The homey Central American dishes at Café La Union attract a mixed crowd, from construction workers to artists, who grab stools at the long counter in back for a meal or snack or drop by in the evening to have a few beers, shoot pool and watch sports or play tunes on the jukebox.

Owners Victor and Alexandra Torres both arrived in Miami with their families in the mid 1980s, he from El Salvador, she from Nicaragua, to escape strife in the region. They met at Bayside 14 years ago.

When they bought La Union two years ago, Alexandra quit her banking job and hired her aunt, who cooked in Latin cafeterias. Her mom makes desserts like bread pudding, flan and rice pudding. On weekdays, Alexandra does everything from waiting on customers to cooking; on weekends, Victor pitches in.

Customers come in the morning for hearty breakfasts like the El Nica with eggs, gallo pinto (fried rice mixed with red beans cooked with garlic), queso frito (golden triangles of fried cheese), tortillas and coffee. Lunch and dinner bring sandwiches, burgers and main dishes like carne asada (grilled skirt steak) with tajadas (thin plantain crisps), whole fried tilapia and grilled pork chops.

There are specials most days, but you can always count on slow-stewed oxtail served with yellow rice and steamed yuca. A group can share the picata, a platter with chicken chicharrones (fried chunks), black beans, tortilla chips, chorizo, grilled shrimp and tightly rolled, deep-fried Nicaraguan tacos stuffed with chicken. They're served with slaw in a vinegar base and picante curtido, a relish made from chopped chiles, carrot and onion. The picata is not on the menu, so ask.

Most dishes come with house hot sauce perfect with Salvadoran pupusas (thick tortillas stuffed with beans and soft quesillo cheese) or Honduran baleadas (similar to a burrito with frijoles, crumbled cheese and sour cream).

Nactamales are big Nica tamales studded with pork chunks steamed in banana leaves. Vigaron (cabbage salad) topped with pork cracklings makes a good side. Or ask for a customized dish -- if they have the ingredients on hand, they'll make it. What's not to like?

Linda Bladholm's latest book is Latin and Caribbean Grocery Stores Demystified.

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