Another day in the Toon, another foodie pilgrimage following the delightful smells rolling out from one of our city’s stunning eateries.
NE1 follows the scent over to 19 Dean Street to Kaltur Wine Bar & Restaurant for a true taste of authentic Spanish delicacies…
Nestled in a cosy basement site on one of Newcastle’s principal streets, Kaltur Wine Bar & Restaurant is arguably one of the Toon’s best-kept foodie secrets. A place that looks unassuming and intriguing from the front as the hustle and bustle of city life flies by, this humble basement restaurant featuring a new-look menu from owner Avencio and his team are serving up some of the finest, most-authentic Spanish food anywhere in the North.
A wall of aromatic spices and herbs greet the nostrils instanously as we enter through the front door - our attention is quickly diverted to a Iberico ham leg centrepiece that is standing proud at the centre of the bar area.
The restaurant is an enticing and welcoming place to be; think exposed, concrete walls finished with eye-pleasing white wash, a literal wall of wine made up of rich reds from La Rioja and zesty whites from the La Mancha regions, as well as ambient lighting that perfectly highlights all the subtle features of this beautiful restaurant.
It’s graceful, it’s stylish, but it’s also incredibly warm and inviting. It offers a sumptuous space to enjoy balmy afternoons or serene summer evenings - all in the hands of some of the best hospitality in the Toon.
Let’s talk food. It’s recommended to us that five or six tapas dishes should fill our bellies and secondly, give us a pretty good, all-round glimpse into the varying delicacies being served up from the kitchen.
First to arrive is the melt-in-your-mouth Iberico pork cheek (£10.55). This particular plate of meat magic falls apart with very little prompt and is supported by a smooth cinnamon sauce, celeriac puree and gorgeous parsnip crisps.
No sooner had we finished digesting (both mentally and physically) the opening dish, a steaming cauldron of aromatic garlic king prawns (£12.50) and crunchy sourdough bread drenched in Kaltur’s home-brew virgin olive oil takes centrestage. Simply put, it’s sublime!
The fish fancy continues shortly after as Galician octopus (£18) makes a show-stopping appearance. Macerated in soy, ginger, rosemary, mash potato and shredded Iberico ham, it’s a larger dish that’s been beautifully finished with cuttlefish ink to create a stunning artform that wouldn’t look out of place at an avant garde exhibition at BALTIC. The taste wasn’t too bad either!
With belts creaking and shirts becoming untucked, there’s no respite from the mouthwatering action as the oh-so tender black tempura cod (£15) comes into view. It’s hard to find adjectives for this particular dish, as the cod loin encased with cuttlefish ink batter, creamy aioli, pea puree, triple cooked baby potatoes, buttery asparagus, cherry tomato and granadina salsa left us awestruck at the combination of flavours and textures going on.
The afternoon of Spanish sensación is rounded off with caramelized apple and goat cheese mille-feuille (£10.75) with onion confit, a trail of pistachio and Pedro Ximenez sherry reduction sauce. Although we’re close to bursting at this point, there’s no way we’re missing out on the chance to sample this stunner!
With both restaurants now open (yep, there’s a cosy Kaltur hangout on High Bridge too!) and ready to welcome in countless Geordies ready for a true taste of Spain this summer, Kaltur is the place to head for a special date night or memorable catch-up with friends over scintillating Spanish cuisine.
Kalturrestaurant.co.uk
