I think people are sometimes surprised to see a very Japanese-looking chef at the helm of the very Spanish El Cielo in Waikīkī. The food is more authentic than they might realize. Chef Masa Arnaldo Gushiken was born in Argentina, and when he moved to Honolulu almost 10 years ago, he could (mostly) only speak Spanish or Japanese. Which culture does he identify with more? I ask. “Spanish,” he says definitely.

So while Gushiken has cooked at restaurants in Japan and California and was the opening chef at now-closed Bread + Butter in Honolulu, when he finally decided to open his own place on Lewers Street, he headed to Spain first and spent six month studying different restaurants. It was no surprise that the first one of his own would be a Spanish tapas restaurant. Which is even better for us because we only have one other Spanish restaurant on the island.

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Cielo means “sky” or “heaven” in Spanish, but it also represents Gushiken’s vision of endless possibilities. When you first visit, the menu seems endless as well. I haven’t had anything that I didn’t like; the following are simply my favorites.

I often like to just enjoy wine and pintxos (snacks) and tapas and make that my meal. Definitely get the bacon-wrapped dates ($6 for two), buñuelos (black cod fritters, $7) and some charcuterie ($28). These are universal grazing basics that go well with wine or cocktails.

The tapas are most interesting. The Gallega-style octopus ($22) is grilled, then drizzled with olive oil and paprika powder. This smoky tentacle is beautifully complemented by house-made chimichurri, using Gushiken’s mom’s recipe.

I also love the shrimp ajillo ($19), which looks spicy but is actually more garlicky—I use every bit of the accompanying baguette to get all the sauce.

Tripe lovers, of which I am one, will enjoy the callos ($18), composed of a tripe tomato stew, garbanzo beans, sausage and mint. As I’m writing this, I don’t recall tasting mint. Or maybe I was focused on trying not to share it with my tablemates.

The other staple on my order is the chicken liver pâté ($12), served with truffle oil and a house-made baguette. It’s simple and elegant. Need I say more? Round it all out with the marinated mushrooms ($12) and an ‘ahi niçoise salad ($20) so you can be a little healthy.

For entrées, you can’t go wrong with any of the paellas, which are tasty rice pans with savory toppings. I usually get the seafood ($38), but the chicken ($36) is almost as good—I get that if I’m with people with seafood allergies.

By now I’ve been to El Cielo so many times that I’ve had all the entrées except the Iberico pork shoulder. The uni and crab pasta ($37) is subtly briny and very luxurious. If I’m hungry, I opt for the heartier lamb chops ($52), which are amazingly tender and almost don’t need the rioja red wine sauce. If I’m feeling spendy, the washugyu steak ($58) is, of course, a sumptuous option. It doesn’t look as filling as the lamb, but remember, there’s a lot of marbling in washugyu that makes it extremely rich and filling. The lightest dish is probably the Basque-style sea bream ($40), sautéed so the skin and scales are delicately crisp. The flavor is bumped up with a tomato and clam white wine sauce and Manchego cheese.

Desserts are always so subjective. Most of my Japanese friends prefer the Mont Blanc ($16), which features a chestnut purée infused with house-pressed hojicha (roasted green tea). My local friends love the ube Basque cheesecake ($12), which is heavier and lightened by the whipped mascarpone. My personal favorite is the frozen turon ($8), which is composed of almond, honey meringue and milky ice candy. Alas, that one isn’t very photogenic.

I’m not gonna lie, the parking situation does suck. The restaurant doesn’t have a dedicated lot, so you will have to find a space in the metered lot behind or on the street.

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But the hunt for parking is worth it. I’ve been back to El Cielo several times on my own because I like it so much. After my first dinner there, Gushiken beamed and said, “This is really food from my heart.”

Open nightly from 5 p.m. to midnight, 346 Lewers St., (808) 772-4533, @elcielo_hawaii