Andersonville spot has tapas, nothing fancy
Anew tapas spot and coffee shop recently opened in Andersonville, giving the neighborhood its only Spanish restaurant. Tucked in a nondescript space that formerly housed a Mexican restaurant, Little Madrid, 5661 N. Clark St., features items like jamón pata negra sliced paperthin on the spot, pincho de patata, and cafe con leche.
Little Madrid is Spanish native Francisco Bolanos’ first restaurant. A former human rights lawyer, he grew up cooking with his grandmother and said the food at Little Madrid reflects what she taught him. The menu includes sandwiches named for Spanish artists, like the “Picasso” (toasted ciabatta, olive oil, tomato, jamón serrano, Ibérian cheese) and the “Miró” (toasted ciabatta, Salamanca cream cheese, smoked salmon, arugula, cherry tomato, vinaigrette).
For Bolanos, Little Madrid is an opportunity to share the beauty and complexity of European cultures. He hopes to feature a rotating art gallery with pieces from around the world. He’s also collaborating with non-profit Instituto Cervantes of Chicago to host free weekly Spanish language classes. It’s a chance to challenge stereotypes about fussy European restaurants and create an unpretentious neighborhood gathering place for caffeine and intellectual conversation.
“In the U.S., people think that European food is fancy, but I don’t think that at all,” Bolanos said. “We’re all human beings, we just want simple organic food — the worse a place looks, you’ll probably get the best food of your life.”