Latin lover

It was served with three sauces: chimichurri, barbecue salsa and horseradish cream. I loved the little kick that horseradish gave my steak, and it was easily my preferred condiment above the other two.

The beef was served in angle-cut strips and charred to a smoky crispness on the outside while meltingly tender on the inside. Though skirt is known more for its flavor and is a preferred cut for Latin dishes such as fajitas, the Kobe's even marbling made it perfect for the grill. Its simple seasoning allowed the natural juices to take center stage.

As all the mains were served without side dishes, we ordered macaroni-and-cheese as well as creamed spinach. After I sampled my friends' mains of chicken a la brasa and achiote-barbecued salmon with chayote slaw, I concluded that I made the right choice with the skirt steak.

Despite all of groaning over full stomachs, we perked up when Poligritti passed along the dessert menu. I was immediately drawn to flan de coco, with its winning combination of coconut, salted caramel and pistachio ice cream. It didn't disappoint, and the whole pistachios served with the ice cream made a splendid contrast against the smoky caramel.

We agreed that the churros were worth leaving room for, even though it meant that we all had to loosen belts. I've had churros in Spain that paled in comparison to these light and airy confections. A fairy dust of sugar made the doughnuts delightful on their own; when dunked in strawberry, dark chocolate or white chocolate sauces, they were transformed into celestial clouds of worthy of worship.

If Toro was representative of pan-American fare, I'm booking my flight to Buenos Aires today.