It might seem an unexpected move for Oxford Brunch Bar to offer an evening tapas menu, but after a quick chat with the incredibly friendly staff it all seems to make sense. With a prime spot on George Street, directly opposite a theatre full of potential diners looking for a quick bite, why would they close early in the evening?

Plus, head chef Juan assures us, there are many similar ventures across Spain that offer breakfast in the morning and transform to a brasserie later in the day. All combined, opening the Oxford Brunch Bar for evening tapas is ‘a challenge, but not a problem.’

We were given a very warm welcome from the team. Juan has had past stints in a whole range of local foodie institutions – including Le Manoir, El Rincon, Gloucester Green Market and the Pint Shop – so by all accounts he’s a familiar face on the Oxford food scene. His passion for cooking is immediately obvious and he was very generous with his time, explaining the many carefully considered elements in each dish we tried.

Before we even thumbed through the menu, though, we obviously had to get into the mood with a glass of sangria. This was nicely dry, not too sweet, and stuffed full with fruit.

Our first choice was easy, because who can go for tapas and not order croquettes? There are five options on this menu; we went for ham. These were very fresh, with a pillowy soft inside and crisp crumb. The bechamel base had a lovely delicate flavour, while the accompanying aioli had a nicely contrasting punch of garlic. Honestly, how can you beat it? This was also good value at 6 small croquettes for £8.

Next up was the ‘warm salad’ (£8.50). Now, this wouldn’t normally strike me as an obvious choice but we followed the staff recommendation and I’m very pleased we did. Juan explained that this was inspired by his time in Jerez, in southern Spain. It’s a relatively simple dish of carrots seasoned with cumin on a base of citrusy yoghurt, with chickpea couscous, crushed almonds, lemon zest and mint. This was SO delicious and refreshing, mainly thanks to the pure citrus kick that only comes from zest. Again, this was a generous portion and definitely one I’d order again.

Following this was our next recommendation from the Oxford Brunch Bar team: ‘bacalao a la Vizcaina’ (£9.50 – described by the menu as “cod loin simmered in a homemade ‘Vizcaina’ sauce and served with potatoes”).

Juan explained that this traditional sauce is made with pepper – not tomato, very important – and flavoured with fish stock. The sauce had a surprisingly delicate flavour, though you could definitely taste the fish stock. The cod itself was beautifully moist. As a dish this packed less of a punch than the others, but was a tasty insight into traditional Southern Spanish cooking.

Next, we had the slowly braised 100% Iberico pork cheeks, served in a ‘Fina’ wine reduction with potatoes. This was unlike any pork I’ve ever tasted.

In fact, if you’d said it was beef we would have believed you; the meat was dark, juicy and fell apart under our forks. You could tell this had been cooked for hours. The reduction was carefully created in Juan’s kitchen, with attention to detail even down to the specific type of sieve used to give the right consistency. As a whole the dish was slightly less flavourful than I expected – perhaps next time I’d go for either this or the cod, rather than both. At £14 it was also a bit pricier than other dishes, but I think this reflects the quality of the meat.

Alongside this was a plate of grilled chorizo (£6.50) drizzled with honey and fresh thyme. This was good to have as a simple side to the other dishes. The honey went really well with the spice of the meat. Overall, as expected, it was slightly less ‘exciting’ than the more complex dishes but a great option to have in any tapas spread.

Finally, bursting a bit at the seams, we took up the offer of one of the specials: artichoke flower with Iberico ham and teeny cubes of foie gras.

This dish was so beautiful to look at, I almost felt bad cutting into it. Everything about it was decadent; the flower melted in the mouth, even with the nicely chargrilled edges. This might not be on the menu every night, but it was one of three very tempting specials and I’m sure the kitchen has a wide (and delicious) repertoire to choose from.

There are still many other dishes that I’d be keen to try, and I’ll definitely be heading back for more. Juan and the whole team were incredibly welcoming and clearly very excited about the potential of their tapas menu. It’s definitely one to bear in mind as a pre-theatre option, but the relaxed vibes would also make this a great option for a special date night. There’s also a good selection of veggie, vegan and gluten free options – hopefully, something for everyone!

Oxford Brunch Bar
19 George Street, Oxford, OX1 2AU

Bitten were invited as guests, all views are our own