The place to be. Tucked away on the first floor of the Naivas Supermarket complex off Links Road in Nyali, Mombasa is Tapas Cielo, an upmarket bar and restaurant.

Don't be fooled by the Spanish sounding name, Tapas is not a niche restaurant. It is offers a wide range of food and drinks from cocktails to elegant meals that can be eaten right at the bar counter.

The menu provides for all palates, so that one can order ugali, kachumbari and chicken tikka, a wide range of finger food from spring rolls to samosa or even a pizza and everything in between from Ksh600 per person depending on the meal.

The layout of the establishment features a long bar with a grey granite top suitable for both drinking and dining.

Instead of bar stools, there are almost formal high dining chairs, which are however very comfortable.

The cutlery is simple and elegant, making the food presentation even better. Clearly, a lot of thought and money went into their choice, as they add to the classy ambience that was intended.

The owner, Sam Rabadia, said he was looking to offer a unique experience for his customers. He siad he is aware that there is a clientele that just wants the best value for money and he has gone out of his way to provide that.

As one enters the venue, the first thing to strike you is the use of space. Tapas is long rather than big. This give it depth and cool terracotta coloured walls next to endless mirrors at the bar side gives it a very inviting feel, with an illusion of vast space.

After walking down the length of the bar you realise it opens to a terrace facing the forest of Haller Park across the Mombasa-Malindi highway, and on a warm day the forest provides a cool breeze.

Going there for lunch, I sampled their pizza and had a cocktail from their extensive cocktail menu.

I went back on Friday evening to gauge the club’s popularity. It had transformed into an interesting hangout with people seeking after work drinks and popular music from the resident DJ, who happens to be Ugandan — an East African touch to the club.

The crowd was young, professional and definitely moneyed, going by the drinks being ordered.

The staff were efficient and friendly — something Mr Rabadia takes pride in and says is down to training.