Expertly mixed margaritas and gourmet Mexican cuisine attract hip crowds to this WeHo hacienda.

The Scene
Modeled after a Mexican villa, this hot spot greets patrons with an intimate, fireplace-warmed patio. Inside, beautiful couples sip margaritas at the long curved bar, in crescent-shaped booths or at candlelit tables on the slightly raised second level. Wrought-iron chandeliers, mosaic tiles and a colorful wall mural add traditional touches. Black-and-red-clad servers are quick to offer suggestions.

The Food
It's called ''Spanish'' Kitchen, but the food is mostly Mexican, with a gourmet twist. Papaya salad boasts plentiful greens with slices of fresh papaya and avocado. Sopa de Media Luna--half tortilla soup, half black-bean soup--is a uniquely flavorful combination. Deep-fried quesadillas look more like empanadas stuffed with exotic ingredients: huitlacoche (corn truffle), manchego cheese and mushrooms. House specialties like sea bass drizzled in sweet wine sauce and paella, chock-full of seafood, sausage and spices, are divine. Rich chocolate crepes or mango sorbet swimming in berry sauce make for scrumptious finishes.