Patria is back after a 14-month long hiatus and is ready to serve classic Spanish tapas at King and Portland. With the reopening comes some of the restaurant's familiarities and a few unique changes.

Patria's location is still the same — tucked in an alleyway behind the Patagonia store — but its interior is slightly different.

There's a new warmth brought inside, thanks to new light installations, lighter wood panels and floors and furniture and upbeat latin american pop music playing quietly in the background.

Some of the original decor is still present in the upscale restaurant, including the handwoven rose-and-diamond cross-stitch art that's on the stairwell wall.

The large paintings that were around pre-hiatus are also still on the walls by the entrance.

The menu is more or less the same, with a few iterations on some of their previous dishes, and new dishes altogether that are added.

For starters, there are menu items like the Pan con Manchego ($11.00), which consists of bread from Blackbird Baking Co, that's covered with tomato pulp and Manchego cheese, which comes from the Spanish region with the same name.

The sheep's cheese provides a rich and savoury feel and the tomato pulse adds a bit of sweetness as you bite into the warm, crunchy bread.

There's also marcona almonds ($8.00) that are toasted in butter and various spices as well as marinated olives ($11.00) if you want smaller snacks.

Salads are also on the menu, like a hearty salad called the Alcahofas ($21.00). It has shaved fennel, artichoke, apple cider vinaigrette and Manchengo cheese. The flavours are more on the sharp and tarty side.

The fan favourite dish, Datiles ($16.00), is also back, which consists of dates wrapped in bacon and Manchengo cheese, marinated in a sherry reduction. It's the perfect combination of sweet and salty.

Seafood is one of the types of dishes Patria's known for, and the restaurant is in abundance of it. If you're looking for something light, lemony and fresh, the mero crudo ($24.00) is a good option. It's kind of like a cured ceviche, with rehydrated caper leaves, tomato vinaigrette, tomatillos and pickled chillis.

Bone marrow ($26.00) is also available, and comes with a beef cheek marmalade, sherry carmelized onions, salsa verde and grilled sourdough.

If you're a mushroom lover, the croqueta de champinones ($14.00) is a must-have. They're essentially croquettes stuffed with mushrooms and paired with a truffle aioli. It's a burst of mushroom flavour as you bite into the crunchy texture.

The beloved paellas are also back, including the Paella Patria ($36.00 for a small, $70.00 for a large) which takes 45 minutes to cook before coming to the table. The wait is worth it as it's quite the showstopper. This paella in particular has a mix of seafood and meat in the dish, including mussels, shrimp, clams, cod and chorizo. It's topped with seasoning like saffron, sumac and parsley.

For meat options, there's a Carne Aves de Corral (meat cooked over charcoal) section, which includes a rack of lamb ($70.00 for a half rack and $125.00 for a full rack), and a 24oz rib eye that's roasted in garlc and red wine jus ($130.00).

Patria is also rich in drinks, and does its own take on some of the traditional cocktails that you might see at other bars and restaurants.

There's the Negroni Espanol ($17.00) for instance, which is made of a black vermouth. A Spanish Manhattan ($17.00) can also be made with amarena cherries.

Another cocktail, the Piquante ($17.00), is a tequila-based margarita that has a hint of spice to it. The glass has smoked paprika on its rim, and a slice of pineapple.

Patria is located on 478 King Street West.