Panama
would not be what it is today without the presence of its small Hindu
community, the descendants of workers from India who joined the hordes
from many parts of the world who came to build the Panama Canal in
the early 20th century.
One of
them is Koreena Bajwa, the owner of Restaurante Masala, one of the
newest restaurants in town –the continuation of a long family
tradition which started when her parents opened Bajwa’s Shamiana
in the early 1980's, and later Restaurante Calcutta.
Koreena Bajwa (left), the restaurant's owner |
The descendants
of Sikh immigrants from northern India, Koreena Bajwa has created
an establishment that reproduces the flavors she enjoyes at home,
prepared in Tandor adobe ovens with a blend of 15 spices known throughout
her ancestral land as Masala cuisine.
Although
herself a vegetarian, Koreena invites her guests to enjoy the wide
variety of authentic dishes her restaurant offers, including various
cuts of lamb, marinated in yoghurt, which is one of Masala’s
most popular dishes.
Koreena’s
excellence as a hostess comes from her long involvement with the international
tourist industry. She worked for many years with a number of local
and international travel agencies and airlines.
Restaurante
Masala opens Monday to Saturday, from noon to 3:00 p.m. and from 6:00
p.m. to around 10:30 p.m. It is located on Calle 42, Bella Vista.
For more information, call 225-0105.
