Pellizco is a Mexican tapas bar in Dyson Place, Sharrow. It’s a graduate of the Cutlery Works food hall, where they had a concession, having built up a reputation as a street food vendor. It seems Pellizco has gone from strength to strength over the last few years, and having been conceived during lockdown, they have put themselves in a good position to weather the challenges being thrown at the food industry over the last few years. It was great to see that the place was buzzing when we arrived.
It was a Friday night after a loooong week, so cocktails and snacks were ordered immediately. We had a bowl of giant corn kernels and some Totopos which are home made tortilla chips with a choice of two salsas (I think we chose salsa roja and spring onion crema). These started the meal of with a good, salty crunch to complement our cocktails. Mine was a watermelon and rosemary margarita, one of several margaritas in their extensive menu, which also includes a well-thought-out selection of mocktails.
You might think looking at the pictures of the mains below that there were quite a few people present, but there were only two of us! They are small plates, but generous none the less, and many of them came with more crunchy tortillas (so in hindsight, we didn’t need the starter ones). The vast majority of the menu is gluten free, clearly marked on the menu, so it was a pleasure to have so much to choose from, and the staff seemed clued-up about cross contamination.
From left to right, on the top we have Queso fundido (baked cheese with chorizo), tilapia ceviche and tenderstem broccoli with confit tomatoes. On the bottom, it’s soy and sesame cauliflower taco with pickled carrots, Oaxacan style stewed pinto beans with crumbled feta, and a fish (tilapia) taco with chipotle mayonnaise.
These were all absolutely crammed with flavour and texture: sweet confit tomatoes, tart, limey ceviche, unctuous melted cheese, crunchy tacos and tangy pickled carrots. What a fabulous combination of food. My overall favourite was the ceviche, in a sour and spicy watermelon and hibiscus marinade, but the tacos were also fantastic and the whole assortment was delightful.
We clearly didn’t need a dessert, but I was already committed to ordering a portion of gluten free churros, which I’ve never come across anywhere else, so room had to be made. I steeled myself and prepared for it by enjoying a cocktail off the specials menu, which was, wait for it, a piña colada-rita. What a combination – it was marvellous, bringing together the sweetness of piña colada with the tang of a margarita in a flamboyant, coconut-encrusted glass.
The churros were a feast for the eyes – you really wouldn’t know you were looking at a gluten free version (you could say the same for the rest of the meal, as well). They came fresh from the fryer and had a hot, crunchy exterior, with a melty middle, and were very tasty.
We will be bringing more people back here – definitely a new favourite.
Pellizco
8 Dyson Place, Sheffield S11 8XX
