Warm and intimate, you can expect pleasant food, a relaxing time and a globally-inspired menu at Panama Hatty’s.

The Venue
Located just off the upmarket King Street (a central hub for designer fashion hawks) and directly under Agent Provocateur, Panama Hatty’s has a great location.

As you descend the entrance stairs, it is obvious that they have put a lot of thought into the decor and it has paid off. There are mirrors of all shapes and sizes adorning the walls, a cool chessboard mosaic along the floor and cool lamps at each table. They manage to strike a good balance between modern and homely. The restaurant seating is mostly booth-style and there are nice sofas in the sizeable bar area, where you can relax before or after you eat.

The Atmosphere
The mood lighting, coloured blinds and spacious arrangement of tables creates an aura of calm. The booths and comfy sofas keep each group intimately separated, and most diners are casually dressed which makes for a very low fuss environment.

Service is good, there are waiters nearby at all times and they are very friendly and fast. It is worth noting that some people may find the constant circling of the staff a little unnerving at times.

The music is mostly Latin and pop, which is set at a low volume and fits the venue well. You will also often hear the appetising sound of sizzling dishes being delivered to eager diners, which helps put you in the mood for your food.

The Food
There are a wide range of starters on the menu, mostly with a Tex-Mex theme. Lock Garden Glory sticks out, as it is very different from the usual starters – it uses six types of fruit, including blueberries and physalis, and is served in a baked tortilla topped with sorbet and fruit coulis. There are also plenty of meat starters including ribs, chicken goujons and Thai fish cakes.

The sharing dishes include Nuevo Cabana (£7.95), their take on the nacho platter. This comes smothered with cheese, taco sauce, olives, jalapenos and sides of sour cream, guacamole and mixed beans for dipping. This dish is huge and there is more than enough cheese and sauce to moisten the nachos but the dips may run out. The guacamole has a strong lime flavour which really comes to the fore giving the dish a zesty flavour. The main dishes are very varied and start off with Mexican classics, such as sizzling fajitas and burritos. On the whole, they do Mexican food very well. There are also grill and burger choices, while the rest of the menu contains a surprisingly large choice from all over the world. Most dishes are what can be described as fusions however, and there are very few authentic dishes on the menu, which is summed up by the aromatic duck fajitas (£14.25).

The maravita shank (£14.25) closely resembles a Moroccan tagine but with red wine thrown in. The lamb is quite flavourful and tender but the wine clashes a bit with the apricots in the sauce. The accompanying crushed sweet potato dauphinoise is unfortunately bland. The parsnip crisps on the side are enjoyably crunchy and sweet but further confuse the dish. The dessert menu is different in that it includes Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, which though nice, does make it feel a bit like ordering dessert from a cinema. If you want comfort food then this menu won’t disappoint: sizzling apple pie, toffee meringue and melted chocolate cake are all present.

The sweet and sugary waffles (£4.95) are lovely and crisp. Scoops of vanilla ice cream and a gloop of toffee sauce ensure that you always get an indulgent mouthful, and even if there’s nothing special about this dish it plays the inner-child card well.

The Drink
There is lots of choice on the drink menu as the restaurant has a sizeable bar. Beers include Corona (£3.05), Modelo (£3.95) and Desperados (£3.50), which combines a light beer with tequila. The wine menu begins at £2.95 per glass or £12.50 per bottle of Chardonnay/Merlot. Cocktails include the Viva Margarita (£4.50) which is served in a cactus-shaped glass and the Mojito (£4.95).

The Final Word
Panama Hatty’s is a fun place and serves some nice food and drink. Its mix of global food leaves you with the feeling that it’s having a bit of an identity crisis. Stick to the Mexican recipes and you should have a good time.

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