Mamma Mia

In hindsight, taking a group of people currently resident in Florence to an Italian restaurant in Oxford probably wasn't my most inspired idea. We Brits may have taken Italian cuisine to our hearts and annexed its deliciousness, treasuring it almost as much as a Sunday roast, but that doesn't necessarily mean that our offerings will compare with Tuscan fare. In this tale, they certainly don't.

The evening didn't start well. That's a lie: it started far too well. One happy hour cocktail in the Duke of Cambridge led to another and soon my protesting stomach was warning me that it was already 7.30pm. Our original desitination, Branca, was packed, so we tried our luck at Walton Street's other Italian, Mamma Mia. The second branch of the popular Summertown pizzeria, this welcoming spot has been open a couple of years. It's smart and inviting, with cheery decor and friendly staff.

If you're in the mood for pasta or pizza, Mamma Mia is the place to be. If you're not feeling the 'Italian foodsuffs beginning with p' vibe, you'd do well to give it a miss. Although the antipasti are traditionally Italian, in the rustic 'what nonna used to make' vein, the rest of the menu is limited to wheaty treats and salad. The antipasti are worth more than a glance: simple, rustic-sounding starters including baked goat's cheese with fresh tomatoes on ciabatta come in at around £4.95. If you want a double dose of wheat (or have a small appetite), you can also opt for a starter-size pasta portion. The rest of the menu is reasonably priced, with a decent selection of pasta and pizza options from the standard (margherita, £6.75 and spaghetti puttanesca, £8.55) to the more interesting (goat's cheese, spinach and red onion pizza, £8.55, or rigatoni with smoked salmon in a cream and dill sauce, £8.95). If you fancy a bit more of grandma's traditional cooking though, you won't find it on Mamma Mia's menu.


The Italian contingent (who were actually Brazilian, English and French, but let's not complicate an already tricky situation) didn't have much appetite after their lunchtime fish and chip feast, so they opted for antipasti or to share plates of pizza. Y's baked goat's cheese on toast went down a treat, while N and D enjoyed their baked mozzarella wrapped in aubergine and parma ham (£5.95), praising its creamy texture and combination of flavours.

Whitebait & baked mozzarella

The whitebait (£4.95) was described as 'decent', but their Mediterranean pizza (topped with smoked chicken, chorizo, red onion and capers, £8.95) didn't receive many compliments. The base was a little underdone, the crust far from crispy (as the Florence-dwellers have come to expect) - this surprised me, as I remembered the pizza at Mamma Mia's South Parade branch being excellent. The Brazilians were similarly underwhelmed with their pizza.

Brasserie Blanc

When someone says Raymond Blanc and Oxford in the same sentence, your first thought is probably Le Manoir Aux Quat'Saisons. But let's face it, most of our budgets don't stretch to the two Michelin starred delights on offer at his swanky countryside restaurant. Fortunately for those of more modest means, Jericho's Brasserie Blanc offers a chance to sample the top French chef's cooking without needing prior consent from your bank manager.

'If the Manoir is a delicate waltz then the Brasseries are a Can Can,' says the man himself of his nine restaurants located across the south of England. I can only hope that nobody reading Mr Blanc's description visits any of his outposts hoping for frilly-skirted girls and raucous Moulin Rouge-style debauchery. They'll probably be mightily disappointed to discover a civilized yet buzzing modern restaurant that's far more classy than brassy. As you might expect, it's not the cheapest place to eat in Oxford, but thanks to its excellently-priced set menu, it's a realistic dining option for everyone.

Arriving at 7.30 on Friday evening, our party of 3 were welcomed and seated quickly. The restaurant was almost full, but the staff were efficient and polite throughout. We were offered both the à la carte and 'dine with wine' set menus: I was impressed that the latter was still on offer at such a busy time. Although the price increases from £11.50 for 2 courses or £13.95 for 3 to £14 for 2 and £16.45 for 3 after 7pm, the prix fixe menu offers an excellent opportunity to try more than one course without busting your budget. The options aren't too shabby either; no limp offerings that push you towards the main menu here. There's a meat, fish and vegetarian option for both the starter and main, plus a choice of three desserts. My mum (not the easiest lady to impress) shunned the à la carte choices in favour of onion soup followed by smoked haddock risotto from the set menu, while my grandma and I branched out in favour of a confit chicken terrine and a cheese soufflé respectively, with beef stroganoff and a special of pan-fried haddock for our main courses.

