Its been a long time since a restaurant has opened Downtown that I have been this excited about, maybe since Sotto and that’s a pretty high bar to set, let alone eclipse. First off, let me give some well-deserved kudos to the interior design team at Mita’s. No attempt was made to camouflage the fact that the restaurant is located in the freshly minted 84.51° Building. You know, the one that everyone is still going to call the Dunnhumby Building, since the new name is so awkward? Yeah, that one. Exposed concrete abounds, especially the ceiling and the tops of the support columns. Yet, at the same time, I felt somehow transported to Latin America or perhaps Spain, most likely due to the rest of the design aesthetic and the contemporary, yet not overly trendy color scheme of oranges and blues and Mediterranean inspired design choices. The lighting is Latin influenced as well, finished off with the now obligatory Edison bulbs. Don’t get me wrong though, I’ll chose the soft, vintage style glow of an Edison bulb over a flickering fluorescent tube any day. The tables are also placed further apart than in a typical urban setting, which is a nice respite from the communal benches and wall to wall seating in Over the Rhine. For once, I didn’t feel like I was sharing my dinner conversation with strangers.

We were warmly greeted at the hostess desk which faces the corner of Fifth and Race with views of Saks and Macy’s, as well as the exterior of my favorite hotel in Cincinnati, the art deco masterpiece Hilton Netherland Plaza. The hostess led us to our table where we were promptly offered a choice of either sparkling or still water (i.e. tap water). Very shortly after our water arrived, our server did as well, with an ear to ear smile and a warmth that is rarely seen in the service industry today. She offered tapas suggestions and took our drink order. When I saw that the first drink on their specialty cocktail list was a Caipirinha, I knew I was in the right place. For those of you who have not had the pleasure of a Caipirinha, the national cocktail of Brazil is made with lime, sugar and cachaca. Cachaca is a Brazilian rum distilled from sugar cane. Passionfruit, kiwi, or strawberry may also be substituted for the lime in some recipes as well. In a very short time, it has become my go to cocktail at any bar that knows how to make one. Needless to say, the Mita’s caipirinha did not disappoint and neither did the margarita that I ordered for my second round. Both cocktails paired perfectly with the Arepa Con Queso Fresco Y Chorizo, a crispy thin cornmeal cake topped with farmers cheese and chorizo. I could have eaten several of them, but I decided to behave like a big boy and save room for the main course. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the extensive cheese and cured meats that would also be a great appetizer selection, especially for a large group.

I spotted the burger (Hamburguesa) on the menu as soon as i sat down so naturally I barely even scanned the rest of the entree section of the menu. Since I am sort of a self-appointed burger aficionado, I felt like I had no other rational choice than to order the burger. The menu describes it as served with manchego cheese, pickled cucumber, heirloom tomatoes and crispy serrano ham on a potato bun, but I omitted the cucumber and tomato and was not disappointed. The crispy ham was one of the highlights of the entire meal. If I have one complaint about Mita’s at all, it would be that I ordered my burger medium rare and it arrived at the table medium well. It was delicious nonetheless and I barely remembered what temperature I ordered my burger as I was clearing my plate. The burger is served alongside Patatas Bravas, boiled potatoes dry rubbed in spices (I tasted paprika) and then flash fried. I can’t think of a way to serve potatoes that I don’t enjoy, but these potatoes rose to the top of the heap. I kept eating them even after I was full. (I’m sure all of you smarty britches are thinking that that explains a lot.)

I try my best not to get into a restaurant rut and go to the same places over and over again, but sometimes I can’t help myself. I have no shame in admitting that I already have reservations to go back to Mita’s again this week.