Just over a week ago, numerous Oxfordshire restauranteurs and chefs were no doubt nursing sore heads, after celebrating wins at the 2015 Oxfordshire Restaurant Awards. Organised by The In Oxford Group, publishers of Living In Oxford magazine, the Awards are now in their fifth year, recognising the finest food in the county.
Every restaurant, pub, café and fast food outlet in Oxfordshire was invited to enter the Awards, with each establishment entering getting a visit by an independent reviewer. Reviews were then submitted to a committee who decided on the nominations, while the Public Vote Award is open to the general public and attracts a huge number of votes from all over the UK and further afield. Next year there will be a new Award for sustainability, sponsored by Good Food Oxford.
A list of best restaurants can be a great talking point, with many differing opinions – hence why we created one of our own. One game I always like to play is to see which winners I firmly do, or firmly do not, agree with. So here are my pennies worth with additional thoughts from Becca!
The Awards
Restaurant of the Year: The White Hart, Fyfield
Jacqui – With a long list of Awards and accolades to their name, The White Hart has yet to receive a Bitten review, but the menu looks pretty decent. Modern British with an emphasis on fresh and seasonal, especially the items harvested from their kitchen garden. There were only a handful of dishes that really jumped out at me – Seared scallops, cured pork belly, black pudding and apple beignet, piccalilli, apple and fennel salad for £10; Roast duck breast, smoked duck and potato gratin, cherries, spinach £20; and Slow-roasted belly of Kelmscott pork, apple, carrots, celeriac puree, crackling, cider jus £18.50
Prices, as you can see, are mid to high, but with their list of accolades ever growing it’s a fairly safe bet execution would be top notch. They also offer a set menu which looks particularly good value at 2 courses for £17 and 3 for £20. One I definitely want to try.
Best Traditional Pub: The White Hart, Minster Lovell
Shortlisted: The Baskerville, Henley-on-Thames, The General Eliott, Oxford
Jacqui – Another one yet to be ‘Bitten’, however The White Hart in Minster Lovell can’t fail being better than our experience of The General Elliott… A much more exciting menu than it’s Fyfield name-buddy (lots of talk of pan juices, confit, truffle, heritage, southern style and a barbaric burger) that ranges from £6 – £6.75 on starters and £9 – £19 on mains, or £8.50 for all mains from a fixed menu at lunchtime. Their set menu looks bang on too, at £16.50 for 2 courses or £20 for 3 courses.
Best Gastronomic Restaurant: Restaurant 56 at Sudbury House Hotel, Faringdon
Shortlisted: Shaun Dickens at The Boathouse, Henley-on-Thames, The Kingham Plough, Kingham
Best Express / Deli / Café: Aston Pottery Country Café, Aston
Shortlisted: Café Aloha, Oxford, Oxfork, Oxford
Jacqui – Good to see Oxfork shortlisted, we’ve only been once for breakfast since the takeover by Turl Street Kitchen, let us know in the comments section if you’ve tried their dinner options yet – I have heard good things. And would love to hear from anyone who’s tried Cafe Aloha…
Best Brasserie / Gastro Pub: The White Hart at Fyfield
Shortlisted: The Quince Tree, Stonor, The Castle at Edgehill, The White Horse, Kings Sutton
Best Asian Restaurant: Yeti Nepalese, Oxford
Shortlisted: Shanghai 30’s, Oxford, The Snooty Mehmaan, Faringdon
Jacqui – We have a lot of great Asian restaurants in Oxford, let alone Oxfordshire; and while my experience of Yeti has been positive, I do think others more deserving. I’d put Qumin’s, My Sichuan and Kadai & Naan up there, but maybe they didn’t apply to take part.
Becca – Somewhat surprised by this one, Yeti is good but the best? I guess this is what happens when restaurants apply to be in awards rather than selected *adopts cynical expression*
Best Service: Malmaison, Oxford
Shortlisted: Restaurant 56 at Sudbury House Hotel, Faringdon, the Kingham Plough, Kingham
Jacqui – Becca and I popped in to Malmaison recently for what was meant to be a quick lunch, and ended up a lavish three course feast – review to come soon, but it far surpassed expectation!
Becca – Food at Malmaison was way better than expected, though I’m not sure I’d award it best service. Maybe I was dribbling too much to notice but I think I would have rated Kingham Plough higher.
Public Vote: The Greyhound, Besselsleigh
Shortlisted: Cafe Aloha, Oxford, Reg’s Café, Banbury
Jacqui – Another near miss for Cafe Aloha, am I missing out by not visiting yet?!
Living In Oxford Magazine Editor’s Choice: The Oxford Kitchen, Oxford
Shortlisted: Pierre Victoire, Oxford, The Red Lion, Oxford
Jacqui – Well this is a contentious one… we’ve found The Oxford Kitchen and The Red Lion to both be inconsistent, but LOVE Pierre Victoire. I’ve only ever spoken to one person who wasn’t a fan of PV, but I’d love to hear more thoughts on that one.
Becca – Eaten at Oxford Kitchen twice now and it’s been good but I wouldn’t rate it as amazing. Pricing can be inconsistent. But I did have an AMAZING dessert there!
City of Oxford College Trainee Award: Amy Bulgin from The Red Lion, Northmoor
Shortlisted: James Kenny and Joshua O’Rourke, both from The Eyston Arms, Wantage
Becca – This is interesting, a family local. Used to go there for roasts then the food kind of dropped off. Sounds like it could be worth a return visit….
Belmond Le Manoir Award for Excellence: The Mole Inn, Toot Balden
Shortlisted: Andrew Hill, the chef at The Red Lion, Britwell Salome, Mike North, the chef at The Nut Tree Inn
Jacqui – Yes, yes, yes. I’m a big fan of The Mole Inn, having ventured there many a time, as well as it’s sister pub The Mole & Chicken in Long Crendon. Excellent food, excellent service, in very attractive settings. Perfect pubby pleasure.
Outstanding Contribution: Donald Sloan, Oxford Gastronomica / Oxford School of Hospitality Management
So what do you think… which Awards do you agree with and which would you bestow elsewhere?
To find out more, or to enter next year visit www.oxfordshirerestaurantawards.co.uk
White Hart at Fyfield is truly worthy of its award, I noted you said the the Menu at another establishment sounded a bit more exciting, pan juices, confit, truffle. You can write whatever you want on a menu as a lot of establishments do, sometimes too much!! I am sure that The White Hart at Minster Lovell does its menu proud, as does The White Hart at Fyfield, even though they dont mention pan juices or truffle, although they do have a wacking great garden where a lot of their ingredients come from, which is mentioned on the menu!! Give it a a try Bitten Oxford, I myself have had numerous meals at The White Hart and have always come away satisfied, gastronomically and financially!!
I’m definitely planning to visit both, the kitchen garden alone sounds like it deserves a visit, it’s produce is all over the menu – will report back! I agree menus can be all fluff, but that one really does get me salivating, fingers crossed it lives up to it.