Las Tapas

Las Tapas, a cheerful place for Spanish snacks, opened in Balaclava last summer. It's small, unfussy and fun. The offering is authentically Catalan but the story is marvellously Melbourne. The two owners met at South Yarra bistro France Soir and realised their dreams aligned: they wanted to create a casual tasca-style bar in their adopted home.

Linus Kovats is German but Spain got its claws into him decades ago; in 1994 he opened a tapas place in Flinders Lane but his customers didn't understand the tiny plates of food ("You're trying to shaft me!"). Now we get it. Barcelona boy Xavier Pardo-Vinals is the cook and together they scour the markets for the best produce at the keenest prices and chalk it up on an ever-changing blackboard.

You might find garlic, chilli and parsley-brushed prawns, sizzling and juicy in their clay pot, cured anchovy fillets dusted with smoked paprika, piquillo peppers stuffed with creamy goat's cheese, and grilled chorizo made by a theoretically retired Spanish butcher. Everything tastes of what it is and feels like it has a right to be here.

In another magical Melbourne twist, the impressive sourdough is made by local Russian bakehouse Baker in the Rye to Catalan specifications: the three-kilogram loaves are a mix of wholemeal and buckwheat with a crispy crust, perfect for ripping, dipping and mopping up garlicky, olive-oily juices.

The wine is mostly Spanish and there's always a demijohn of sangria on the go.

Las Tapas is easygoing and family-friendly but the pace picks up on Thursdays when a flamenco guitarist perches by the door. Paella is the focus on Sundays. The standard version is "mixta", with seafood, chicken and chorizo but like everything here, it's made to order so dietary preferences are easily accommodated.

On my last visit the mood was happy and the porron (a communal pitcher) was passed around. Who knew Balaclava was so close to Barcelona?

Rating: Three stars (out of five)