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Packed with a crowd that looks like it knows El Salvadorian food, Bahia serves authentic dishes just a few L stops out of Manhattan. You can imitate the regulars' practice of drinking Corona mixed with tomato juice, but a bottle of El Salvadoran Suprema beer is really the best complement to savory pupusas (filled with meat or zucchini and cheese). The sweetness of Bahia's fried plantains is balanced perfectly with their outstanding homemade sour cream, though fresh seafood dishes are a welcome contrast to the fried appetizers—particularly the delicious shrimp ceviche. If you're really hungry, the platos tipicos (which all include steak) will easily satisfy any appetite, but save room for flan: the ample portion is a sweet deal. — Amy Allison