If El Guanaco is any indication, El Salvador is a quirky, adventurous little country for potential tourists. The walls lined with posters touting Salvador's natural wonders and Mayan ruins may serve as the usual nationalist decor, but what of the fluorescent parrots hanging from the ceiling, the cologne inexplicably for sale at the front or the jukebox that plays your favorite Salvadorian hits in laserdisc (!) form? Has El Salvador always been such an idiosyncratic wonderland?

While the peculiarities help to define El Guanaco as the neighborhood hangout, the food separates it from any of the nearby Mexican eateries. If you go south of the U.S. border, you'll find cuisine spicy; if you go south of the Mexican border to El Salvador, you'll find it sweet, with a tendency toward fried rather than grilled food. El Guanaco's biggest draw: pupusas, round, stuffed, corn-based tortillas, a light treat at only $1.65 apiece. Have them filled with cheese, beans, or—if you want complete authenticity—loroco, a sharp, bitter plant grown mainly in the Salvadorian mainland. Wash 'em down with a tall glass of horchata or a retro-looking glass bottle of Pepsi and/or Coke (with the logo circa 1989).

Fill yourself up with beans, tortillas and sausages for under $10, and while you're there, study the walls to learn about Guatemala's friendly neighbor to the south, throw some quarters into the salsa-playing jukebox and pick up some fragrances for a night on the town. They also have hamburgers and pizzas, if you're in the mood to be a complete American wuss.

Centerstage Reviewer: Andy Seifert