Anyone who ate at El Rincón in South Parade REVIEW: Welcome to El Rincón and its unique and delicious take on Spanish food! will know how good chef Juan Clares is, his tapas sending us into spirals of bliss. But after a dispute with the landlords he upped sticks and left, back to Andalusia, and we went into a long period of mourning.
So news that he’d reappeared at Oxford Brunch Bar on George Street of all places, and has introduced a new tapas menu in the evenings, sent us into spasms of excitement, and it was indecent how quickly we hot-footed it down there.
Luckily for us the word’s not out yet, although passers-by and tourists who wandered in on a whim couldn’t believe their luck, something we fully understood. But it meant we could still nab a table, a luxury I expect to fade once everyone hears how good Juan’s cooking is.
‘I love Oxford. It really feels like home, so it felt right to come back and I love a challenge’
But let’s go back to whys and wherefores. After all, the clue’s in the name at Oxford Brunch Bar, formerly the George Street Cafe, but they were looking to expand their offering in the evenings and Juan jumped at the chance.
“I love Oxford. It really feels like home, so it felt right to come back and I love a challenge,” Juan said to us after our exceptional meal, as we were still bathing in the glow of such stunning tapas.
‘Juan surpassed himself, our meal there gobsmackingly good’
Yes, Juan surpassed himself, our meal there gobsmackingly good, helped by the lovely GM Akhil. And yet Oxford Brunch Bar is not a swanky venue. Homely, comfortable, welcoming yes, but fairly rustic, which matches Juan’s cooking perfectly.
Because the Spaniard is not big on presentation, but it’s the delivery, the love and passion he puts into each ingredient and dish that speaks volumes.
Neither is Juan’s food pretentious, humble Spanish tapas is the name of the game here, because the magic happens in the kitchen.
‘I think that tortilla is one of the best things I’ve ever eaten’
Take our cold tapas starter – pan con tomato (£4.50) – sourdough with a fresh tomato, garlic and Arbequina olive oil dip. It was absolutely heavenly – the dip oily, delicate, sweet and full of sunshine, we spooned up every last morsel.
Then the Spanish omelette from the ‘warm tapas’ section, so simple but so hard to get right, often over or undercooked. Here it arrived oozing and I was worried it would be too eggy, but oh my God it was absolutely perfect. Soft, light, bouncy, pungent, the potato confit warm with olive oil and onion. Text book perfection.
‘Finally somewhere in Oxford city centre to really shout about’
“I think that tortilla is one of the best things I’ve ever eaten,” my husband said in disbelief, as we mopped up every last morsel.
The croquettes were a must – there’s a choice of five – but we zoomed in on the acorn-fed Iberia ‘Jabugo’ ham £8) -crunchy and hot on the outside, soft, unctuous and absolutely irresistible within, like dutch Bitterballen or kroketten.
The warm salad (£8.50) – Andalusian cumin carrots on a citrusy yoghurt with a chickpea couscous, topped with crushed almonds, ras el hanout, Jerez salad dressing, lemon zest and fresh mint – another inspired addition, the carrots succulent, bathing in so many vibrant, zesty flavours, calmed by the yoghurt.
And the artichokes in tempura ‘al padre Ximenez (£8) – deep-fried in a beer tempura batter topped with a homemade sherry PX red wine reduction. Huge and crispy, you sliced into the juicy, marinated artichokes. Was the glaze a bit sweet and sticky though?
‘More like a stew, the 100% Iberia pig cheeks, literally melted in the mouth, the sauce rich with Spanish flavours, the tiny potatoes sopping it all up’
The leeks in Romesco sauce were the only disappointment, they were overcooked so had gone mushy, but we were happy to overlook them as the slowly braised 100% Iberia pig cheeks arrived in a Fino wine reduction, served with crispy diced potatoes (£14). More like a stew, the meat literally melted in the mouth, the sauce rich with Spanish flavours, the tiny potatoes sopping it all up. T
The tapas kept arriving, one-after-another, which we loved because everyone got to try a bit off everything before moving onto the next dish. Next up chilli and garlic prawns cooked in sherry white wine and Arbequina olive oil, which arrived sizzling and juicy in its liquid.
‘The tapas kept arriving, one-after-another, which we loved because everyone got to try a bit off everything’
And then the pork belly Cadiz (£7) commonly known as ‘chicharrones a la Gaditana’, slow cooked in paprika, cumin and oregano, which should come with a health warning, although none of us would have heeded it, absolutely delicious, beautifully spiced and plentiful.
As for the puds, the brownie and cheesecake were nice enough, but it was Juan’s Torrija which really made its mark – like a Spanish bread and butter pudding, it was absolutely heavenly, soaked in sweet milk, eggs, ras el hanout and vanilla, and served like French toast.
Juan’s Torrija really made its mark – like a Spanish bread and butter pudding, it was absolutely heavenly’
And as the Spanish guitar music wafted over us, and Juan emerged from the kitchen for a chat, we marvelled that somewhere this good can have popped up in a George Street cafe. Finally somewhere in Oxford city centre to really shout about.
And judging by the queues stretching down George Street the next morning, the brunch must be pretty spectacular too! So get down there for some spectacular Andalusian food, at really moderate prices, and sample some of Juan’s fabled cooking. Bon appetito!
Oxford Brunch Bar is at 19 George St, Oxford, OX1 2AU https://www.oxfordbrunchbar.co.uk
