A vine-covered bodega

VOTIVE candles flicker on minuscule tables lined up in front of the simple wooden banquettes. On the bar, plates of olives slicked with olive oil glisten purple, black, brown, while in the tiny kitchen someone is slicing raw-cured mountain ham. A couple leans across the bar discussing with the bartender what wine to try next. “Why not the Jumilla?” he says, and walks them over to the wall to a map of Spanish wine regions to point out where it is.

The Spanish wine bar Bodega de Cordova has quietly appeared on Fairfax Avenue just south of 3rd Street. It’s hard to spot -- look for a plain door, a window covered with burgundy curtains in the daytime and a “Cash Only” sign just beside the entrance.

Spain and Spanish wine are passions of owner Kenny Cordova, whose grandfather was from Andalusia. After living awhile in Madrid, Cordova decided to come home and open a bodega, or tavern, like the ones he used to frequent there. He’s used them as inspiration for the bare-bones decor, posted photos of his favorites on his bodega’s website and even put a collage of his photos of Spain as part of a mural on the wall.

Bodega de Cordova feels more like a beatnik bar in the East Village years ago than something you’d expect to find in the Fairfax District. What a nice surprise, though. Cordova’s enthusiasm for all things Spain is irresistible, and slowly night owls are finding their way to the bodega for a glass of wine or a plate of jamon or chorizo after a film at the Grove or dinner on 3rd Street.

In keeping with Cordova’s vision of an Old World tavern, the bodega has a limited menu -- just traditional tapas like sausages and ham, cheeses, olives and such, all imported from Spain. Nothing hot. But every month, he’ll have specials such as gazpacho or pa amb tomaquet -- the Catalan snack of bread rubbed with a tomato -- or some new chorizo. The olives from Seville are wonderful. There’s also jamon serrano, when Cordova can get the quality he wants, paprika-streaked chorizo from Pamplona, and sobrasada, a spread of shredded pork served on a piece of bread. Manchego, the sheep’s milk cheese that is Spain’s version of pecorino, is a staple. But he also has Rocinante, a fresh sheep’s milk cheese with a little paprika.

The place has such an endearing vibe, it’s easy to spend a couple of hours nursing a bottle of Rioja or trying glasses of wines from some of the promising new wine regions in Spain. With scarcely 15 wines on offer at the moment, you don’t get a comprehensive view of the Spanish wine scene, but the idea is to change the selection frequently and concentrate on lesser-known Spanish wines. Meanwhile, try the Albarino Salneval, a crisp mineral-y white from Rias Baixas; the Vega Sindoa rosada (rose) from Navarra; or the Onix Priorat. The most expensive bottle, Tilenus Crianza 2001 from Bodegas Estafania in Bierzo, is $37.

In a city where restaurateurs routinely spend hundreds of thousands to open a new restaurant, you have to love this improvised Spanish wine bar opened on a shoestring. Just remember to bring some patience. And cash.

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Bodega de Cordova

Where: 361 S. Fairfax Ave.,

Los Angeles

When: Open 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays, 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 6 p.m. to midnight Sundays. Wine and beer. Street parking.

Cost: Wines, $5 to $9.75 by the glass, $14 to $37 by the bottle; olives, $5 to $5.75; cheeses, $7 to $7.50; cured meats and ham, $7 to $8. Cash only.

Info: (323) 951-1969