Laredo has long affirmed its ties to Mexico. But here the ties that bind are connected to Spain. The celebration begins with walls tiled in colorful azulejo tiles, industrial shelves buckling with Spanish pantry standards, and gleaming copper pots competing for Insta-worthiness, all alongside working displays of Spanish jamón. The menu is head-spinning, with 50-plus tapas competing for your evening’s attention. Start with some small bites on a skewer, AKA pintxos, specifically the savory-sweet Datil, combining warm duck breast, bacon-wrapped dates, and queso. Duck figures again with the toasted baguette slices topped with cream cheese and membrillo (quince) paste. Try the zesty ensalada de ejotes, green beans aromatic with a creamy tomato-based dressing with shallots and a fat nob of grilled goat cheese. Molleja al jerez offers sherry-sautéed sweetbreads sassy with garlic and parsley. If you make it to the entrées section, we recommend some of the Moroccan-influenced numbers, especially the Pollo Tagine, roasted chicken with a delicate honey almond crust and thick with eggplant, onion, and tomato. Paella is worth the wait. We’re a fan of the seafood version abundantly filled with white fish, scallops, shrimp, and mussels (it’s nice to order a baguette to accompany it). Dessert offers an intriguing (and habit-forming) olive oil cake with velvety Catalán cream and seasonal fruit (poached pears on our visit). To wash it all down, consider a Spanish wine flight or one of the impressive house cocktails (the Porto Julep, for instance, which blends muddled mint with brandy, rum, and tawny port).