We were served some warm fresh bread (served with both butter and an olive oil/balsamic vinegar combo) to nibble while we waited for our starters. All were well-presented and well-received, my only criticism was that my cheese soufflé was perhaps on the small side given its £7.60 price tag. The flavour of the smoked Lyburn cheese was spot on though, and the consistency of the souffle was perfectly airy. I was less keen on the accompanying celery, but the tiny chunks of apple and lettuce were a decent complement. The other two generations of Turner/Ramsbottom (yep, you read that right) women were similarly impressed with their starters, and I was pleased to note that the set menu portion was no smaller than the à la carte starters.

Things only improved when the main courses appeared. My grandma's beef stroganoff (£12.20) was suitably close to the best one she ever ate (sometime in the seventies) and has been trying to match ever since, although the generous portion ultimately defeated her. I had no such trouble polishing off my special of pan-fried North Atlantic haddock served atop creamy mash potato (£14.50). It had a gorgeous pesto crust on top of a sliver of delicately crisp skin - I normally shudder at the thought of fish skin, but this was worth savouring rather than shunning. My mum's smoked haddock risotto was served with a poached egg perched atop the creamy rice, and again the portion size was equal to the à la carte options. I'm not normally a fan of smoked fish, but the taste was delicate and pretty close to divine: I'm not ashamed to admit I devoured her leftovers. At the risk of sounding excessively greedy, I ordered a dessert (in the name of research, of course): 4 scoops of sorbet, 2 raspberry and 2 lemon, presented between flaky palmier biscuits. Not just any old sorbet then - the Raymond Blanc touch was still decidedly present.

There may not have been a can can but there was definitely plenty of flair on show at Brasserie Blanc. The food was almost faultless, and the service great. The only drawback is the price - unless you order from the excellent set menu, dining here is a touch more expensive than most other Oxford restaurants, especially when the cost of wine is factored in. However, given the cost and availability of the 'dine with wine' menu (to which a glass of wine can be added from £1.95) and the quality of the cuisine, I can't complain. If you're celebrating something or just looking for a smart spot to dine, you can't go wrong with Brasserie Blanc. Just don't expect any dancing.

Verdict. 9.5

Brasserie Blanc is at 71-72 Walton Street, OX2 6AG. Reservations recommended at weekends. Tel: 01865 510999.




I'll be talking about budget dining in Oxfordshire on Jo Thoenes's afternoon show on BBC Radio Oxford today (10 February) from just after 1pm. I'll be covering more restaurants that offer great value set menus. You can listen live or for up to one week afterwards here. If you have any suggestions, please do contact the show here.

The Gardener's Arms

With a cosy wood-panelled interior complemented by a log fire in winter and a beer garden for those occasional days of British summer, the Gardener's Arms on Plantation Road is a perfect unfussy English pub. Except according to their website, it's 'Oxford's premier vegetarian restaurant'. With a completely meat-free menu, at least part of that label makes sense, but without even wading into the mire of the pub-gastropub-restaurant debate, the idea that the Gardener's is a restaurant is confusing. Yes, it's currently the only place in Oxford to currently serve exclsuively vegetarian fare in the evening, but with a menu of burgers, curries and wraps, its edible offerings place the Gardener's firmly in the pub category.

Established with the aim of providing an environment where carnivores could dine with their vegetarian friends and not miss that meaty presence on their plates, much of the menu seems designed to appease meat eaters while satisfying the palates of those who forgo flesh. As a result, textured vegetable protein (TVP) makes more appearances than I'm used to seeing on vegetarian menus, with chilli and meat-substitute burgers sitting alongside vegetable-based offerings. There are plenty of the latter too: a mushroom pie, an Indian thali platter, Greek salad and a selection of calzones, among other dishes.

I opted for the thali platter (£9.95), which consisted of the curry of the day (a dhansak on this occasion) served with rice, poppadoms, mango chutney and sag aloo with some salad adding another shade of green to the plate. The dhansak was mild and tasty; the sag aloo slightly unusual with what appeared to be thick-cut chips nestling among the spinach. The portion was enough to satisfy even the hungriest of diners, and the selection of small dishes is ideal for variety-seekers (or the indecisive).

