The restaurant that pioneered Spanish tapas in the South Bay is still serving them, both in their traditional form and modern variants. Any resident of Madrid would immediately recognize much of what is served here. The grilled Spanish chorizo, mussels vinaigrette and seafood salad would taste like home. Others are un-Spanish but evoke Mediterranean flavors and it’s not a stretch to imagine a Spanish visitor to Hermosa going home and recreating something they tasted here. If they do it will be a return volley in a cultural exchange that has been going on for centuries. — RF
73 Pier Avenue, HB, themedhb.com, 310-318-2666
Runner-up: MB Post
