Dulce Vida Latin Bistro

This Colombian restaurant packs big flavors into a small space on the Upper East Side. Grab a seat in the recently remodeled dining room and start ordering appetizers. You might start with chicharron with pineapple salsa and plantain chips ($12), grilled chorizo and shrimp in tomato-olive salsa ($14) or beef, chicken or cheese empanadas ($9 for two). For the main course, try traditional dishes like ropa vieja ($20), shrimp with saffron rice ($23) or the mixed grill for two ($52), which comes with grilled skirt steak, chicken, shrimp, chicharron and tostones. Order a side of yucca fries or sweet plantains ($7 each) if you’re still hungry. Traditional desserts like flan ($6) and tres leches cake ($6.95) end the meal on a sweet note.