The buzz: Remember Bomba Paella Bar? Well, chef-owner Jean-Philippe Patruno of the now-defunct eatery has returned with Una, a new restaurant offering Italian and French creations in addition to his specialty Spanish plates.
The vibe: Una is housed in an iconic British colonial bungalow and there are plenty of little nooks and crannies to enjoy a quiet meal in the alfresco seating area surrounded by greenery. Inside, it feels a lot more like a fine dining restaurant, with lots of woodwork, dim lighting and the whole black-and-white color scheme going on. There is a tapas bar on the second level, though it’s not too much more raucous than the main dining room downstairs.
The food: The menu is brief, with just over 20 items. Nothing to write home about for the starters, but our mains were impressive. Chef certainly knows how to handle meats well and our slow-cooked iberico pork belly ($32) and ox cheeks with persillade snails ($33) were oh-so-tender and delish. We also loved the chocolate-dipped churros ($16)—it’s been a while since we had them this fluffy with just enough crunch. Some tapas are better than others. The octopus Galician ($29) is firm, well-seasoned and nicely grilled around the edges.
The drinks: There are about 30 bottles of wine to choose from, and seven signature cocktails, Summer in Florence (gin, Vermouth and Becherovka, $20). Much more interestingly, Una is working in partnership with Jerez biggies, Tio Pepe to launch a sherry bar soon. They’re not revealing much at this point about the 12 varieties they’re bringing in, but we’re excited to see what they’ve got planned. If you like, order the Una Tomate ($19)—which has sherry, vodka and tomatoes—for a sneak preview.
Why you’ll be back: Because the meaty mains are awesome (not to mention those churros). Also, you must check out the sherry bar when it opens to see how they could’ve possibly taken your grandma’s favorite drink and given it a “hip” replacement.
