Sure, you'll find some of the tenderest cuts of churrasco with chimichurri at Graziano's Market, but there's one unexpected surprise at this Argentine mercado in Hialeah: a mouth-watering display of empanadas. At $2.59 apiece, these golden pillows of baked goodness come stuffed with various ingredients, including traditional meat, chicken, or bacalao; prosciutto and cheese; and ham and ricotta. But the sweet and salty plum, bacon, and mozzarella empanada is a local favorite. And ay, ay, ay! If you're in the mood for something picante, the spicy beef turnover will give your taste buds the kick they crave.

You know you're at a legit mofongo joint when the signature Puerto Rican plantain dish is served on a platter with its wooden pilón, the same mortar and pestle used to mash the fried plátano verde. Located in the heart of the City of Progress, El Rinconcito de Santa Bárbara opened in 1997 as a Cuban restaurant. Two years later, it became a fusion of Cuban and Puerto Rican food after its owners, Rosa and Pedro Delgado, took a trip to Puerto Rico, were blown away by the island's cuisine, and decided to introduce comida boricua to their family-run restaurant in Hialeah. Today, El Rinconcito has become synonymous with the island's most famous plato. All of its house mofongo specials are topped with crunchy pieces of chicharrón and paired with a side of fried pork masas ($8.99), picadillo ($9.50), garlic chicken ($9.50), peppered fish ($10.50), or lobster tail ($25.99). They even come stuffed in a roll of churrasco ($15.50). No matter how you choose to enjoy it, you'll be dreaming of mofongo for days.

At Garcia's, what they catch is what you eat. The decades-old restaurant and fish market has its own fleet of fishing boats, so the seafood is as fresh as can be and affordable too. Founded by brothers who fled Cuba in the '60s, Garcia's is a serene spot with great-tasting, simple food. On a gorgeous day, few epicurean pleasures rival scarfing down a fish sandwich ($10 to $14) while perched on Garcia's terrace overlooking the Miami River. All sandwiches come on a bun, with chopped tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, red onion, and an excellent light cream sauce. The grouper and dolphin are favorites, and the fish can be blackened, grilled, or fried and comes with one side dish. The sweet plantains are always a good decision. Garcia's is open for lunch and dinner, and in case you're wondering, the pescaterian dishes extend beyond sandwiches.

Technically you're in Brickell, but you might as well be in Barcelona when dining at Perfecto, a modern Spanish gastrobar. Chef-restaurateur Oscar Manresa is proud to say his first eatery outside Catalonia is authentic through and through. Even the chef de cuisine — Daniel Torres — came straight from working at the Michelin-starred Catalan restaurant Hofmann. Tapas, of course, are the focal point at Perfecto, with the avocado cannelloni ($18) hogging the spotlight. There's no pasta to be found, just an exterior layer of avocado slices covering luscious lump crabmeat accented with tomatoes, microgreens, and ginger. Another standout is the tender octopus "Perfecto" prepared with whisky rather than water and proffered on roasted potato spheres ($16). Come here with friends who relish sharing food, and spend the night drinking gin and tonics off the extensive list and listening to resident DJ Ferran Lozano spin house music. Yes, he also hails from Barcelona.

At Prime Italian, dinner always comes with a side order of top-tier people-watching. But even the quirky characters of Ocean Drive take a back seat to the side dishes offered at this swanky South Beach eatery by restaurateur Myles Chefetz. Many of the "accessories," as they are called ($13), originated at its sister restaurant Prime One Twelve, and it's no secret that diners often get more excited about these accompaniments than the mains. The luscious creamed corn and creamed spinach are particularly outstanding, as is the creamy four-cheese truffle macaroni. Heck, you can easily skip the veal Parmesan ($47) or the Kobe beef lasagna bolognaise ($29) and cobble together an entire meal just from side dishes. There's a saying that accessories make the outfit, and at Prime Italian, they make the meal.

