Just as it’s necessary to exercise, take vitamins, and drink plenty of water, it should be high on our list of priorities to throw intermittent surprise parties for our taste buds. And Topacio Restaurant knows how to honor our palate with the shindig it deserves. Each visitor is welcomed with a bowl of thick, house-made corn-tortilla chips, fresh salsa, and hot sauce. It sets the tone perfectly for the plates to come, which brim with the flavors of El Salvador.

Start with a pupusa ($1.50), a traditional Salvadoran snack made of two corn tortillas. Stuffed with cheese, pork, or both, it’s like a quesadilla/griddle-cake hybrid. Fajita options are in abundance here, but no matter which one you choose — beef ($9.75); shrimp ($10.75); or eggs, beans, rice, and cheese ($7) — the fresh corn tortillas will have you swearing off Tex-Mex forevermore. But this, don’t forget, is a party, so you may as well go for the real deal. Ceviche, a specialty of South and Central American countries, is served here as something of a cold stew. The mixed fish and shrimp ($11) soak in a limey liquid and deliver a vinegary kick. You can also inject new life into your taste buds via any of the chicken, shrimp, or steak plates ($7.95–$10.95), all of which have been marinated and come plated on a bed of rice, salad, and other surprises. Chicken on cilantro ($8.95), for instance, swims in a sour-cream-based sauce. All the entrées are crowned with a giant, picture-perfect hot pepper. What better way to spice up a party?

Topacio Restaurant, located at 120 Meridian Street, in East Boston, is open daily from 9 am to 10:30 pm. Call 617.567.9523.