TOPA SUKALDERÍA San Sebastian, Spain

CHEF ANDONI ADURIZ is the wizard behind Mugaritz, the two-michelin-starred restaurant in the Basque countryside known for its explosive creativity and close ties to nature. But at his new restaurant, Topa Sukaldería, which opened in March in San Sebastian, Aduriz has created something new. More casual than Mugaritz, Topa is a rambunctious tavern whose menu is inspired by the long history of Basque migration to Latin America.

IN THE ROOM: Wooden tables, a graffitiinspired mural and a convivial bar—to say nothing of the DJ spinning Basque and Latin tunes—“scream ‘fiesta’ from the moment you walk in,” according to Fine Dining Lovers.

ON THE TABLE: Topa means “encounter” in Basque, and the menu—executed by chef Jessica Lorigo—imagines what a Basque in Latin America would eat. The newspaper El País likes the “appealing” Argentine empanadas filled with ossobuco and kalimotxo (a red wine and cola mix beloved by young Basques intent on getting drunk cheaply) and found the tacos filled with baby squid in their ink and mole—an encounter between Spanish and Mexican classics—“extremely accomplished.” For Territoriogastronomico.com, the freshness of the anchovy ceviche impressed as “an homage in every sense to the ingredient.”

IN BRIEF: Although prices are undoubtedly several notches lower, those expecting simply a low-cost Mugaritz will be disappointed, warns El Diario Vasco. Instead, it’s the “playful brother” that “mixes flavors from both sides of the pond.”

About 35 euros ($39) per person (excluding drinks); TOPASUKALDERIA.COM