Tapas and beyond at two spots in the suburbs

Take Hola Flatbreads and Tapas in Marshfield and Loco Tapas & Wine Bar in South Easton. Each brings an exceedingly welcome alternative to the suburbs, where a night out often means a beer and a burger at the Ninety Nine or Chili's. That's a fun way to spend an evening, but it's nice to have more sophisticated options.

Hola opened last year in a former ice cream parlor. From the parking lot at dusk, the entrance looks like an exit: The outside lights are still off, and the writing on the glass door faces into the restaurant. Should you go in?

You should. Hola is run by Maryann Saporito Boothroyd and Andrew Boothroyd, former owners of Saporito's in Hull; she's also the chef, sharing the kitchen with sous chef Tara Murphy. Despite the restaurant's mixed mission - flatbreads and tapas and, unadvertised in the name, a selection of Mexican-inspired dishes - its food is straight-ahead tasty. Once you're inside, the parking lot vibe disappears immediately. The space is warm, cozy, and festive. It's painted in shades of rust, with sun-themed decorations; there's a bar up front, and a long table for communal dining in addition to the usual smaller tables.

The tapas portion of Hola's menu is the strongest. Charred rare beef with sherried figs and blue cheese is a knockout. The meat is indeed rare but not bloody, sliced thin and lined up on the plate beside a pile of deep brown figs stewed in sherry and balsamic. The cheese is Stilton when you might expect to see Cabrales, but Spanish authenticity doesn't seem to be the aim here. The flavors of the fruit, cheese, and meat play off one another perfectly.

Grilled shrimp are something you would find at a tapas bar in Spain. They are simple - just perfectly grilled, tender shrimp dusted with smoked paprika. Squeeze some lemon on, and that's all you need.

Ceviche-style tuna is more like sashimi-style tuna. It's good, just not particularly pickled. It goes very well with the pile of spicy cabbage slaw it's served with, however. The fried tortilla strips on top are an unnecessary encumbrance - a few for texture would be nice, but the dish positively bristles with them.