Olde Madrid’s array of tapas (appetizer-sizedportions)—cold and hot, meat as well as seafood and vegetable—is impressive. Themenu offers everything from tangerine olives ($7.99)—a mound of firm green andsoft black olives marinated in tangerine juice, stacked among garlic cloves anddrenched in olive oil—to delicately battered fried calamari ($7.99),served with marinara dipping sauce. A spicier alternative to the almondmeatballs (in cream sauce with mushrooms, $8.49), the Spanish meatballs ($7.49)are served with ground chili tomato sauce topped with almonds, parmesan cheeseand parsley.
Another piquant little dish is the grilled solo chorizo ($6.99), presented like a cutlet and toppedwith shaved manchego cheese. Roasted chicken and cherries ($7.99) is adelicious blend of sautéed bite-sized chunks of chicken marinated in sherrysauce then simmered with pine nuts, green olives and dried cherries. Surprisingly,Olde Madrid’s signature dish is not a paella—saffron ricesimmered in meat or seafood and veggies—but rather the okra-free seafood gumbo($14.99), a complex blend of grilled chicken, scallops, shrimp, saffron riceand chorizo with lemon juice, onions and cilantro, cooked in lobsterstock and garnished with avocado slices.
There are several vegetarian offerings—tapas vegetales—such as thegoat cheese and spinach salad ($7.99) and a warm sandwich called el canario(lunch only, $7.49), a grilled portabella mushroom cap with roasted redpeppers, spinach and melted mozzarella, served with pesto mayo. The most popular cold tapa, according to Co-owner Natalie Salinas, is a mixed saladcalled The Olde Madrid ($5.99), while the best-selling hot tapa is Maria’s beef stew ($8.99). Theregulars’ top seafood tapa isgarlic chili shrimp ($8.99).
Skip the optional bread course and the seafood bisque. But do save room fordessert; the orange zest flan ($4.99), a delightfully textured bakedcustard, has a hint of rum amidst the caramel. Gazpacho returns to themenu as a cold soup come summer. The lunch menu offers several appealing wraps,including the Valencia, a tortilla stuffed with pork, avocado, saffron rice,mixed greens, tomato and chorizo ($7.99). Sandwiches and steaks are alsoavailable for lunch, all served with papas fritas (homemade potatochips) and Spanish olives.
Olde Madrid’s Chef and Co-owner Manny Salinas is a Chicago native with aculinary-arts degree. He cites his Spanish mother as the main inspiration for(and sometime source of) his best recipes. His wife, Manager Natalie Salinas,is a cheerful Racine native. Their restaurant has been a reliable fixture inthe Belle City since 2007 and they also offer catering services for groups orspecial events. Olde Madrid recently started hosting quarterly Sunday afternoonwine-tasting dinners.
Olde Madrid
418 Sixth St., Racine
262-619-0940
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Handicapped access: Yes
