Treadwell Restaurant x Rosemary Shrager

There’s comfort food… and then there’s Rosemary Shrager comfort food. Rich, nostalgic, slightly indulgent – and exactly what you want from a guest chef takeover like this.

Treadwell at The Store continues its guest chef series (following Sabrina Gidda earlier this year), with Rosemary Shrager stepping in to serve up a menu of British classics. A couple of nice touches to start: menus tied neatly with ribbons (love), and each guest heading home with a copy of Rosemary’s murder mystery novel. Dinner and a plot twist.

Drinks were a strong start. The gin, rosemary, and pomelo cocktail, in which the gin was developed with Rosemary, was so refreshing. Light, citrusy, slightly herby… very easy to drink. This, during the summer, would be perfect. The Oxford Garden Party cocktail was just as enjoyable and SO pretty. Fresh, floral, and one of those you could happily sip all evening.

Onto the food, first up – celeriac cappuccino. Creamy, smooth, properly comforting. No notes. Without a doubt, the highlight of the evening.

Then bread and truffle butter – which, as always, is a dangerous game. You tell yourself to pace it… and then immediately don’t. I prob shouldn’t have had the last bit, but it was too good. Unlike me, Nicola has more self-restraint when it comes to bread, no idea how.

The gravadlax salmon was fresh and clean, and was delicious with the bread and dips. The pork and chicken terrine alongside it was nice; it didn’t quite hit the same level as some of the other dishes, but this may be a personal preference rather than anything else.

The smoked haddock gratin fully leaned into cosy. Super creamy, almost chowder vibes, very comforting. The brioche added texture and a tool to mop up the rich, spoonable goodness.

The main was a navarin of lamb, which really delivered. Tender lamb, silky mash, a proper, flavourful jus, plus shallots, mushrooms, and green beans for a bit of balance. The jus really tied it all together. Hearty and pulled together nicely.

Dessert was a chocolate truffle cake, which was slightly too bitter for us, and the ice cream didn’t quite give what it promised and seemed more like a yoghurt. But the poached pear was fresh and juicy, and the brandy snap absolutely carried. Crisp and sweet. Plus, we got a second dessert, a rum cake with a shot of rum on the side. The cake was tasty, but dipping it in the rum isn’t for the faint-hearted.

Service was slick and friendly, pacing was spot on, and the whole evening felt like a treat. Overall, Rosemary Shrager delivered a menu that knows exactly what it is – classic, comforting, and generous.

And honestly, I’ll never be mad at a dinner that ends with both dessert and a book.