Following on from the pretty epic menu tasting session at Atomic Pizza a few weeks ago, the team there deliberated, cogitated and digested the feedback comments, before finally releasing their new menus. Before I go into foodie details though, an important announcement about Atomic Pizza. It is no longer called Atomic Pizza. Henceforth it will be known as Atomic Diner - … [Read more...]
Bitten Bites – Eat, Sleep, Gin, Repeat at Pint Shop, Oxford
Gin has made a bit of a comeback in recent years. From being drunk as Dutch Courage by British soldiers in the Thirty Years War, sold in chemists as a treatment for stomach complaints, gout and gallstones, it was known for being cheap and easy to produce although it didn't necessarily taste good! It was a popular drink for the poor and for ladies of the night and as anyone … [Read more...]
Bitten Bites – No.1 Ship Street update
In our last Bitten Bites, we promised you an update on No.1 Ship Street and after popping in recently for a look around and a long chat, here it is. Currently it's little more than an empty shell but it's starting to take shape. The period features have been accentuated with deep warm shades of colour, and copper lighting gives that an intimate feel. The ground floor will be … [Read more...]
Review: The Porterhouse Grill and Rooms, OX2
I'm genuinely in two minds abut writing this review. On the one hand, I want to shout about just how good this place is but on the other, I want to be able to get a table whenever I want without having to book months in advance. But because I am a nice person and because the team at The Porterhouse Grill and Rooms are flipping lovely, I'm going for it. Hearing that The Kite … [Read more...]
Review: Portabello OX3
Following on from the launch of our Indie Oxford Compendium (got yours yet? You can get a copy here or even in Portabello!) we were invited to go and try the new spring/summer menu at Portabello. Located in South Parade, Summertown Portabello is a cool, contemporary and open dining space with the added benefit of an outside terrace on the front and doors that fold back, … [Read more...]
Bitten Bites – New restaurant coming soon
Social media has been ABUZZ this last week as news seeped out of a new restaurant opening in Oxford centre. No.1 Ship Street appears to be somewhat different from the usual places we tend to get here and if you're wondering exactly where it is, other than the obvious No.1 Ship Street, it's where News Cafe used to be. In my very best Trevor Mcdonald voice "We'll bring you … [Read more...]
Tried & Tested: Sophie’s Cookery School
A cold, wet and dark night in Oxford, but a visit to Cowley Road magically transported me to an Italian farmhouse kitchen. I'd been invited by the lovely Hannah to attend one of the cookery classes held as part of Sophie's Cookery School. The theme for that evening was Tuscan Farmhouse and ten of us were tasked with providing a traditional three-course dinner, presided over by … [Read more...]
Breaking News! We’ve awarded our highest score…..
But where is it? Well, a few clues. It's just outside Oxford, is a proper country pub and it made us sigh with happiness and full tummies! The first restaurant to score higher than an eight and almost even a ten.... Click HERE to find out where … [Read more...]
Review: The White Hart, Wytham
Easter Sunday morning found the Bitten team partaking of something a little different from the usual chocolate consumption. Having met the owner of Cotswold Distillery at a launch event last year we'd finally managed to coordinate diaries enough to join one of the distillery tours. Review to come. We'd even planned ahead enough to have lunch out but sadly the venue we were … [Read more...]
Bitten Street Bar is back open for business!
This Saturday sees the launch of the 2017 season of Bitten Street at the Oxford Castle. As always, we will be bringing you our favourite street food traders as well as some exciting new flavours to tantalise your tastebuds. We'll have cracking music from DJ Ollie East (I've already submitted my music requests so listen out for some fairly eclectic selections - much to … [Read more...]
Bitten Bites – New food in Covered Market
Rumour has reached us that Ricardo's, the much loved sandwich and salad bar in the Covered Market has closed. Famous for their hot roasted baguettes with that extra bit of pork crackling nestling at the bottom of the bag and their huge selection of fillings. Now that Olives is also under new ownership, I suspect I may be shopping around for my lunch now. Luckily though, … [Read more...]
Bitten Bites – A Rant About Small Plates
It is well known that I am the ranty one at Bitten HQ. Recently there has been a new trend that mildly irked me to begin with, then started to annoy me and now full on gets my ire raging. As you may have guessed from the title above, it's small plates. Not tapas or sharing dishes, but small plates. I understand that a restaurant may want to showcase their chef's array of … [Read more...]
Bitten Bites – All change at Jacobs Chop House
Jacobs Chop House has been closed for the last few days for a bit of a revamp, including a name change. It's now known as Jacobs Brasserie and the team behind the Jacobs empire had this to say: "Although we loved "Jacobs Chop House" and it had a good following, we feel that 'Jacobs Brasserie' better represents our offering. The rebranding also presented an opportunity for a … [Read more...]
