La Vara

Wife-and-husband restaurateurs Alexandra Raij and Eder Montero take us to the south of Spain at La Vara, having explored innovative Spanish and Basque tapas at their Chelsea spots, Txikito and El Quinto Pino. Their Brooklyn concept is academically sound, harking back to a time when Moors, Christians and Sephardic Jews lived more or less at peace together (A.D. 711–1492). One of the best bites is the Sevillan pita filled with bacon paprika stew. The bullet-shaped croqueta of the day is always a treat, or consider the delectable Andaluz fish fry. To drink are a wide range of sherries, wine and gin-based cocktails. Some of the dishes are for the gutsy (stuffed rabbit loin, braised beef tongue, grilled chicken hearts), but there's plenty here for tamer tastes.