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It's easy to leave work and be transported to a tropical getaway, especially if you're at Salsa y Salsa, where the walls are covered with stencils of hibiscus flowers; oilcloths are floral, orange, and yellow; and a playful, blue glass chandelier hangs from above. The food is equally colorful, a pan-Mexican cuisine with specialties like chicken or duck breast in mole sauce as well as Yucatan-style roast chicken. But the decked-out Chelsea boys, couples on dates, and après-work desk jockeys gravitate more to the drinks menu, treating themselves to cactus pear margaritas and pomegranate mojitos. Snacks are a good match for the drinks; the guacamole is made fresh and the totopas, tri-color tortilla chips in blue, yellow, and red, come with habanero, sweet chipotle, or pico de gallo salsas. The pepitas are browned and salted with a smoky flavor so the pumpkin seeds never lose their spicy kick. Entrees are dressed up but not always spectacular, with a fair share of standards like burritos, enchiladas, and fajitas. The ceviche de mariscos is cooked and served in tomato sauce on a purple tortilla shell with chunks of mango and avocado, olives, and capers. You may not be flying first-class, but if you need an instant Mexican vacation, drop in. — Stephen Weiss

Reservations are accepted only for groups of 6 or more.

Pepitas, $2.25; jicama salad, $7.95