Hear that? It is the sound of happy, satisfied customers. More precisely, it is the bell hanging by the door of the Yucatan cuisine mecca, Xni-Pec. A small chalkboard instructs diners to ring the bell if they enjoyed their meal. By the time you're done with dinner, you will want to throw the bell out the window, due to its consistent clanging.

However, audibly singing the Mexican eatery's praises—or, in this case, loudly clanging a cowbell—comes quite naturally after a dining experience here. It's almost impossible not to yammer on about the fresh, zesty taste of the food and congeniality of the wait staff hours after you leave the place.

Yet diners must beware the powerful force behind Xni-Pec—that being its xni-pec, which translates to "dog's nose salsa." Before diving into the customary pre-entree feast of chips and salsa, make sure to differentiate the regular salsa from the dangerously spicy sauce, or your mouth will need the Chicago Fire Department to put out the scorching blaze of spices.

Menu choices include the classics infused with the flavors of the Yucatan, Mexico's peninsula. Because the area shared seaports with Europe, New Orleans and Cuba, its cuisine has been defined by a variety of influences, resulting in delicious nuance. (If dinner conversation drags, the menu provides an interesting discourse of Yucatan culture, as well as a glossary of food items.)

The heavenly tastes of tender mole chicken or mouthwatering tilapia intensify amongst the festive backdrop of warm red, orange and yellow, detailed with charming paintings and 1950s celebrity photographs. Mariachi singers serenade guests from the central television screen without being overly distracting while you enjoy your reasonably priced meal (average entrees cost about $10). And, if you've come to enjoy a drink or two, the waiters make sure all alcoholic beverage glasses remain full.

Centerstage Reviewer: Paige Gray