There’s a thrill in watching the small plates begin to arrive in quick succession — each one an edible stop in a journey through the flavours of Spain, but also more broadly South America. Each morsel that appears ricochets between salty, sprightly and savoury. While individually, tapas like these may look petite, you’ll very quickly learn that jointly, they make for a vibrant, satisfying meal — designed to be sampled, shared, and importantly, paired with something to sip in between bites.

At Bonita in the heart of Ellerslie, the sparkle of the food is matched by the atmosphere: checkerboard tiles meet charming murals, dimly lit corners meet sun-filled booths. And the whole place from the walls, ceilings, booths and tabletops is awash in a sultry crimson.

At the centre of it all is head chef Sebastian Valdes who presides over a recently transformed menu, designed for the colder seasons. And the tapas, especially, are as visually vibrant as they are flavourful. Think: croqueta — golden, deep fried orbs served with mojo rojo and crowned with an umami-rich anchoa (anchovy). A trio of seared scallops turn up resting in their shells — Botticelli’s Venus in edible form. A tostada with deep fried fish is festooned with colour and texture. And blistered shishito peppers which come with a swipe of black garlic aioli are especially fun — the general lore is that one pepper on each plate will be particularly hot, so it’s like a game of spicy roulette.

Beyond the tapas, there’s a collection of larger plates: wonderfully tender calamari with oregano salsa and an umami glaze; arroz de pato (duck rice) flecked with mushroom and tarragon; and the daydream-worthy crab al gratinada, bubbling with melted manchego. To finish, ‘Carolina’s Crema Catalina’ is a persuasive case for saving room for the final part of the meal. This is food designed for sharing and lingering over — as well-suited to a fizzy, celebratory meal, as a quiet, cosy evening.