"Raw" is the word at Bar Crudo, a hidden gem tucked away in Miami Beach's South of Fifth neighborhood. Inside the miniature restaurant, you'll find walls lined with pop-art-style murals of seductive babes. You also might notice the lack of ovens and stoves. Instead, proprietress Andy Travaglia (of Lee & Marie's Cakery) has equipped her eatery with sous-vide machines and induction burners. She also hired talented chefs Reto Von Weissenfluh and Jan Tomaszewski to wow diners with their curing, preserving, and raw-cooking techniques. Every component of the artfully constructed dishes is included to emphasize the main ingredient. Indeed, a white shrimp ceviche would fall flat were it not for the addition of avocado, mango, and orange. The same goes for the mixed ceviche, which mingles octopus, snapper, orange, and yuzu. Bar Crudo likes to switch up its small-plate-centric menu, but most items are in the $12 range. Charcuterie and cheese options abound for $6 to $9, and carnivores will be pleased to know that meat gets the raw treatment too.

Remember the Great Compromise? Yeah, neither do we. But we do know that SuViche is our great dining compromise. It's for those meals when you can't decide between sushi or ceviche or when you are torn between two sushi rolls. Here, you can order half rolls. SuViche is versatile, and with three locations in Miami, it's easy to wrap your chopsticks around its Peruvian-Japanese fare. Try the aptly named perfection roll ($10.50), made with fried shrimp, cream cheese, and real crab salad in the center, avocado and tempura flakes on top, and a savory squirt of spicy mayo and eel sauce to finish it off.

Along Calle Ocho, delicious Cuban food and decadent ice cream are a given. But great Mexican is a bit of a surprise. For more of an unexpected kick, take a bite into Mi Riconcito Mexicano's enormous burrito rolled up and stuffed with your preferred meat, beans, lettuce, salsa, and sour cream ($5.50). If you want even more of a punch, order the burrito chorreado ($6.95) with mole. You can also get your tortilla wet — topped with salsa rojo or verde. Any way you get it, it's a massive meal drenched in goodness and topped with shredded cheese.

Tacos are the ideal food. They're portable for on-the-go eating but are also fine for sitting at the dinner table. They're also just the right size. One is a snack, two make a satisfying lunch, and three or four are a substantial supper. That being said, you still want to make the most of your taco experience. That's where Ralph Pagano's "chef-driven" bites come in. Though this celebrity chef isn't Mexican, he knows his way around a tortilla. From the crispy baja fish — the original sustenance of surfers on the Pacific coast — to the classic carne asada ($5), Pagano's tacos include fresh ingredients and pay homage to Mexican street food. But it's the creative offerings that truly shine. Spicy poke "tuna" tacos are bright and refreshing after a day at the beach. Green eggs and ham tacos satisfy your breakfast cravings any time of the day in the most whimsical (and Seussian) way. In fact, if he can cook it, Pagano will put a taco shell around it — be it duck, lamb, pork, or even cauliflower (for you veggie lovers out there). At five bucks apiece, they're a soulful bargain. But head to Naked Taco on Tuesdays, when your taco is free with a purchased margarita. Because the only thing better than a taco is a free taco.

Elsie Chin has been serving roti and other Trinidadian street food favorites for 28 years. However, her pearls of wisdom are timeless: "There are no forks here — so if you been scratching somewhere, you better go wash your hands." Beyond the sage advice at LC's Roti Shop are delectable roti — crepe-like bread filled with curried goat ($9) or spicy potatoes ($6) and sometimes even shrimp, chicken, beef, duck, or conch. They're folded full of flavor and well worth the drive to Miami Gardens. However, along with devouring roti, potato pies, and pholourie, be sure to take in all of the house rules adorning the establishment: "Cash only," "No cellphones," and "Farting prohibited." Even something as simple as a listing of business hours includes notes about times that LC's "occasionally" opens or closes. Some of the comments are as confusing as quips from the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland. "Some days or afternoons we aren't here at all, and lately I've been here just about all of the time. Except when I am some place else, but I should be here then, too." We can't even explain; we can just scratch our heads and feel comforted by the fact that great roti in a humorous environment makes for a memorable meal. The proverbial cherry on top of the roti is the LC secret hot sauce. Numb your mind and your tongue — and enjoy!