Sopas — Mariscos, Res & Lima Yucateca in Takoma Park, MD

Flower Avenue runs straight out of Takoma Park to El Golfo's door, so for the bungalows off Carroll and Philadelphia Avenues this is nearly a walk. Takoma Park's own dining tilts café-and-co-op; when it wants a full bar, a sizzling platter and a band on a Wednesday, it heads up Flower.

From Takoma Park we're 5 min · 1.8 mi, which makes soups a short trip rather than a whole day's errand.

Sopas — Mariscos, Res & Lima Yucateca done properly

Three serious soups, each in two sizes. Sopa de Res is the Salvadoran beef broth with bone-in short ribs, cabbage, yucca, plantain and corn on the cob ($15/$20, GF). Sopa de Mariscos loads shrimp, scallops, squid and mussels into a seafood broth ($15/$20). Sopa de Lima Yucateca is the lighter one — chicken broth brightened with fresh lime ($10/$15, GF). One reviewer called the chicken soup simply “authentic.”

What's included

• Sopa de Res — short rib, yucca, plantain, corn — $15 / $20 (GF)
• Sopa de Mariscos — shrimp, scallops, squid, mussels — $15 / $20
• Sopa de Lima Yucateca — lime & shredded chicken — $10 / $15 (GF)
• Two sizes of each