Indian thali platter

Less successful was T's Mexian platter (£9.95): chilli served in an intriguing-sounding 'boat' (which turned out to be a not at all nautical dish, sadly) topped with grilled mozzarella and served with flatbread and a tomato and red onion salsa. T was less than impressed: expecting a vegetable-packed chilli sauce, he found himself faced with a dish of over-seasoned TVP with just a few kidney beans and a rather token apperance from some green peppers. The flatbread was a little on the stale side and the salsa rather tasteless.

Mexican platter

The chilli was definitely the dud dish of the bunch: both A's veggie burger quarter-pound veggie burger (£8.50) and N's spinach, tomato, olive and feta flatbread calzone (£8.95) were much more successful. N confessed that on previous occasions, she hadn't even noticed that the burger was vegetarian: meat-eaters afraid of the green stuff should take note. Served in a basket with chips, it was certainly classic pub food: tasty, filling and unfussy.

Veggie burger

The flatbread calzone was another success: a huge portion that defeated N, it was packed with spinach, tomatoes and cheese, yet wasn't too salty despite the often thirst-inducing combination of feta and olives. We all felt it was a bit on the pricey side for something you could easily make at home, though.

Spinach, tomato, feta and olive calzone

As pubs go, the Gardener's is a winner: with a laid-back atmosphere and no indication that they would ever dare stray into over-sanitised gastro territory, it's an ideal spot to settle in for the evening with a drink or two. Despite not eating meat, I'm not entirely convinced I'd go out of my way to dine there, though: if I found myself famished over a drink there, I wouldn't hesitate to order, but I don't think I'd make a special trip to Jericho just to dine at the Gardener's. A meat-free menu in a pub is definitely a welcome sight, as drinking dens aren't exactly famed for their ability to cater well to vegetarians, but the idea that the Gardener's is a restaurant created false expectations in my head. It does good (if pricey) pub grub: if you want a burger and a pint then great, but if fine dining's what you're looking for, look elsewhere.

Verdict: 6.5

The Gardener's Arms is on Plantation Road, Jericho. Tel: 01865 559814. 

Loch Fyne

Loch Fyne may be a chain, but with 42 branches dotted around the country, you won't exactly find one on every high street. Oxford's Loch Fyne is located away from the centre in trendy Jericho, setting it apart from the bulk of the city's chains in location as well as feel. The Loch Fyne menu varies slightly depending on location, and changes several times a year to reflect the seasons.

Keen to experience the pesecetarian joys Oxford has to offer, I followed my visit to Fishers with a trip to Loch Fyne to road-test their 2 courses for £9.95 offer. Sitting down at our table, we almost felt like we actually were on the coast rather than miles inland: the air conditioning was turned up so high my friend's hair was blowing in the breeze. A quick word to the friendly staff quickly calmed her barnet and regulated the temperature, but I couldn't help but wish we'd been placed on one of the tables around the edge of the dining space, rather than in the centre of the restaurant where the tables are a little too close for comfort.

Heating issues dealt with, I selected from the 2 course menu currently available Monday to Thursday evenings. With options such as Wiltshire trout with lemon and coriander butter and pan-fried salmon, the deal covers the classics, with the a la carte menu offering more 'exciting' options including fish curry and pasta dishes as well as straightforward fillets of fish. Both vegetarians and meat lovers are catered for on the offer, though, with both a meat-free and a meaty starter and a main among the choices (5 for each course). I opted for steamed rope-grown mussels with shallots (but minus the bacon) followed by Scottish hake with sauteed new potatoes and samphire in a mustard dressing, while my dining companions went wild and hit the a la carte menu.

Although my mussels looked perfectly generous for a starter-size portion, I couldn't help but feel a bit of mussel envy when I saw the size of AM's pot of cream and white wine-drenched molluscs. A little lacking in flavour (perhaps due to the omission of the bacon), they were decent enough but nothing to rave about, while AM's moules marinieres were decidedly tasty.

Steamed mussels

J's coarse peppered mackerel pate with oatcakes was not only perfectly presented, it was full of flavour and moreish - and I'm not normally a fan of mackerel. The portion size was also generous: no skimpy servings here, then.

Mackerel pate

Main courses followed a similar pattern: as is to be expected, the a la carte beat the offer's offerings on both size and taste. My hake was decent, with a pleasant enough sauce, but it was far from memorable. The seasonal addition of samphire had me thinking back to my meal at Fishers and its superiority: not their aim, I'm sure! AT's fish and chips was far more appealing, both visually and in terms of taste: although it was cooked with the skin on (can anyone explain why this is the norm down south?), the fish was light and flaky and the batter crisp without being too dry or too greasy. AM's scampi and chips received a rave review, with the superior quality of the scampi evident, while J's moules marinieres also went down a treat.

