Vacation Vibes, No Passport Required

If a shortage of cash or time is keeping you from leaving the gray and cold of Washington for Central or South America, your next-best trip might be drinks and snacks at Ceiba (701 14th St. NW; 202-393-3983), which has expanded its offerings to include a seductive lounge.

That's where a pal and I found ourselves early on a Wednesday evening, sipping foam-capped pisco sours and nibbling citrus-brightened tilapia seviche, which we scooped up with delicate plantain chips.

Those cocktails cost a mere $5, part of a promotion that celebrates different Latin- leaning countries on weekdays from 2:30 to 10:30 p.m. The appetizer, or bocadito, was designed to complement the drinks and was offered free. There's no getting bored with the itinerary, which nods to Cuba with mojitos and mini Cubano sandwiches on Mondays, Brazil with caipirinhas and grilled sausage with chimichurri on Tuesdays, Peru with pisco sours and seviche on Wednesdays, Spain with sangria and tapas on Thursdays, and Mexico with guacamole and margaritas on Fridays. (The gratis bocaditos are served only in the bar and lounge from 4 to 7 p.m.)

If you're looking for something more substantial, the recently expanded bar menu has it, in the form of a dozen or so enticing small plates. Our favorites include a quartet of elegant beef empanadas and the aforementioned Cubano, layered with slices of roast pork, pickles, Gruyere cheese and ham.

The lounge's decor -- rattan chairs, potted palms, cozy couches splashed with tropical prints -- lets you pretend you're off the clock and far away, and the vibe is as relaxed as it gets in downtown Washington. Indeed, none of the staff seemed put off by a quartet of drinkers whose party had tripled in size by the time we left. As co-owner David Wizenberg puts it, "We want it to feel like happy hour all night."

Lounge plates, $9-$17.