Peperoncini di Mare

This one gets my vote for seafood

As Panama has grown, the local palate has become more knowledgeable. More and more people from all around the world have begin to call the city home, and new restaurants were needed to meet the demand for more sophisticated international cuisine.

Peperoncini di Mare, a smallish, boutique-style restaurant in the banking area meets this definition. Elegantly modern, with just a touch of decorative whimsy, Peperoncini di Mare´s excels at offering fresh seafood imaginatively prepared and served with finesse.

Everything was delicious! For starters, our Seafood Broth di Mare was a large bowl of the finest seafood soup I have ever had…filled with all manner of seafood tidbits, perfectly seasoned and one of those special dishes where you surreptitiously tip the bowl in order to enjoy every last morsel. Next was a Ceviche of Fresh Sole, marinated and served Peruvian style. If "Peruvian style" means the little condiments that came with it, including delicious roasted pine nuts, then "Viva Peru!" Eggplant Centenario was roasted eggplant sliced lengthwise, topped with a special sauce and filled with shrimps. The smoky flavor of the roasted eggplant was perfectly complimented by the rich sauce and shrimp meat.

Peperoncini di Mare –elegantly modern.

While all of these appetizer dishes were excellent, I bestow special kudos to the chef for Deep Sea Tuna, a plate that featured a filet of tuna sealed with sesame seeds, sliced thinly and topped with a passion fruit marinade and served with fresh green lettuce. The tuna was cooked rare, as it must be. The passion fruit marinade lent a certain tart sweetness that brought the dish to an entirely new level. We wondered if what was to come could possibly match what we had just enjoyed. Happily, Peperoncini di Mare did not disappoint.

Corvina In Disguise was a moist filet of that most Panamanian of seafood, corvina, smothered in slices of fresh plantain, topped with a toasted bread crumb au gratin, then gently placed on a small hill of creamy mashed potatoes. The mild flavor of the fish yielded gently to the tropical sweetness of the plantains and formed a flavor that was both unique and delicious. Pirate’s Shrimp featured four very large Panko shrimp, breaded and fried, then served tail up around another portion of those creamy mashed potatoes, then drizzled with a perfectly balanced balsamic vinegar and brown sugar reduction. The reduction was almost gravy-like in both texture and flavor, and played off the crisp-yet-moist flesh of the shrimp quite well. This was another dish that is outwardly easy to describe, but one that takes an expert hand to achieve.

Sunset At The Beach is a risotto infused dish with an almost over-abundance of seafood. Finally, my party of four shared Hidden Treasure, an extremely large seafood pasta dish so called because, besides the seafood delicacies in the folds of pasta, a filet of sea bass was hidden in the center, hence the "Hidden Treasure". This particular dish is quite large, so make sure you have the appetite…or share it with another diner.

You must remember to pace yourself when eating at Peperoncini di Mare because dessert is a must. One diner, not a chocolate fiend, ordered the Apple Crepe with a scoop of vanilla ice cream….and it was delicious. But if chocolate is your passion, you must indulge yourself with Ambrosia Néptuno, a semi-soufflé that hides a molten pool of rich chocolate beneath an equally rich chocolate cake topping. Notify your cardiologist before you order this.

Peperoncini di Mare is an exceptional restaurant that would not be out of place in a prime Beverly Hills location. A special thanks to Christine Cartooch for making a superlative evening even more stunning by her caring attention.