Beware: Bistec Picado
It was not long after I bought my first bistec picado that I swore I’d never order it again. The dish is one of
The beef was from the lower crust; lots of pebble-like hunks of fat which had not been cooked long enough. They resembled, in texture and taste, warm Vaseline. It was strange that the fat had not been rendered, I thought to myself, considering the vat of beef appeared to have been sitting there for several months. The edges of the pan showed the point, not unlike a rising tide line on the beach, where the bistec picado had originally been. The distance was dauntingly long.
It was served along side a spoonful of white rice as well as a small salad which was, truthfully, meager. Lettuce as limp as fabric, a slice of under-ripe tomato, and a dash of pepper on top. Alice Waters would have had a fit.
I tried to hide the discomfort as my host for the meal was hold a steak knife; eventually putting away nearly one third of the portion I had been so kindly gifted by a fat woman behind the counter wearing a shirt that said “I’m a Sexy Bitch”. I’m pretty sure the woman was sporting a slight beard.
My bistec picado incident was soon thereafter concluded when I smuggled the remaining beef into a napkin which I slipped in my gym bag. It’s an embarrassing feeling, having to fake eat your hosts’ food in a foreign country because you don’t want to offend anyone.
In the end, I decided to give bistec picado a second chance and order it again. And truth be told, it was a very enjoyable dish. Much of the experience depends on the quality of the ingredients, so for your introduction, stay away from the fly-ridden roadside stands. Try a nicer restaurant, perhaps Tinajas in the banking district, for a decent go.
| Written by PanaMatt | ![]() |
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Filed under: Country Guide on January 28th, 2008







Hello,
I am from Panama and as anywhere else you need to do your research before you go eat out. I am in Uzbekistan right now and let me tell you that I have been sick a lot even more than in Mexico. I have been in very nice and expensive restaurants and still I got sick.
Bistec picado is my favorite dish. I am glad you find a better place to eat your bistec picado.
best regards,
Perla
Hello, I lived in Panama from ‘89-94. Bistec Picado was one of my favorite dishes. Does anyone have a traditional recipe they would share?