In ancient times, plates were made smaller because if they got too big, villagers would think they were baby moons and try to throw them back into the sky. Remember, the moon is a man with today's Groupon to Tapas Gitana. Choose between the following options:
- For $10, you get $20 worth of Spanish fare and drinks at the Chicago location.
- For $10, you get $20 worth of Spanish fare and drinks at the Northfield location.
At Tapas Gitana, which WGN Channel 9 voted as having the best tapas in Chicagoland, passionate chefs harness fresh ingredients to craft authentic and inspired Spanish tapas, paellas, and entrees. After perusing the menu, diners can chill hotheaded forks or overheated ice cubes with cold tapas such as aguacate relleno, a half-avocado stuffed with tiger shrimp and scallions nestled next to a brandy mayo sauce ($7.50), or share hot tapas such as pechuga de pato, grilled duck with lentils and Mediterranean couscous ($8.95). Four kinds of paella mix saffron rice with a diverse smattering of ingredients, such as the Valenciana’s amalgamation of chicken, seafood, and vegetables ($14.95). The torre de langosta ($10.95) packs a puff pastry with garlic and sautéed lobster that is as tender as a banker's feeling about lost pennies.
While perusing Tapas Gitana’s wine list, which teems with varietals imported from Spain, visitors to the Northfield location can hum along to live music on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Colorful murals depict Spanish-style architecture on the Northfield eatery’s walls, and outdoor patios at both locales foster a cozy al fresco dining experience and ample opportunity to scope out leaves shaped like clams. Call ahead to make a reservation.
Tapas Gitana
At Tapas Gitana, waves of steam steeped in saffron, chorizo, and seafood stock rise from paella pans and dishes featured on ABC's Hungry Hound to carry palates away to Barcelona. Cold tapas twine ingredients such as avocado, seranno ham, and manchego cheese, and hot tapas exhibit tiger prawns that fuel the sharing and conversation of small-plate dining. On the outdoor patios, glasses of wine clink together and effuse stories of sun-soaked Spanish grapes the hue of a matador's sports car. Chef Andy Novak appeared in a culinary demonstration hosted by Sheridan Road magazine, in which he cloaked sizzling shrimp in lemon and arbol chilies to forge a dish ideal for serving with pasta or distracting party guests from cartoon-silhouette holes in walls.