.

I went to the new place, on the same street as Bolero's and the Viejo Pipo, on the other side a little way up the hill, as part of a party of four who shared dishes. For starters we got their tandoori chicken wings and fried eggplant slices, which came with crispy poori bread and a variety of sauces to try.

We then got into several of their curries, which can be ordered on a continuum from very mild number one to fiery number five. (This was a party of carnivores, but of course a large part of Panama's Hindu community is vegetarian and there are more than a dozen main courses for those who eschew fish, fowl and meat.) We ordered two versions of curried lamb, one in a green sauce based upon creamed mustard greens, the other in a yogurt-based sauce. We also got chicken and shrimp curries. As the fire eaters were in the minority on this outing, everything that was ordered was specified moderate to not at all on the picante scale.

It was all very wonderful. That and healthy too.

Subsequently, a vegetarian friend asked me for directions to this new place, and in response to my inquiries afterwards said she loved Masala.

I will be back to this place, both for a flame out worthy of a Colon Buay's palate and to explore their vegetarian entrees. (Let me point out, by the way, that among the Kuna and West Indian influences that make Colon's food spicier than the capital's one finds Jamaican-style curries. However, this Indian influence by way of the old British Empire is indirect, and though I do enjoy Jamaican curry, what Masala offers is something distinct.)

This restaurant is on an upstairs floor of an older building, so is unfortunately inconvenient to anyone in a wheelchair. However, with a little help that's an obstacle that can be surmounted.

Masala has modest prices, with entrees ranging from $4 to $18 and mostly under $10. Our waiter had a little problem with English, but that wasn't a problem because most of us had no trouble ordering in Spanish and if it had become an issue the owner speaks very good English.

Masala is open noon to three and six to ten p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. It's not a very large place, so if you intend to come with a big group you may want to make reservations by calling 225-0105 or by email at masala@cwpanama.net.

I expect that many of you who read this will also visit this new establishment, and that it will be with us for some time to come based upon the word of mouth reputation that usually makes or breaks a new restaurant in its early days.