Nothing says “special occasion” like lobster. When you’re celebrating a special event, lobster lovers will always gravitate toward ordering lobster. But because lobster if pricey, sometimes you choose it… and sometimes you get something else instead.
I live on the beach in Panama just outside Panama City. A few minutes down the street, a dozen different beachfront restaurants offer fresh seafood. The restaurants aren’t fancy (in fact, the tiny thin napkins will make you crazy), but the food is often remarkable. Plus, it’s absolute beachfront so you can hear the waves crash as you nosh on lobster.
My favorite fish shack is owned by Sr. Ramon, a native of El Salvador who seems to live at his restaurant, Veramar. They have a full menu of seafood, as well as pasta, chicken and even beef. I have several things I really enjoy but the warm lobster cocktail tops the list.
I had never had a lobster cocktail that was warm before tasting this one at Veramar. Imagine my surprise the first time I ordered it. I took a bite expecting a traditional COLD seafood cocktail…and was blown away by both the flavor, the temperature, and the amount of lobster! For about $20, this large serving of lobster is by far one of the best culinary deals in Panama.
The wine selection at Veramar is uninspired, so I either take my own bottle and pay a corkage fee–or get the lobster cocktail to go. After all, I live just down the beach.
Wine Pairing with Warm Lobster Cocktail
If I am eating lobster with butter sauce, I like to pair the lobster a buttery chardonnay. But with this warm cocktail sauce, I prefer the structure of a dry French Rose from Provence. If you dislike sweet wines and haven’t tried a really great dry French Rose, choose one that is a pale salmon color with a grayish tint. This may not become your favorite sipping wine, but it is so food friendly you should keep it on your radar, especially with seafood!
The Chateau Maupague is about $20 per bottle and complements this warm lobster cocktail perfectly. Notice the pale salmon color, especially in comparison to the widely distributed sweet White Zinfandels from the US that have turned so many wine drinkers off of Rose.
If you visit Panama, make sure and put Veramar on your must-try restaurant list. Tell Sr. Ramon that Melissa says hello!
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