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On
the way to Pedasí, we camped at Playa Uverita
(N07°46.548'
W080°10.947') for the night. We
headed to the Los Santos region in search
of Marty's friend Joseph (above), whom he
had met on a surf trip four years prior.
Joseph is a French chef who fled France,
supposedly from the Mafia, ran the Panamá
Hotel restaurant for 20 years and opened
a small restaurant in Pedasí, Panamá. I
had heard, on many occasions, of the "suculenté"
cuisine Joseph made in his underwear for
Marty and his good brother, Jim, on their
trip to Panamá. So I was really looking
forward to meeting Joseph and tasting his
food. When we got to Pedasí Marty asked
at a store where we could find Joseph, and
they directed us to his house a half of
a block up the street. Marty knocked on
Joseph's door, walked in and reintroduced
himself and asked where was his restaurant.
Although he had closed the restaurant a
year prior, he was willing to make us dinner
with whatever he had in his refrigerator.
We returned that evening and Joseph served
us in his living room, or actually, what
used to be the restaurant. At over 70 years
old, when Marty asked if we could come back
if we ever returned to Panama, he said "NO",
in a strong French accent.
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