Tiny, bright and colorful, this Venezuelan restaurant offers many snacking foods like empanadas criollas, smooth, crisp half-moon pastries, plump with fillings like savory shredded beef or puréed chicken.

They sample South African staples like savory beef and cornmeal porridge.

In the rear, you can sometimes see a woman shaping dough to make the smooth, crisp empanadas ($1.50 to $2.75), with stuffings like savory shredded beef or pureed chicken.

Much of the menu is snacking food, like the empanadas criollas, smooth, crisp half-moon pastries, plump with fillings like savory shredded beef or puréed chicken.

Empanadas were models of their kind: delicate weightless pastry wrapping a filling of savory beef.

The savory beef is a perfect contrast to the sweet grape leaves, not at all like the pickled Greek grape leaves.

The soft savory beef from a 35-year-old family recipe in the carne guisada or beef stew tortilla ($1.59) is superior.

Shepherd's pie ($10.50) is terrific, made with savory minced beef rather than the classic lamb and topped with mashed potatoes and grated Cheddar cheese.

The namesake pirogi come 12 to the order with stuffings that include savory beef, cabbage and soft cheese.

The grilled beef salad is a balanced and refreshing dish in which the brightness of lime juice, kaffir lime and pickled cucumbers contrasts beautifully with the savory beef.