Toronto’s restaurant scene heads south in a very good way

El Macua, a relatively recent (circa 2006) merging of white rum, guava juice and other good things, has become a featured Nicaraguan cocktail served proudly at La Bella Managua.  (Alan Solomon / Chicago Tribune)

Albert Wiggan has been serving up his specialties at Albert’s Real Jamaican Food -- here, a combo of stew beef, curry goat and jerk chicken, plus sides -- since 1986.  (Alan Solomon / Chicago Tribune)

The arepa called reina pepiada -- grilled cornmeal bread stuffed with roasted chicken, avocado, red onions and coriander -- is a Venezuelan best-seller at Arepa Cafe.  (Alan Solomon / Chicago Tribune)

Chef Steve Gonzalez, whose heritage is Colombian, serves up his take on mofongo, a Puerto Rican specialty, at Valdez, his 2-year-old hot spot.  (Alan Solomon / Chicago Tribune)

The mole poblano at Milagro, here blanketing chicken enchiladas, is made the old-fashioned way, slowly and with more than 60 ingredients.  (Alan Solomon / Chicago Tribune)

Pastry chef Sully Rios offers fresh-baked empanadas at Latin Taste, her newly opened Argentine-Uruguayan-Peruvian shop in Kensington Market.  (Alan Solomon / Chicago Tribune)

Ropa vieja, a pulled-beef classic, is done right at Julie’s Cuban Restaurant, a charmer that began life as a neighborhood grocery store.  (Alan Solomon / Chicago Tribune)

Lomo saltado, one of Peru’s most popular dishes and a specialty at El Fogon, combines sliced beef, sweet onions, tomatoes and (yes) french fries.  (Alan Solomon / Chicago Tribune)