Jose Garces’ knockout Amada does tapas with a touch of style. It combines traditional dishes with innovative techniques, and evokes European sophistication with a uniquely Mediterranean casual vibe. In some ways Amada is very much a part of that clubby milieu: There’s the obligatory exotic cocktails, the loud electronic music, the infinite stretch of bathroom mirror built for hair-fluffing and double-date gossip. Yet there is no mistaking the seriousness of the service, which is impeccable, or the food itself, which is nothing short of divine. On the menu: grilled meats, Andalucian gazpacho, costillas de ternera (beef shortribs with horseradish, Parmesan and bacon), chicken and chorizo paella with artichoke and saffron aioli, and a lemon pistachio tart served with sour cherry jam and basil crème fraîche. Winning cocktails include the Bad Education, named, like all of Amada’s specialty drinks, after a Pedro Almodóvar film. A mixture of muddled thyme, fresh-squeezed lime juice, elderflower liquor and rum, it’s double-strained to preserve the aromatic thyme flavor and served on the rocks with a splash of soda. Wireless Internet available. Open for lunch Mon.-Fri., 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; open for dinner Mon.-Thu., 5-11 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 5 p.m.-mid.; Sun., 4-11 p.m.

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