No matter how long you’ve lived in Portland, summertime in the city has a romantic flair to it, like lost loves rekindling their zest for one another after months of drear and drizzle. All it takes is one sun-drenched dinner to be head over heels again — might we suggest tapas?

It’s this spirit of rediscovery that inspired Vy and Steve Chao to launch their latest venture vya, a new Spanish restaurant in the Hosford-Abernethy neighborhood that pays homage to how the married couple first met.

Nearly 10 years ago, they were simply colleagues on a work trip to Barcelona, bonding over their search for the best paella. The problem? Locals tend to eat the dish for lunch — while the duo happened to be stuck in meetings — so most of their experience led them to disappointing tourist traps at night. “Still, we found amazing food otherwise,” Vy said.

Fond memories of the Catalonian capital put them on the path to taking over the former Palomar space on Southeast Division Street, but after months of building out the concept for vya, the Chaos realized that they were operating with an outdated perspective. A spontaneous return to Barcelona six months ago opened their eyes to how global the city has become. “We had some of the best Peruvian food of our life in Spain. Sushi too.” she explained. “We actually came back from that trip and sat down with our chef and rewrote our whole menu.”

Their diligence culminated in small plates with substantial flavor: jamon croquettes with serrano, mahón cheese, and a pimento aioli for dipping, octopus carpaccio drizzled with trout roe and a meyer lemon vinaigrette, red-wine-braised oxtail empanadas, and more that may adapt to the seasons.

Of course, paella is the main draw, and the kitchen has leaned into the challenges of the rice dish to ensure authentic flavors and textures. Typically, it’s made in bulk in a massive pan. “All of the different toppings are meant for anyone to come in with a spoon, kind of like a backyard barbecue, and be able to pick out and say I prefer the crunchy bits. Or I prefer the clams,” Vy said.

The team honed the process to make their recipes — Valencian style and vegan — feasible without sacrificing quality. “When you nail it, it's the ultimate comfort food. It does require our entire range and our entire oven, so we're not able to offer any other entrees,” she said. “But it’s very validating to walk around the restaurant and hear our guests talking about and reliving their travels.”

Taste of place translates to the bar program too, which features both a red (tinto) and white (blanco) sangria, as well as a Spanish gin and tonic and other intentional cocktails made with local spirits.

As settings go, there are few buildings more iconic than the one that wears the “Attitude of Gratitude” mural, and fittingly, stepping inside vya feels like dropping into a golden hour sunset at Park Güell. Robin’s egg blue walls bounce off burnt orange upholstery, and floral motifs are a common thread from the wallpaper to the floor tiles.

“Sprinkled throughout this space are all of these different elements that really come together to make up the rainbow,” Vy said. “We wanted it to be colorful and evoke the outdoors. That's why we went with light fixtures that are reminiscent of clouds.”

The design is symbolic of the lofty plans the Chaos have for the restaurant this summer. Drawing on their background of curating special experiences — like afternoon tea service at Doja Teas — they hope to create a gathering place where communities can come in and host their events up on the rooftop, with views of downtown and Mount Hood on the horizon. It will also be an experiment to explore the possibilities of in-house activations, like flamenco performances, live music, or even a huge paella party.

At the end of the day, Vya recaptures the charm of dining culture that’s ever less prevalent in the wake of the pandemic. “We see a lot of restaurants taking one of two directions: no service at all, casual pickup at the counter, or white-gloved, two-hour dinners, right?” Vy said. “Our vision is to fill that gap, where you come in for a dinner or just a snack or a late-night bite with a drink.” She added, “I think we all need more spontaneity in our lives. I think it really helps with making our community happier and just feeling more connected.”