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Downtown aesthetics and Argentine fare converge at this corner bistro, delivering a compelling Latin spin on a familiar Lower East Side concept. Handsome wood trim frames banks of windows that gaze over a grimy—if no longer gritty—street. Inside, candles flicker soft light on small tables and exposed brick walls, which are painted with signs advertising national products like Quilmes (a beer named after pre-Columbian ruins). Spanish ballads serenade a motley clientele—from scruffy Loisaida locals to well-scrubbed Wall Street suits. Argentine paraphernalia provide expected nods to the motherland: Pages of El Grafico plaster the ceiling, while a picture shrine pays homage to soccer demigod Diego Maradona. The menu follows suit with more than a few Argentine standards. Flaky empanadas and grilled Argentine chorizo anchor the selection of starters, while main courses slant heavily toward grilled meats, with beef especially well-represented. Parillada Completa, an Argentine staple, is the signature dish. Its sizzling cast iron platter comes piled high with a sampling of the menu's meat entrees: Smoky skirt steak; subtly-spiced pork sausage; rich, sage-inflected blood sausage; flattened sweetbreads, breaded on the outside with a meaty interior; impossibly tender baby lamb chops; and a roasted quarter-chicken that holds its own against its grilled companions. The two fish options and pasta entrée are more Lower East Side than Puerto Madero, but you won't hear anyone quibbling: Between the robust meats and the lively vibe, even Argentine purists will leave here well-sated. — John Vorwald

Grilled skirt steak, $21.75; grilled meat selection for two, $44