Besa

1 / 9Besa's moody red interiors. Jiwon Kim

2 / 9The restaurant has ample booth seating. Jiwon Kim

3 / 9Cordero (lamp rump, mojo rojo, garlic peas). Jiwon Kim

4 / 9Crispy potatoes, spicy bravas sauce and aioli.Jiwon Kim

5 / 9Jamon iberico con patatas (plate of Iberico ham with crisp potatoes)Jiwon Kim

6 / 9El Regreso (Sherry, creme de menthe, mint, plum soda).Jiwon Kim

7 / 9La Illusion (Blanco tequila, cassis, ginger, lime and jalapeno soda).Jiwon Kim

8 / 9Besa tapas bar in Bondi. Jiwon Kim

9 / 9Tortilla, croquettas and raw beef carpaccio. Jiwon Kim

Bondi’s newest tapas bar resembles a set from a Pedro Almodovar film. Inspired by the tightly packed venues of Spain, and Madrid specifically, Besa squeezes 65 seats into a tight space of moody red tones, spotted gum timber and circular booths, with acoustic panels on the ceiling that are shaped to resemble flowers.

Executive chef Ibrahim Kasif, who snared chefs’ hats at Nour in Surry Hills, worked with head chef Alan Kropman on Besa’s menu, which includes Fideua Negra, a dish of squid ink noodles with grilled chicken, pan con tomate, and raw beef carpaccio with white anchovy and goat’s cheese. Instead of a dessert menu, there are a couple of rotating specials, with Basque cheesecake, crema Catalana and churros in the mix.

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