When the Rivas Restaurant in Etna was closed by flood waters from Hurricane Ivan in 2004, the Rivas family wasn't about to give up on their dream of serving home-cooked, Nicaraguan-style meals in Pittsburgh.

They have relocated to West Main Street in Carnegie, bringing the flavors of their Central American homeland to a new town, but with an added twist -- free Salsa dancing lessons Friday and Saturday night.

The fact that Carnegie was flooded and its businesses were damaged by the same storm that forced them out of Etna didn't deter the Rivas family from moving into Carnegie. They immediately liked the town and its people.

And if there is one national trait Nicaraguans share, it is determination to rebuild in the wake of natural disasters.

Their Central American home country is often struck by hurricanes, earthquakes and torrential rains, but the people always find a way to come back.

Their transplant from Etna to Carnegie in January, is a good example.

"We had to start from scratch. We didn't get any help from FEMA or much help from the state, and we didn't have a lot of money, but we were determined to start again," said Izayana Rivas Bazran, who with her husband, Abraham, her mother, Angela; father, Antonio; and two brothers, Jose and Carlos; work at the family restaurant.

They settled in a building at 319 W. Main St., formerly Joe Roman's market, a popular grocery store.

To the family, their new restaurant represented an opportunity to work with a landlord, Patrick Felix, who would allow them to add the kind of authentic Nicaraguan touches they always wanted to showcase in their business.

"For instance, the arch," Mrs. Bazran said, as she pointed to the beams separating the two dining rooms, "is from our home in Nicaragua, and the floor is the same as the one in our home.

"We tried to include something personal from everyone in the family. My husband loves the beach. He came up with the idea to include beach umbrellas with the sidewalk chairs," she said.

While every family member contributed to the design of the restaurant, it is the food that is most important. And, when it comes to the food, everyone defers to "the boss."

That would be Mrs. Rivas, who runs the kitchen with the help of Izayana.

"She makes everything from scratch -- the soups, the sauces, everything. " Mrs. Bazran said. "They are her own creations, all her own recipes."

Her signature dish is Churrasco, a broiled steak with Nicaraguan seasonings. Another dish she loves to prepare is Camarones al ajillo, a fish flavored in her special blend of seasonings.

Mrs. Bazran said the key ingredients in her mother's sauces are garlic, lemon, and cilantro, but she also uses other spices that she doesn't reveal.

"She uses no lard or grease in her cooking. Everything is healthy food, made fresh each day. Every day we start from scratch. If food is left over at the end of the day, we eat it ourselves, or we donate it to food banks," she said.

Even the nacho-style chips served as an appetizer are made fresh daily in the restaurant by her mother, and her father makes the salsa dip from his own recipe.

One desert, the Tamales de Pineapple features a pineapple based filling placed in a wrapping that is opened like a gift presented at the table, Mr. Bazran said.

Blends of tropical fruits make up special drinks such as the Rivas, which was created by Mrs. Bazran and features her own blend of tropical fruits, many grown in Nicaragua.

The menu is all in Spanish, but the family is happy to translate each dish to customers.

"We thought about printing the menu in English, but we want the people to learn about Nicaragua," Mrs. Bazran said.

"We are not a chain restaurant. We want people to feel like they are coming to our home to have a good meal, and to have some fun, too," she said. Part of that fun would include Salsa dancing.

Every Friday and Saturday night. The restaurant features free Salsa lessons courtesy of Carlos Rivas and Mr. Bazran, who are both accomplished Salsa dancers.

One diner, Helen Ortmann from Brookline, who recently discovered the restaurant through a friend, tried the Gallo pinto con quaso frito, a vegetarian dish featuring rice and beans.

She pronounced the food, "very good," and said "I will definitely come back again. I like the family atmosphere, and try to patronize small, family owned businesses."

In December, the restaurant will close for a month and the family will return to Nicaragua. They will reopen on Jan. 20 for a one-year anniversary celebration.

"We are going to come back with paintings, pictures, and artwork highlighting Nicaraguan folklore for the restaurant, Mrs. Bazran said. "We will also have new Nicaraguan-style outfits, handmade in the country."

Rivas restaurant is open 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays.