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A recent addition to Park Slope's bustling Fifth Avenue, Bogota Latin Bistro features a greatest hits approach to regional Central and South American cooking. The décor is festive, with exposed brick painted beige, aqua, and maroon, hardwood floors and hanging globe lights in large acrylic "ice cubes." Colorful and dreamy hand-painted murals adorn the bar and outdoor patio. Steaks, chicken, and seafood are grilled, fried, and stewed; cilantro, cumin, garlic, lime, and chili peppers are used extensively. For starters, Argentine beef empanadas are moist and meaty with delicate pastry exteriors. Colombian arepas, cornmeal cakes, are served with bits of fried pork; a sweeter de chocolo version is topped with butter and slices of queso blanco, a mild white cheese. Fried calamari are meltingly tender; their smoky chipotle mayonnaise dip brightened with lime juice. For main courses, there's a Costa Rican take on bacalao, the classic codfish stew with tomatoes, onions, chili peppers, and cilantro, and an inventive chicken breast crusted with mashed fried plantains. For dessert, Colombian mazamorra intrigues, featuring white corn kernels in milk, and brown sugar and guava paste on the side. Hot churros, the Hispanic riff on doughnuts, come with a fragrant chocolate sauce for dipping. — Michael Anstendig

Beef empanada, $3; fried calamari, $8.50; plantain chicken, $15, churros, $5