Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken, those "Too Hot Tamales" of Food Network fame who also co-own Border Grill, offer unexpected combinations of more familiar Mexican food with the bold and seductive flavors of the entire Latin world.

Awash in color, the room is a sophisticated take on south-of-the-border. During the day it fills with business people, but later the fantastic patio and frequent live music draw a theater crowd eager for pre-entertainment entertainment. The menu is completly unlike the more basic Border Grill's—these items hint at Feniger and Milliken's fantastic travels. Some hits: Peruvian ceviche, tamarind-glazed salmon, and the Cuban pressed sandwich with roast pork, ham, melted Swiss cheese, yellow mustard and the requisite pickles. Special events and deals keep Ciudad perpetually festive. Happy hour (Mon-Fri 4pm-7pm; Sun 4pm-9pm, drinks only) is filled with $4 drinks and tacos (carnitas, beer-battered fish, grilled chicken asada or crispy potato rajas). Tuesdays, rotating variations on paellas are cooked and served on the patio for $29. Cost includes an appetizer to start, followed by a salad and then a choice of paella.