Spanish food is in right now. You only have to look at the landscape to see that. Birmingham, for the first time in ages, has options in Plates and Txikiteo to eat, led by an explosion of them in that London place, which I’m not allowed to talk about because it makes some Brummies upset to see someone going there. This has kickstarted a love of the produce, for which i’m personally over the moon about, with your average Joe’s and Joette’s going out and buying the Perello olives in a tin, really good cheeses, really good oils in more fancy tins, and those bloody Torres truffle crisps that will soon be those bloody Torres pickle crisps. Trust me. As I write this I’m looking directly at a print we purchased of the Perillo olive tins. I really need to get out more.
So with all that Deli 17 sounds like the perfect fit for a burgeoning Raddlebarn Rd. Part Deli, part eatery, part wine bar; they haven’t quite worked out the split yet, but my guess will be more wine bar and food spot than deli. I’m not even sure if they’ve settled on purely Spanish. It’s a small team having fun with some high quality ingredients, perhaps why they road test Spanish omelette fries on me.
Oh yes, those fries. I’ll get to those after the stuff which is on the menu. Two types of sangria, a good red one and a white that is way too drinkable. Lots of natty wines including some natty oranges and some fizzy natties. A really good paloma and some other stuff I didn’t try. Little cones of good Serrano ham, fried broad beans, and pickled chillies, and boards of aged manchego drizzled with honey. Gildas, more generous than you’d ever get in San Sebastián, and a couple of quid each. I’m digressing, but Basque food will be the big trend of 2025.
I forgot to take a picture of the patatas bravas because I was gossiping but they are arguably the best thing in the menu. Little new potatoes cooked til the skin wrinkles like an old person and the insides slowly give up like an old person, with romesco that uses toasted hazlenuts as the dominant nut flavour over almond. Really excellent. A little tomato salad, no mucking about, just great produce, a slug of really good oil, deep fried capers and a lick of vinegar. Croquettes of salt cod and another of goats cheese. I could get used to coming here.
Those fries are lunches Spanish omelette, chopped up and banged in a deep fryer. Never seen it before, absolutely expect to see them everywhere soon. They should trademark them. Nothings over a tenner, most of it is way less, and yes, they will have to look at the prices of those wines if they want to attract those pesky students. It feels like the start of something exciting, a tangible, moving piece in what it could be in the very near future. I’m fully in for the ride.
8/10
