"In south San Jose, near the city’s hiking trails, this stand-alone shop displays case after case of Colombian-style empanadas and other filled pastries. Here, traditional beef and potato is touched with tomato and garlic, while modern mushroom and quinoa takes on the nuance of cilantro and onion. The pork and chicken tamal is wrapped in banana leaf and mixed with masa and carrots, its hefty size is a meal in itself. Each dish is served with an addictive cilantro and onion-flecked salsa verde, while juices, like guanabana and lulo, reflect South American flavors." - Christina Marie Mueller