Hake with new potatoes and samphire

Fish and chips

Mussels

Scampi & chips

As we polished off our mains, a couple nearby were cracking into the crustaceans in their 3 tier seafood platter: featuring crab and lobster as well as an array of shellfish, it certainly looked impressive - but so it should for a £55 price tag.

With a comprehensive menu of sustainably-sourced fish dishes (and a selection of meat and vegetarian options), Loch Fyne has something for everyone, from the least adventurous eaters to those happy to get stuck in and prise the heads off prawns. Its 2 course offer may help to keep the bill low, but to make the most of the experience, opt for a la carte dining instead: the portion size and taste make it worthwhile.

Verdict: 6.5 (5 for the 2 course menu)


Loch Fyne is at 55 Walton Street, Oxford OX2 6AE. Tel: 01865 292510. If you sign up to their newsletter, you receive a £10 discount voucher.

The Rickety Press

Pubs just used to be pubs. Places you'd go in for a drink or two, maybe some unfussy British grub if you were hungry. How things have changed. Popping out for a pie and a pint is a complicated business nowadays. Do you favour a classic old man pub, a tarted up pub with fancy decor, or a pub so gastro it may as well be termed a restaurant? On most nights, you'll find me somewhere in the middle of this complex camp: I like a pub to be a place you can just dive into for a drink rather than somewhere you feel you have to dine to be welcome - and if you do wish to tuck in, you shouldn't have to book in. Some tasteful decor and friendly staff never go amiss, either. Fussy? Nah, not me.

The second Oxford offering from the team behind the successfully transformed Rusty Bicycle, the former Radcliffe Arms in Jericho has emerged from its scampi-and-sports ashes as The Rickety Press. With a smart yet relaxed interior featuring plenty of tastefully arranged books, navy and cream walls and a light-filled conservatory with fresh flowers on wooden tables, The Rickety Press falls on the gastro side of things, but is still very much a pub. So far, so up my street. Opened in May, there isn't yet a wine list, but staff happily talked us through the wines on offer, and the choice of real ales and cider was enough to satisfy all of our party. Thirst quenched, it was time for some sustenance.

Making our way into the conservatory, four menus were quickly rustled up. With a seasonal, daily changing menu featuring the best of British produce, The Rickety Press has its finger very much on the gastro pulse. On our visit, there were 5 starters and 6 mains on offer - just enough choice, but no difficult decision-making. In a nod to summer, I opted for gazpacho (£5) followed by the vegetarian main option, a less seasonal-sounding squash, feta, spinach and pine nut pithivier (pastry) with cauliflower puree (£11).

Starters arrived promptly and were dispatched with speedily: G's ham hock and pea salad with tarragon dressing, topped with a perfectly-cooked poached egg (£5) was a hit, with the oozing egg and the light-tasting dressing receiving particular praise. B (who I must point out has rather exacting standards) opted for the confit duck salad with mango and pomegranate (£6), a beautifully-presented summery starter. Receiving an almost record-setting 8.5 out of 10 from B, the smokiness of the duck contrasted excellently with the sweetness of the fruit, and the spring onions and herbs added to the fresh taste combination. My gazpacho (served with fresh bread) was also fresh tasting and light, with a slightly spicy aftertaste, but I have to say that it paled in comparison with the gazpacho I sampled in Seville last month. Made by a friend's mum and served from a plastic bottle, its presentation was decidedly less elegant than the Rickety Press version, but its flavour was spot on. The pub kitchen isn't fortunate enough to benefit from the help of Pedro's mother, but their interpretation was tasty nonetheless, if a bit thicker than the classic Spanish soup.

Ham hock salad

Confit duck salad

Gazpacho

If the ham hock salad was well-received, G's main course of baked lemon sole fillets with new potatoes, brown shrimps and watercress (£13) was the culinary equivalent of Pippa Middleton: a surprise hit. As he pointed out, it's not exactly easy to make a stand-out dish out of fish, but The Rickety Press pulled it off - I should know, I couldn't resist having a nibble after G slipped into sole-induced rapture. Lightly breaded with a slightly crispy topping, the flaky fish was perfectly cooked and almost melted in the mouth, its buttery sauce adding a creamy touch without being at all heavy.

