When the former owners of this wine bar and restaurant space decided to sell it in early 2007, their own executive chef Evan Mallett jumped at the chance to buy it. Ever since he has cooked exotically spiced comfort food in this intimate, two-story space carved out of a former warehouse. The menu is subtly influenced by Spain and Latin America: you partake of starters that might include quahog chowder, tomatoey octopus with chorizo, bacalao salad, local mussels and fries, or a Moroccan-spiced beet soup. Among the entrees, the mountain paella is a recent fave—incorporating chicken mole meatballs, rabbit, snails, and chorizo—as is a local trout served with frisée, celeriac, and a fried egg. The wine list is obviously strong. If the dining room’s full, just sit in the bar.