At El Rincon Tropical, the sweet aroma of simmering plantains drifts through a lively dining room. Back in the kitchen, chefs marinate meats and seafood in garlic butter and nestle them beside mofongo balls—mashed and fried mounds of plantains or cassava. The restaurant’s lauded Cuban sandwich earned it a mention in The Virginian-Pilot’s Best of the Best 2012 as one of the best Cubano sandwiches in Hampton Roads. In addition to the cuisine, El Rincon Tropical pays homage to Puerto Rico with a colorful wall mural of Fort “El Morro” and tropical plants. Like the weather forecasts conch shells whisper in islanders’ ears, the eatery’s Latin music recalls tropical locales, and on Friday and Saturday evenings, the dining room transforms into a dance hall.