Emma Yufera-Ruiz, has a lot to celebrate this year, having successfully opened her 4th authentic Spanish restaurant in 6 years, this time in the upmarket area of Edgbaston.
To celebrate this success, the largely Spanish team invited selected journalists and bloggers to an exclusive tasting event on 13th April. They revealed that this year’s menus will be heavily Catalan influenced and introduced head chef Ignacio Castells, who is a proud Catalan – born and raised in Barcelona.
The event was a Spanish extravaganza, and raised money for Macmillan Cancer Support. Entry and delicacies from the new 2016 menu were complementary, with the opportunity to donate £5 or more to charity on the door. There was live Spanish music and guests were invited to review some truly creative dishes for 2016.
Since opening last Summer, El Borracho de Oro has enjoyed nothing but rave reviews and has already been listed by iChoose Birmingham as one of the coolest places in Birmingham.
Emma explained:
I think the success lies not just in our authenticity, but also in striking a balance between fine dining and an informal Spanish atmosphere. We are perfect for large groups gathering, due to our location and the size of our restaurant and we have regular live evening music.
Emma and her team took the plunge during June 2015 and built on their loyal customer base, Michelin success and Best Mediterranean Establishment Award – by expanding into Edgbaston, just a mile from Birmingham city centre.
The thriving Edgbaston Village – just metres from Emma’s family home has proven to be a big hit with locals and visitors alike, and it seems it was crying out for an authentic Spanish restaurant.
They joined the likes of The Blue Piano South East Asian restaurant, The Edgbaston boutique hotel and cocktail lounge, The High Field gastro pub, and the renowned Simpsons restaurant – where Emma worked at the start of her career.
Emma Yufera-Ruiz, Restaurant Owner added:
“We feel as though we have always been here. The local business and leisure community has welcomed us with open arms. As well as the discerning diners from further afield who have sought us out because they want to try something truly authentic from an independent team.
This is why we’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone at our celebratory Spanish tasting event! We will be inviting all guests to review the new items from our 2016 menu and provide us with feedback at this unique gathering.
It would be hard to find a more authentic Spanish experience than this. El Borracho de Oro features a huge seven metre long bar where customers are welcomed for pre-dinner drinks, or to stay and relax with informal tapas. At the bar we tempt them with Iberian, acorn fed Hams (Jamon Iberico de Bellota) and a visual feast of other informal tapas.
The restaurant offers hearty Spanish staples and stunning sharer dishes such as Arroz Caldosa de Bogovante (a dish similar to paella made with lobster and other seafood), Lechal Asado (suckling lamb), Chuleton De Buey (bone in rib steak), and Lubina a Sal (whole seabass packed in sea salt). There is a focus on an a la carte menu, with high quality dishes that show the best of Spanish Cuisine.
There are Vegetarian dishes such as ‘Wild Mushroom and Spinach Caneloni and ‘Broken Eggs with Asparagus’ Wines and beers are authentically Spanish and only those that we drink ourselves. We are currently stocking Alhambra and Mahou Beers on tap, plus other beers in bottles and Spanish Cider.”
But what does El Borracho de Oro mean?
Emma continues:
“El Borracho de Oro is the name of a favourite bar in Granada. The name translates as “the Golden Drunk” and refers to the person who drinks all the good wines.
We love what we do – we adore everything about the restaurant world – cooking, serving, helping to make other people’s special occasions feel extra special. We couldn’t have expanded so quickly without the support of our existing customers.
Most of our team is Spanish and if our ingredients are not sourced locally they are selected from free range Spanish producers. Food is highly authentic, fresh and they have no problem at all in working around any dietary requirements or requests.”
Jayne Herritty, Sales and Marketing Director at Calthorpe Estates:
We are delighted that the quality of food and authenticity of El Borracho de Oro has been recognised by the awards and accolades Emma and her team have received.
The authentic Spanish tapas restaurant has been a welcomed edition to Edgbaston Village by both the local working and resident community. It has enhanced the Estate’s dining quarter and helped us bring our vision to life of creating a premium mixed-use village in the heart of Edgbaston with a vibrant daytime atmosphere that continues into the evening and weekends.
For more information on El Borracho de Oro’s progress visit www.elborracho.co.uk, like El Borracho de Oro on Facebook and follow @ElBorrachoDeOro on Twitter. For further information on Edgbaston Village, visit www.edgbastonvillage.co.uk