Frommer's Review
Anyone familiar with the late, great Latina singer Celia Cruz knows that
her signature shout was "Azuca!" -- roughly, "Sweetie!" This Southtown
restaurant pays tribute to the Cuban-born salsa queen in ways other than its
name and the pop images of her that hang in one of the dining rooms (the one
with the stage and the bar, naturally).
For one, there's the ability to cross over cultures. Just as Celia
appealed to a wide array of Latin American (and American) tastes, so too do
such well-prepared, creatively updated dishes as Bolivian empanadas,
Caribbean carrucho (conch meat with olives, onion, and lime), and
Peruvian-style rabbit stew with Inca corn. The glass art pieces from the
studio next door and brightly hued walls create visual excitement -- as
Celia's performances did. And the live tango shows, the merengue and Latin
bands (Wed-Sat), the warm, friendly service . . . well, come on by, sugar,
you'll have a blast.
