Profile

Under the elevated 7 track, this warm Salvadorean restaurant lures guests away from the hyperurban landscape. The amber-lit space is comfortable and friendly, whimsically designed with a village house façade in back—white stucco, corrugated roof, small square windows—and maps and toy trucks mounted on the walls. Newcomers might easily take their cue from the Salvadaredeños at the neighboring tables—typically dining on a beef or shrimp soup and the carne asada platter, a feast of glistening cuts of flank steak with sides of rice, refried beans, plantains, tortillas, and other starchy comfort foods. The mariscada a lo Izalco combines seafood in a rich marinara sauce, with hit-and-miss results: Plump shrimp and buttery crab make the plate, but the lobster and clams are overcooked, and the weak imitation crab just plain unnecessary. Corn figures prominently in Izalco's small dishes, such as pupusas, enchiladas and steamy tamales, filled with a fresh polenta that's light and sweet. — Chaiti Sen

Tamales de elote (with ham), $2.60; carne asada, $14.95