AMMAN — Stepping into Bonita’s
feels like coming home. Located in the heart of
Amman, the intimate Spanish
casa — an inn, tapas bar, and restaurant — transports you elsewhere.
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Enveloped by greenery and
featuring a wooden exterior with a dark finish, it closely resembles a cozy
lodge that belongs anywhere but the city.
Lined with mirrors, string lights,
and flowerpots, Bonita’s outdoor patio is divided into two parts: a restaurant
and a tapas bar.
The server explained that although
the kitchen and the menu are the same, each part attracts a different crowd.
While the restaurant is typically frequented by those looking to have a meal
and enjoy Spanish lounge music, the tapas bar sees more youngsters and plays
louder, more lively music well into the night.
He added that the best time to
visit is usually after 6pm, when the place is bustling with people both indoors
and outdoors. I arrived in time for lunch, and chose to be seated in the
outdoor restaurant area.
Given the wide array of authentic
delicacies on the menu, you’ll surely be spoilt for choice. Some signature
dishes include gazpacho, empanadas, patatas bravas, tortilla española, and, of
course, four kinds of paella that serve between two to six people.
Hoping for a quintessential
Spanish culinary experience, I ordered a salad and several tapas — small,
bitesize portions that are typically ordered to sample and share.
The Bonita’s salad, which came
with palmettos, fresh avocados, and artichokes in a honey mustard dressing, was
the perfect fix for the 2pm summer heat.
The first tapa to arrive was the
patatas bravas: fried potato wedges in a spicy cayenne sauce accompanied by
garlic aioli. This Madrid staple was perfectly done: the sauce not too spicy or
mild but just right.
Then came the sautéed garlic
shrimp, sizzling hot in a lemon sauce to be enjoyed by any seafood aficionado,
especially with a cold beverage on a summer’s day.
The chicken quesadilla, cut up
into four small pieces with cheese, green chili, and a side of sour cream, was
my personal favorite. The cheese was not overpowering, leaving room for the
tanginess of the fresh green chili.
The meal — although delicious —
was not the most vital part of the experience. While the food came out
promptly, Bonita has an unhurried and relaxing ambience. It leaves you wanting
to stay long after your plates have been scraped clean.
This was my first time at
Bonita’s, but the restaurant greeted me with a familiarity that made me feel
right at home. It comes as no surprise that Bonita’s remains a popular Thursday
night spot for many Ammanis.
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