Have you ever dined in a converted prison?

Malmaison behind the Oxford Castle allows diners to enjoy award-winning meals in what used to be fully functioning Victorian prison. Closed down in 1996 and reopened as a hotel 20 years ago, Malmaison has kept some of the history whilst giving the place a much-needed modern makeover. Though it is as a guest of the hotel that you get the full feel of the history of the building, members of the public can still get a taste (literally) of this boutique hotel through their brasserie and bar, Chez Mal.

Located in the basement, Chez Mal has an opulent feel with dark tables and rich-coloured furnishings. Low lighting and red candles makes you the sense that you have entered Oxford’s best kept secret. And it seems like other’s agree, in 2013 Malmaison Oxford received a Best Kept Secret Award for having the best hotel interior. Though I usually prefer big windows and natural light, I can imagine Chez Mal is the perfect hide-out when the unpredictable British weather takes a turn. It has a romantic feel that would be perfect for a date night or to celebrate a special occasion.

When you descend the stairs you are met with an impressive bar that serves a variety of cocktails as well as a good selection of wines and beers. At the end of the bar, a member of their friendly staff will meet you. Maddie was our host on the night and she was very attentive and kind with suggestions of popular dishes. Once at your table, you will be able to peruse the extensive menu.

With lots of variety and veggie and vegan options, there should be something for everyone to enjoy.

With starters ranging from soup to salad to fried calamari, you can start your meal with whatever you fancy. I opted for a fresh start with some tuna tartar tacos. The tacos themselves were a bit small but you got four of them and they did not skimp on the tuna, which I really appreciated. Limey, with rich avocado and tender tuna, they were a great start to the meal that didn’t fill me up too much and left plenty of room to enjoy the rest of the meal.

We also tried the vegetable minestrone, which differed from a traditional Italian minestrone but had a lovely umami twist with white miso. Served with crusty bread that you could request with vegan butter, this dish could be made vegan.

Though boasting a higher price point than other restaurants, there are some discounts that can help sweeten the deal.

We dined on a Thursday which happened to be their steak night, offering 50% off their Scottish Heritage Breed beef from award-winning butcher Donald Russel. It was an offer too tempting to refuse, so I ordered a fillet steak that was served with a roasted onion, though originally £39, on a Thursday you can snap it up for £19.50.

I like my steaks rare, and the fillet was cooked perfectly, tender and not chewy topped with flaky salt and charred outsides with a succulent middle. Though delicious as it was, a wee sauce always brightens up a steak for me, so I opted for their gorgonzola butter which would add on an extra £3 to the dish, but was definitely worth it in my opinion. With other sauces including the classic peppercorn, bearnaise and garlic and parsley butter, you can customise your steak to your liking.

As our other main, we tried the harissa grilled aubergine with whipped vegan feta and crispy chickpeas which was delicious.

The aubergine was very soft and full of flavour, with the spiced chickpeas adding that needed texture juxtaposition which worked surprisingly well. The portion size was also great, with the plate being packed full. 

We also decided to try two of their sides, chunky cut chips which you can never go wrong with and some lovely garlicky tenderstem broccoli. Clearly, I felt the need to adhere to the ‘meat and two veg’ rule. These add-ons will steadily increase your bill and they are not necessary to enjoy the steak dinner, but I would have felt like something was missing without them. 

Though at this point in the meal I usually do not have space for dessert, we managed to squeeze one in.

We got a strawberry cheesecake which was served with a sorbet and honeycomb and a pineapple carpaccio served with coconut sorbet. I had never heard of a pineapple carpaccio before but it is exactly what you would expect – wafer thin pineapple served with min, lime and chilli syrup and a refreshing dose of coconut. If you do not have space for an indulgent sticky toffee pudding or chocolate souffle, then this could be the zingy end to the meal you need. Similarly, the cheesecake was fresh and light. Though I like a tangy, cheesier flavour in my cheesecakes, this one was creamy and sweet and paired perfectly with the strawberry sorbet and actually, my favourite component was unexpectedly the fresh strawberry compote, I could have eaten a bowl of it. 

Overall, a very positive and enjoyable experience at the Malmaison hotel’s brasserie and bar, and maybe one you wouldn’t have considered for a Thursday mid-week treat but that you should definitely add to your date-night list.

Malmaison Oxford
Oxford Castle, 3 New Rd, Oxford OX1 1AY

Bitten were invited as guests, all views are our own