Joyce and Gigi's

This underserved section of Hall Street desperately needed a strong neighborhood restaurant. How lucky that it got such a delightful one. At 9 p.m. the dining room is packed, with many patrons sitting at the small bar and most snacking on a simple house-baked bread served on a wooden board with compound butter. Churrasco presents a sizable hunk of chewy and extremely flavorful flap steak flanked by small links of homemade chorizo and fried batons of yucca. The plate is meant to serve two, so if you’re on your own and craving beef, opt for the skewers, which feature similar flavors paired with a savory chickpea purée. Chilean sea bass finds its way into a brilliant escabeche, with currants for sweetness and wisps of fried plantain that lend a crisp texture to every bite. With South American flavors realized through two Bolivian chefs who have put their hearts and souls into their cooking and their dining room, Joyce and Gigi’s is an all-out charmer.