Restaurant

Formerly known as Sofrito Rico, this Puerto Rican restaurant brings a beam of Caribbean sunshine to Ballard, featuring such exotics as tostones (plantain fritters) and sofrito (garlic, pepper and cilantro sauce). For every unqualified success (the crackling cod fritters called bacalaitos; a plate of tender adobo-breaded catfish nuggets served with creamy rice and beans) you might encounter a doughy empanada or tough chicken in a stew. But for bringing this brightly appealing, unrepresented cuisine to our shores, and serving it in hefty portion with a full bar, you might feel inclined to overlook the occasional falter.