From June 2006 Cheap Eats

Style and substance converge at this high-energy bar/restaurant/lounge in Silver Spring, where standard Latin American dishes like ceviche, roast chicken, and fritters get fresh interpretations, while the modern dining room appeals to a crowd that's comfortable stopping in for a caipirinha and nibbles or a full meal.

Novel approaches to classics like papas a la huancayna are hallmarks of this kitchen. Here the traditional boiled potatoes with peanut sauce go elegant with a blob of creamy ricotta, crunchy crushed peanuts, and roasted potatoes under a velvety yellow-pepper purée. Fried potato wedges steal the show in a garlicky sauté with chorizo. Oversize fritters are crusty and greaseless: One, an oval of corn soufflé, oozes Gruyère; the other is a mix of shredded chicken punctuated with cilantro and capers. Roast chicken cured with beer and cumin is as crisp and delicious as any fried bird, while a pork rib is caramelized till even the fat is golden brown. Seafood includes a perfectly balanced, classic ceviche and a beautifully turned out whole fish of the day.

Comfort can be found in locro ecuatoriano, a creamy potato soup with avocado and soft-boiled eggs, the sort of thing you might crave after one too many of the bar's bracingly tart mojitos.