¿Habla español? No? Well, then, this might not be the place for you. This is not your ordinary taco and quesadilla hotspot; it’s a Dominican restaurant with Spanish-speaking regulars. Tu Casa, as the name suggests, is a casual joint, with televisions (and even a giant projection screen) blaring Spanish-language music videos and soap operas. The Spanish-only menu is potentially crippling for the monolinguists among us, but pictures of each dish make point-and-smile ordering possible. Whole fish, shrimp, octopus, steak and chicken (all mostly fried) are the menu staples, with side choices including rice and fried plantains. If you like Chi Chi’s, then stick to the strip malls. We’re more at home at Tu Casa. (Open M-F 11a-11p; Sa 11a-10p; Su 11a-9p.)

This small and modest but very tasty restaurant right off of Hamilton Street offers a variety of Dominican dishes. The menu is limited and similar to other Dominican restaurants' but the portions are hardy. The roasted chicken with rice is your best bet and we’d recommend the pig’s feet or hen stews for the more adventurous eaters.  While the restaurant is geared toward takeout customers, there is a dining area (complete with a telenovella blaring in the background).  The wait staff is friendly but service overall is only adequate. (Open daily 11a-11p.)

El Castillo is unique to say the least. Its mix of a hectic take-out business and casual, bright-lit dining atmosphere makes for a bizarre ambiance, though the service is friendly and welcoming. The dining room is small, but the portions large. If you stop by El Castillo only once, order the paella ($15)—you will thank us. Some of the seafood can be pricey; seafood soupy rice is $23, and the mashed fried green plantains with octopus is $12. Meat dishes, on the other hand, are inexpensive; the mashed fried green plantains with chicken is $4, and the BBQ pork ribs is $5. If you’re looking for lighter fare, the lettuce, tomato and avocado salad ($3.50) is tasty as an appetizer or a meal. These Dominican dishes are full of flavor and color and definitely worth a try. (Open daily 7a-11p.)

Allentown is a burgeoning center of Latin American cuisine. Allentown? Yes, and Awilda’s is the newest reason to venture downtown for cheap, delicious Latin fare. The Dominican newcomer sits in a stately 19th-century row house, the former home of the Century Cafe. This means that you get to savor your fried green plaintains ($2) in wood-paneled, stained-glass elegance. Take an old wood booth, or sit along the walnut, wrap-around bar (but bring your own beer). Awilda’s portions sprawl across the plate, and each dish gets served with steaming piles of rice and beans—for the price of a Happy Meal. The beef stew ($4.50) comes in tender, delicious shreds; try it with a beef-stuffed sweet plaintain ($3). We’re told that the goat ($6) and oxtail ($6) stews are especially tasty. We’ll take their words for it. (Open  daily 8a-1a.)