UNTIL Banksy’s rat, the chief point of interest on Berry Street was the man up the ladder.
Perpetually in the act of affixing a sign, the bloke up the steps formed an attachment to the wall, which endured several decades, until he fell off.
At the height of his minor celebrity he received the ultimate recognition: a mention in a blog, that of one Klaus Joynson. Under the heading of Liverpool’s “General Oddness”, Joynson expresses the hope that he “will one day finish that sign”.
The ladder man, advertising Miller Signs, was artifice, of course, but we all know real men, who are not real men, who spend their lives on the ladder, selling their souls, becoming arseholes; fat, friendless middle managers who can’t man-manage. Until they fall off.
Nowadays, Berry Street’s main subject for discussion is the place next door to the old sign shop, Roja Pinchos. Pinchos are much like tapas but without the UK mass market status, many served on bread, all attached to a pincho (Spanish for a sort of “thorn” or “spike”) which holds it all together.
Roja Pinchos is the first to bring the Spanish snack to Liverpool and, judging by the comings and goings early one Saturday evening, they are doing very nicely out of it.
The surroundings, like the service, are straightforward and informal, cheery and bright. Brighter still was the August sun, starting its descent into dusk, beaming great shards of light through the rear Georgian window and onto the walls, at acute angles, the scene constantly shifting with the solar journey.
A wide choice of pinchos (pinxtos if you are in Basque territory) are available at the bar, from a specials board at the front of house or from the menu, all priced either £1.50 or £3. The low price point means you can eat cheap; it also means you can rack up a hundred quid bill for you and the kids before you know it.
Mostly, this is good stuff: the gentle kick of a goats cheese lollipop with sesame seeds (above); beautiful lamb, juicy and rare, with creme fraiche; steak, cooked blue, with a delicate salsa of anchovy and caper; wild mushrooms and quail egg; perfectly cooked sea bass on hot tomato jam.
The very few duds included a smoked salmon and seafood cocktail which lacked quality and method; marinated pork loin, thin and insubstantial, and the bread (especially as you get a lot of it) which, on this occasion, was not the best.
But then along comes gorgeous melting chorizo, which knocks spots off anyone else's in town; soft, sweet dates wrapped in Serrano ham; fat king prawns, sweet roasted peppers, a good tortilla; herbed chicken skewer with a sauce of turmeric, garlic, honey, mayonnaise and herbs. Should you not like the sound of any of this, the menu constantly changes.
Churros, in chocolate sauce, and a thick cocoa mousse finished our feast and finished us.
The sticks have another use; at the end they are counted up (long sticks equal £3, short sticks £1.50) to reckon the bill.
The sign shop guy has not been seen since a strong gust of wind brought an abrupt end to his career. Nor has his ladder.
Mrs Grill speculated that, perhaps, in a crazy, wonderful bout of recycling, it had been smashed to a million little sticks for use by Roja Pinchos. But then Mrs Grill is known to have fanciful thoughts towards the end of the evening.
Smithdown Road-based Neon Jamon, which we reviewed positively in the spring, is about to open a second branch on Berry Street. At this rate, we’ll soon have our own version of La Ramblas, the Barcelona boulevard where you meander from tapas bar to pinchos bar, a little here, a little there, until you’ve had your fill.
Roja Pinchos, however, has no need to worry about competition from the sticks.
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NB: All scored Confidential reviews are paid for by the company, never the restaurant or a PR outfit. Critics dine unannounced.
Roja Pinchos, 50 Berry Street, Liverpool, L1 4JQ. Tel. 0151 378 9563. Website
RATING: 16/20
Food: 7.5/10
Ambience: 4.5/5
Service: 4/5
Venues are rated against the best examples of their kind: takeaways against the best takeaways, fine dining against the best fine dining, etc.
1-5: Straight into the dog bowl
6-9: There are fish fingers in the freezer
10-11: In an emergency
12-13: If you happen to be passing
14-15: Worth a trip out
16-17: Very good to exceptional
18-20: As good as it gets
