Alles Klar, Paladar Andy Himmel's new venture at Eton.

Andy Himmel is a smart kid. Judging from the immediate and sustained popularity of Paladar, his new "Latin kitchen and rum bar," Himmel seems to have located the precise nexus where adventure and familiarity intersect. Cleverly, Paladar gives diners the suggestion (and satisfaction) of taking bold culinary risks without ever really forcing them to stray too far outside their comfort zones. The curious flock here eager to try the latest thing, but they return because the food satisfies without shocking.

I go to Paladar because the food tastes great, plain and simple.

It's safe to say that Paladar, Himmel's second restaurant, had a much smoother build-out than Boulevard Blue, his first, which collapsed in a heap shortly before its scheduled debut. Himmel and his team transformed the former Bossa Nova space at Eton into a warm, plush and inviting room. The enormous glass bar that had been the former tenant's centerpiece was replaced with tables and chairs, effectively shifting attention toward the food and away from the booze.

Not that booze is overlooked. Rums are featured prominently on the menu, and varieties hail from practically every rum-producing nation. There are white rums and dark rums, rums flavored with orange and rums aged for 17 years in charred-oak barrels. One of the best ways to jump into the rum game is by ordering one of Paladar's fine mojitos ($7). Served with a sugarcane stirrer, these breezy cocktails go down like sweet tea.

One has to feel for the guacamole guy, who smashes bushels of ripe avocados for hours at a time from his highly visible perch at the guacamole bar. Exceedingly rich and buttery, the made-to-order guac is presented in handmade Mexican molcajetes, traditional three-legged mortars. It's a good idea to order some for the table ($8) along with your cocktails; that way you can snack on the accompanying root-vegetable chips while you contemplate dinner.

To familiarize himself with Nuevo Latino cooking, chef Matt Mytro worked in the kitchens of two popular Chicago restaurants, including one run by Douglas Rodriguez, "the godfather of Nuevo Latino cuisine." Paladar's menu is dominated by grilled, smoked and slow-roasted meats and seared fresh fish, all seasoned with sweet tropical fruits, vinegary marinades and kicky chile peppers. Rice and beans make frequent, welcome appearances. (A glossary on the menu helps diners negotiate the unfamiliar terrain.)

Paladar's ceviches, small citrus-cured fish salads, are bright, bracing and visually appealing. They can be ordered individually or as part of a sampler ($13). In them, shrimp takes on a tart note from tamarind fruit, tuna's sweetness is nudged in the right direction by ripe melon, and salmon is made silkier by coconut milk. The ceviche is served with popcorn and toasted corn nuts, odd but traditional accompaniments.

Paladar was in the running for having one of the finest black bean soups ($5.50) around. That is, until I tried it again on a subsequent visit and wondered where the spice had gone. Still, it's a wonderful soup: hearty, earthy and dotted with fresh salsa and streaked with sour cream. I'm not certain how Nuevo Latino the "Cezar" salad ($5.50) is, but I'm a fan of the garlicky, fishy and faintly sweet dressing that tops the romaine leaves.

Paladar's entrees are split into two categories, Nuevo Latino and Latino comfort foods. I tend to favor the comfort food section, which boasts an amazing slow-roasted pork ($15), served with killer black beans and tropical coconut rice. The comfort food sector is also where you'll find smoked-and-pulled chicken ($15), dressed with a creamy pepper sauce and served with arepas, tiny cornmeal tortillas.

Don't get me wrong - there are plenty of great finds in the Nuevo Latino section, such as the seared pink snapper ($18.50), served atop cheesy, salty grits and dressed with a perky mango-chimichurri sauce.

At lunch, Paladar serves a truncated version of the dinner menu, along with soups, creative salads and sandwiches. Two worth mentioning are the Cubano ($9.50), a by-the-books assemblage of roast pork, sliced ham, Swiss, pickles and mustard, and the skirt steak ($9), grilled medium rare, sliced and tucked into a bun with peppers, garlic and spiced mayo.

The word paladar is Spanish for "palate," and at times, mine leaves Paladar a little underwhelmed. That black bean soup that lost its zip, a spicy guacamole that barely registers on the Scoville scale, a rum glaze that is all sweet and no heat. But Himmel and his crew know just how far they can push things. After all, what good is heat if you've got no butts in the seats?