Enjoy a cooking adventure at Villa Ibis in a fully equipped kitchen with gourmet foods and
ingredients at your fingertips.
So, you will need to be reassured that the place you are renting has a great kitchen space with plenty of good quality knives, tools and equipment that can make it seem like home from home with absolutely everything you’ll need to make a sumptuous meal.
However, most properties that we have rented over the years have been so poorly equipped, some lacking in even the most basic of items such as sufficient wine glasses, coffee mugs or chopping knives that it immediately puts you off the whole idea of cooking. But at Villa Ibis it’s different!
A huge range of cooking tools, implements and a large pantry/storage space
There is a very large pantry to store all your non-perishable food items and snacks that you’ll likely bring with you. And we have already taken care of the very basics such as plain flour, sugar, BBQ salt, oil and vinegar, salt and pepper, condiments, and herbs.
You’ll find a great selection of quality cooking pots, pans, frying pans, a small paella pan and even a muffin tin, rice cooker and a typical Panamanian “sarten” or frying pan (which doesn’t look as pretty, but is great for Panamanian cooking)!
There is a huge stove with 5 gas rings and a large electric oven below (and a separate small oven and microwave); electric hand mixer; smoothie/soup blender; a large and a small food chopper; pestle and mortar and even a Continental French press and milk-frother to make the very best cup of coffee (as well as a regular coffee machine). And that’s to mention just a few items!
And as far as implements are concerned, we think you’ll find almost every tool you will ever need from a Marie Louise (spatula) and a Mexican elbow (lemon/lime squeezer) to a garlic press and grater (one for nutmeg or parmesan as well as a larger one). If there is something missing, you only have to tell us and we’ll add it to the collection.
Private Entertaining Space: the choice of three locations to eat
The undercover terrace is the hub of the home and the most popular place for everyone where there are sofas and hammocks to laze in as well as a dining table for six people.
It’s the perfect place to gather pre-dinner for Aperol time and enjoy the magnificent views of the lake and the bird superhighway, only a few steps from the terrace. To keep cool, there are wooden fans above the table and seating area. And it’s right next to the Gas BBQ so that you can serve sizzling hot food right onto everyone’s plate!
If you want to cool down, the air-conditioned dining space inside in the living room with cathedral ceiling and fans has a large wooden table for six people and overlooks the pool and terrace.
And finally, right by the pool’s edge, surrounded by tropical gardens and views out to the lake and ocean beyond, there is a round table that comfortably seats 4 people.
The choice is yours!
Not one, but two BBQ’s to choose from!
You will have the choice of cooking on the Weber gas grill, or on the Brazilian style Churrasco, charcoal grill.
We supply the gas for the Weber grill (a spare tank is in the laundry room), but if you want to cook on the open fire, you will need to get some charcoal from the local shops.
There are a selection of special BBQ cooking implements in the kitchen in the small cupboard to the left of the oven/stove.
Where to go shopping
Fish and Vegetable Market (Mercado del Pescado):
One of my favorite places to shop is the Fish and Vegetable Market, (located close to Rio Hato Airport on the Pan-American Highway). Open most days from 7:00am – 2:00pm (sometimes closed for cleaning on a Monday).
They always have a good catch of fish, Mahi-Mahi, Corvina, sometimes Tuna, Robalo, Sole etc, large and small shrimp or langostinos, sometimes lobster, octopus, squid and clams. And they will clean and fillet anything you ask them to! They also sell several different types of ceviche.
The vegetable sellers have a tantalizing array of local and imported fruits, vegetables and salads. Look for the passion fruits and fresh pineapple from the farms close by and a variety of other vegetables and salads.
Supermarkets and food stores:
At the Mall on the corner of the Pan-American Highway you’ll find a large Super 99 supermarket and a Gourmet Meat Store.
Inside Buenaventura:
Deli-Gourmet (opposite the Buenaventura Hotel) which is full of specialty deli items, ice-cream and fresh bread, sandwiches and coffee.
Felipe Motta (at Punta Arena) which sells wines, beers, alcohol, specialty foods and snacks, fresh bread and sandwiches.
Chiringuito at the Buenaventura Marina. Manuel always has a good selection of local meat (frozen) including lamb.
To welcome our guests, we like to gift you a few goodies to get you on your way, but you may also be the lucky recipient of our popular and delicious Banana Bread. Many people have asked me for the recipe, so if you would like me to send it to you, just pop me off an email and I will gladly share it with you. suzy@villaibisbuenaventura.com
If you don’t cook or want a break from the kitchen, there are plenty of great places to get some fantastic food, especially fresh fish. Download our free Guide to the areas best Restaurants by filling in the form below (see the bottom of the page).
So, it’s time to get in the kitchen and start cooking! What’s on your menu for today?
Please do share one of your great recipes with me to try. I’m always up for creating something new! I’ll be sharing my Banana Bread recipe with our mailing list this month and other recipes from time to time (exclusively with our mailing list). If you want to be added to our mailing list, simply fill out the form below for our top list of local restaurants or email me at suzy@villaibisbuenaventura.com
Join our mailing list and we’ll send you a complementary guide to our Top Restaurant picks in and around Buenaventura
