We got down to the deli with a twist...
The best way to go with Delilah is to take a pal whose tastebuds have synchronised with yours and order a couple bits and bobs to share. First up, we had some freshly baked bread with olive oil, balsamic and dukkah (£3.95) to get the owd stomach muscles warmed up. Bread straight outta the oven is one of life’s most underrated pleasures, and it just got one hell of an upgrade thanks to that aromatic, spicy-yet-sweet dukkah.
Next in line was the antipasti platter: feta-stuffed red peppers, balsamic onions, funghi di muschio, sundried tomatoes, sweet garlic, heavenly hummus, olive tapenade, grilled artichokes, red almond pesto, mixed olives and chargrilled bread (£16.95). Sometimes hummus can be a bit meh – nowt but a smush of chickpeas – but Delilah do it proper. The red almond pesto is a nutty crunch of flavour and, when combined with the sweet sundried tomato, becomes a champion bread topper. Whack a bit of that black olive tapenade on some bread, cut a slice off the semi-crystallised balsamic onions, and a slither of sweet garlic to crown, and you’ve got a mouthful of the good stuff.
By now, stomachs were growling in both anticipation and fullness, but there was no time to dwell as the main events were placed in front of us. We opted for a couple of salads, the first was the Inverawe oak roast salmon salad (£8.95) with mixed leaves, avocado, radish, beetroot, red onion, and a lemon and dill dressing. The salmon was proper meaty, with a sweet, thick dressing. Tangy beetroot shavings and crunchy radish made for a varied forkful, and the soft squish of avocado was a welcome calm.
Recommended by manager Sangita, the second salad was the panzanella (£8.95); mixed heritage tomatoes, anchovies, rocket, balsamic, buffalo mozzarella, all topped with rye bread croutons. A bread salad should have alarm bells ringing, but the rye bread soaks up all the juice from the rainbow of tomatoes, anchovies and balsamic vinegar, turning almost meaty in texture. It’s packed full of flavour, and with the old favourite mozzarella and tomato duo, you can’t go wrong.
The salt beef hash (£9.95) is a hangover cure if ever I did see one. Morcilla, salt beef, swiss chard and salsa brava sit on a bed of fried potatoes, with a poached egg resting atop the lot There’s all the necessary food groups in there, and the salsa brava has a soft heat to it, cooled quickly by the gooey egg yolk.
We were far too full to even think about pudding, so we stodged our way around the deli, admiring the meats and cheeses on offer, before taking a gentle stroll back to the office.
12 Victoria Street, NG1 2EX. 0115 948 4461
We have a favour to ask
LeftLion is Nottingham’s meeting point for information about what’s going on in our city, from the established organisations to the grassroots. We want to keep what we do free to all to access, but increasingly we are relying on revenue from our readers to continue. Can you spare a few quid each month to support us?
