It’s lunchtime at Bulla, and the food keeps coming: slices of Spanish cheese and cured meats artfully arranged on wooden boards; rustic Pan con Tomate (grilled tomato bread); a wedge of Tortilla Española with streaks of garlic aïoli; and spicy, briny Gambas al Ajillo (sautéed shrimp) swimming in extra virgin olive oil flecked with garlic.

It all reflects the beauty of dining tapas-style, which the Spanish-themed Bulla encourages. The food comes out in quick bursts; diners never wait for the often frustrating slower pace of a traditional kitchen. Instead, dishes hit the table minutes after they are ordered—especially the cheese and cured meat selections.

Most impressively, Bulla’s culinary team is efficient without sacrificing quality. In fact, most dishes are prepped and cooked à la minute—as they are ordered. The delicious Ensalada de Pulpo (octopus salad) is a perfect example. The chefs chop heirloom tomatoes and cucumbers on the spot, quickly bathing the octopus in olive oil, oregano, and lemon before grilling it and, finally, sautéing the croutons. When this dish arrives, it is fresh and flavorful.

This Spanish cooking style—simple, clean, and artisanal—is what Bulla Owner Carlos Centurion continues to perfect. When the restaurateur first launched Bulla three years ago, the entire menu featured traditional tapas from Spain, and while the Coral Gables eatery has evolved over time to incorporate a few American food trends— including burgers, kale salad, and quinoa—the philosophy of Bulla has remained intact. It’s a family-style neighborhood restaurant focusing on straightforward cooking techniques utilizing the best ingredients.

Many people don’t think of us as a Spanish restaurant. They think of us as the neighborhood restaurant. Most of our crowd is made up of locals. —Carlos Centurion, owner

“We want to be a restaurant that everyone likes,” says Centurion. “We don’t want to hear somebody say, ‘I don’t like Spanish food.’ We have options that aren’t in-your-face Spanish.” The Costillas de Res (braised short ribs) almost seems French in its preparation, with the short ribs braised in red wine in the oven for three hours and topped with glazed cipollini onions. But instead of plating it as one large slab of meat, it is portioned into three pieces for easy sharing.

Bulla’s version of the Tortilla Española—a classic small plate found on menus from Marbella to Miami—is made fresh every morning with eggs, thinly sliced potatoes confited with onions, olive oil, and roasted garlic aïoli. The secret? Cooking the omelette to medium-rare so the eggs remain tender and soft.

On the other hand, one of Bulla’s most popular— and experimental—dishes is the Huevos Bulla. While it seems like another egg-based small plate with potatoes, it’s anything but. Two fried eggs are nestled in a bowl with homemade potato chips, potato foam, truffle oil, and slices of serrano ham. The magic happens tableside, as the server swirls it all together with two forks, creating vibrant yellow rivers of egg yolks oozing over the potato chips. Each bite can only be described as transcendent.

Speaking of heavenly ingredients, it’s worth the splurge to order the Jamón de Bellota “5J.” Why is this Ibérico ham such a delicacy? It starts with free-range pigs that are fed primarily acorns. Next, the highest quality cuts of pork are selected, processed, and cured in salt for 36 months. The result is meat with a nutty flavor that, when sliced right, melts in your mouth. Bulla’s ham pairs well with its cheese selection, all sourced from Spain, including Cabrales, Tetilla, Mahón, and Manchego.

Another do-not-miss specialty? Bulla’s Paella, prepared two ways. The traditional Valencia paella involves cooking both the rice and seafood together with savory fish stock. The Catalonian technique, called Arroz a Banda, translates to “rice apart from seafood” and entails cooking the seafood and rice separately. Both paella dishes are layered with flavor and red-orange in color, which is actually more authentic than the bright yellow hue some diners may have grown to expect.

“In the ’80s and ’90s, the best restaurants in Spain put yellow food coloring in their paellas,” Centurion says. “It doesn’t add any flavor. It just makes it yellow. Tourists think this yellow color is good.” He explains that Bulla uses saffron to flavor its paella, which gives it more of a red- orange color. “Now, all the great restaurants in Spain use saffron. When you see a paella that is bright yellow, it most likely has added dye.”

In response to customers’ frequent requests, Bulla recently added a hamburger to the menu. Centurion held out for a year and a half before finally adding it to the lunch menu. But this American classic is prepared with Spanish influences, of course. Cipollini onions, piquillo peppers, honey-thyme glaze, and Tetilla cheese make it as unique as Bulla itself. Within one month, this became Bulla’s best-selling sandwich.

Brunch also came later in the process, with a few tweaks before it emerged as a popular weekend indulgence. Bulla’s brunch spans both Saturday and Sunday afternoons, and offers the option of all-you-can-drink mimosas and sangría for an extra charge. Three versions of sangría include white wine, red wine, and beer.

These brunch beverages are all part of a mixology program that’s both classic and innovative, with many cocktails featuring fresh fruit and herbs. The Gin & Tonic, for example, starts with bottled Fever Tree tonic water poured into a large wine glass with oversized ice cubes. In go the gin, five
juniper berries, a lime wheel, and lemon peel, making for an aromatic and refreshing result.

Bulla designed the bar to be food-friendly, too, adding extra-deep countertops, bar stools with backs, and great views throughout the restaurant. “It’s a gastronomic bar,” says Centurion, “and the bartenders are very knowledgeable about both food and drink.” They can steer you through the 75-bottle wine list and point you to a tasty bar snack like Patatas Bravas (crispy potatoes with aïoli).

Thanks to the friendly and approachable staff, a fun atmosphere (including a playlist spanning everything from Latin and Spanish rock to modern flamenco), and affordable pricing, Bulla has become a vibrant local hangout in Coral Gables. “We do our best to be part of the community,” Centurion says. “Many people don’t think of us as a Spanish restaurant. They think of us as the neighborhood restaurant. Most of our crowd is made up of locals.”

Although Bulla’s vibrant ambience and neighborly feel very much reflect Miami’s dining community, residents in other cities can get excited, too. Bulla, which is Spanish slang for “chatter,” is buzzing with expansion plans. The concept will launch in Doral in April and Winter Park (outside Orlando) in September. Future locations in Tampa, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, and Charlotte are also in the works. To that, all we can say is olé!

By Jacquelynn Powers Maurice | Contributor