It's a rare thing to have a restaurant actually transport you to another culture, where a step through the threshold literally finds you in a foreign place. Most "Irish" bars give you Bud on tap and Journey on the jukebox, while most Chinese restaurants are merely serving up the same eggrolls you get at the other one down the block. But walk into La Isla (104 Washington Street) and you find yourself noticeably transplanted far away from the New Jersey you left outside.

There's much more to this "taste of Cuba" than a mere dollop of garlic mojo. Chef Omar Giner has compiled a mouthwatering menu that exudes authenticity, from the everyday sandwiches to the daily specials. What seems like frenzied calamity behind the counter is just the loud, passionate, Cuban way of getting things done. Yet foreign as it may be, it's all presented in a manner that makes the traveler feel welcome. The soothing sound of Celia Cruz takes the edge off everything--everything except their café con leche.

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