Pint Shop Soft Launch
Some time ago, the work wife messaged me on one of the many platforms we use, all excited and bubbly and happy. "Look at this menu for Pint Shop" she fizzed "It's awesome and they're coming to Oxford!!!!" My interest piqued, I duly clicked the link. And promptly closed it again. "They're from Cambridge" I huffed. "I don't do Cambridge. I'm from … [Read more...]
Bitten Bites: New restaurant coming to Headington
Spotted in the windows of the empty Iron Bed Company Shop on the corner of London Road and New High Street, are posters advertising the new residents. Currently occupying a unit in Gloucester Green, Buongiorno e Buonasera are expanding and will be bringing their authentic Italian dishes to OX3. We'll keep you updated, especially as it's a convenient halfway spot between two … [Read more...]
Preview: Cosmo Oxford
Not really a review and not really a preview because it isn't actually open yet. After a very long time of seeming inactivity, it's been confirmed that Cosmo Oxford will be opening mid May. We decided to try their Reading branch to find out what we could expect. First off, there's a ginormous amount of food! We walked past on our way to the table and there was food … [Read more...]
Bitten Bites: Wasabi Oxford Opening Soon
A quick walk on Cornmarket Street at lunchtime revealed that the old Vodafone shop on the corner of Market Street is now revealing its new occupants. Wasabi, a primarily London based chain providing sushi and bento boxes with a clean crisp style. Wasabi Oxford will be in direct competition with Itsu, Wagamama and the Sushi and Sticks branch that will be opening in the new … [Read more...]
Bitten Bites: Cosmo Oxford Opening
After an inordinately long time, it's finally confirmed that Cosmo Oxford will be opening on Thursday 12th May. Located on Magdalen Street, where an underground sports wear shop used to be, Cosmo is an all you can eat buffet restaurant billed as an authentic world kitchen. We tried their Reading branch recently to find out what we could expect - review coming soon! … [Read more...]
Bitten Bites: Cake
Bitten loves cake. I mean, we really, really love cake. Fruit cake, cream cakes, cupcakes, layer cakes, muffins, brownies, tray bakes, macarons, pastries and scones (but not fruit ones), bring them all to us! And we especially love that more and more places in Oxford are selling cake from independent bakers. Cakes look beautiful. They are aesthetically pleasing and grouped … [Read more...]
George Street Social, Oxford: Review
George Street Social opened it's doors at the beginning of February in the old Java & Co Coffee shop on the corner of George Street (obviously!) and New Inn Hall Street. They'd utilised the power of social media in the weeks prior to opening, and I was quite excited about the prospect of another good coffee bar in the centre of town - Oxford really is becoming a coffee … [Read more...]
Cafe Aloha, Oxford: Review
Botley is an odd part of Oxford. Not odd in a bad way, just odd. It has just as many residents as Cowley, Headington, Summertown etc yet is largely forgotten when it comes to food. There's the occasional takeaway down Botley Road itself, a few food vans on the industrial parks and if you detour towards Hinksey or Binsey, some very good pub restaurants. But nothing like the … [Read more...]
Banana Tree, Oxford: Review
Just a month ago another new restaurant opened somewhat quietly in the centre of Oxford. With no big promo or social media splash heralding the arrival of Banana Tree, it was only spotted by the Bitten team on a casual walk by. With several locations in London and one in Milton Keynes, this seems to be another chain keen to spread its wings. Intrigued to try another … [Read more...]
Meet The Producers: Aston’s Bakehouse
A lunchtime wander through the Covered Market led to me quite literally stumbling across a new bakery (courtesy of a little old lady and her shopping trolley - of course I apologised whilst she perambulated merrily along). Aston's Bakehouse opened last Thursday in Avenue Two, in what used to be the little wood trinket shop. Aston's have been popping up at farmer's markets and … [Read more...]
The Perch Oxford: Review
A recent Bitten meeting seemed to be a good opportunity to visit The Perch Oxford, seeing as none of us had been since it's reopening. My most recent experience had been that it was a somewhat sniffy and pretentious feel for what is essentially a pub in a good location so I was keen to see if it had changed at all. On arrival, we were given a choice of where to sit and as we … [Read more...]
Best Chinese Restaurant in Oxford
Some time ago there was one of our regular heated discussions on just where was the best Chinese in Oxford and it was agreed that the only way to resolve that discussion was to visit as many as possible and compare them all so that is what we have started to do. Sometimes, it might be just Jacqui and I, other times we are accompanied by our honorary Bitten members, including … [Read more...]