This festive place is crowded with colorful stuffed parrots and Nicaraguan knickknacks, which are for sale. Its empanadas de maduro—fried turnovers bursting with mashed ripe bananas and melted cheese and served in a puddle of cultured cream—should be enshrined in the Great Dish Hall of Fame. Nicaraguan enchiladas, unlike their Mexican relatives, are eggy, soufflé-like envelopes filled with shredded beef and rice. El Nido's meat and fish grills and braises include a number of sides and often incorporate plantains in various stages of ripeness. Freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices make good accompaniments.