Taj Mahal Restaurant

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Description

“Where’s the Beef?” is a well known catch phrase from those Wendy’s commercials of the 1980’s and I know one place, in Playa Santa Clara, where the answer to “Where’s the Beef” would be XS Memories Restaurant & Sports Bar.  You can get a good beef hamburger with delicious fresh homemade French fries. 

A group of us decided to try lunch at XS on our way back from visiting an organic garden center near Rio Hato.  XS is located about one block off the PanAmerican Highway (turn right if you are coming from Coronado) across from the road to Playa Santa Clara.

XS is run by Sheila & Dennis Parsick and is one of the few (if not only) RV parks in Panama.  The hours of operation for the restaurant & sports bar are 8 AM – 8 PM and they are open until 10 PM on Friday, Saturday & Sunday. Currently they are closed on Tuesday.

The restaurant & bar will be a delight to sports buff’s in the crowd.  The ceiling, walls, shelves and tables contain all manner of sports memorabilia from trophies to jerseys to hockey & baseball cards.

XS has a daily menu board where the current specialties are listed including a choice of homemade pies.  The day we were there the choices were apple, pecan or XS Chocolate Fudge Pie.
Four members of our group had the hamburger and fries for $3.50 each; the fries are done just the way I love them, with the skin on.  My husband had the chili for $3.50 and rated it as good.  The pizza rolls with pepperoni were the only things that was ordered that did not get a good review; they were not home made but from a freezer package. 

Only one person in our group was hungry enough after our entrée to order the pie. He ordered the pecan pie and said was good but not quite as good as “Grandma’s”. Beer cost $1.25/each and fresh lemonade was $1/glass. Our total bill for 2 people, including pie, 4 beverages and tip came to $13.66, not bad for lunch and I didn’t have to cook.

Just after we visited the restaurant, we were informed that Sheila & Dennis were in a serious automobile accident. At the time of writing this article, October 9th 2008, Sheila is still in the hospital. We all wish her a speedy and complete recovery.  The restaurant remains open with the help of their good friends.