Lemon sole fillets - 10/10

Having passed on a starter, N tucked into the Rickety burger (£11), topped with cheddar and onion relish and served in a homemade seeded bun. It also came with sides of string chips and a dressed rocket and radish salad. N's not exactly an unfussy lady either, but she rated the burger an impressive 9: cooked medium as requested, the meat was excellent quality, well-complemented by the rich taste of the cheese and the homemade relish - just sweet enough but not overpowering. The string chips weren't remotely stringy; they were crisp, golden and a bit too popular with the rest of the table.

Rickety burger & string chips

B's chicken, leek and mushroom pie (£11) tasted 'properly homemade, like something your mum would make' (a generic mum rather than mine specifically, her forte is potatoes), with good quality chunks of chicken 'rather than old scraggly bits' (although she later found a small amount of gristle, she would like me to point out). The sprouting broccoli looked more green than purple, but was tasty nonetheless, and the mash also received high praise - no lumps here.

Chicken, leek and mushroom pie

My pithivier may not have looked like the most exciting dish of the bunch, but the dome of homemade puff pastry was filled with a beautiful combination of summery flavours. The classic pairing of creamy feta and spinach worked perfectly with the appetite-satisfying butternut squash.

Squash, feta & pine nut pithivier

In the name of research, N and I managed to find space for a chocolate fondant served with homemade vanilla ice cream (£5). Our admirable effort was rewarded: it was delicious, a puddle of dark melted chocolate oozing out of the spongy centre. I'm not ashamed to admit I almost fought N for the last bite.

With a laid-back, friendly atmosphere, young and helpful staff and a strong, well-priced menu, The Rickety Press deserves to be a success. The restaurant quality food was some of the best I've had in a while, but there's none of the pretension that sometimes accompanies the gastro tag. This is definitely still a pub. Let's hope it stays that way.

Rating: 9

The Rickety Press is at 67 Cranham Street, Jericho, OX2 6DS. Tel: 01865 424581.

Al Shami

A residential Jericho sidestreet might not be the logical place to situate a Lebanese restaurant, but Al Shami's tucked-away location certainly hasn't done it any harm. Established in 1988, this smart but friendly place is a cut above the city's other Lebanese restaurants looks-wise: there are no gaudy window displays and shisha pipes on show here, just a ligh-filled room of traditional wooden furniture and white table cloths.

The menu begins with an extensive selection of meze (divided into hot and cold sections), with a selection of vegetarian and fish main courses and plenty of meaty numbers under the 'charcoal grill' heading. Although reasonably-priced vegetarian mains such as cracked wheat, lentils and fried onions served with yoghurt (£6.90) sounded interesting, there's nothing like a bit of variety, so we stuck with the meze.

As S had kindly agreed to renounce flesh for the evening, we opted for a dish of houmous and one of mohammara (a violently-coloured blend of crushed nuts red capiscum, olive oil and spices), a fattoush (mixed salad with herbs and toasted Lebanese bread), some fatayer sebanikh (pastries filled with spinach, onions, pine nuts and lemon juice), sanbousek biljibneh (feta-filled pastries) and some falafel. This may sound like more than two relatively small people could stomach, but given the delicious-sounding selection on the menu, it was a fairly restrained order.

Raw

Sipping a glass of Lebanese white wine as we waited, a platter of raw vegetables appeared in front of us. I'd call them crudites, but last time I checked, a whole green pepper and half a lettuce didn't fit into this category. An unusual addition to the table maybe, but an easy way to your five a day as long as you don't mind a bit of at-table chopping action.

Within a matter of minutes, the waiter whirled over with a tray of well-presented little dishes of vegetarian delights. All were a decent size for the price (between £2.50 and £3.50 each) - none of the thimble-sized portions so common in UK 'tapas' restaurants. The houmous was smooth and creamy and the mohammara just spicy enough; perfect smeared on chunks of fresh flatbread. An ideal summer dish, the fattoush was fresh and lemony tasting, with the crispy flakes of toasted bread adding substance. The falafel was a touch on the dry side for my taste, but slathered with houmous it was perfect. Both the pastries were surprisingly light and full of flavour - I thought that the fatayer may feel somewhat lacklustre without any cheese content, but the addition of pine nuts and lemon juice was definitely enough.

For just £28.50 for 2 people including 2 glasses of wine and a 10% service charge, our meal made me understand why Al Shami has been drawing customers to this corner of Jericho for over 20 years: it's a class act, without the hefty price tag.

Rating: 9


Al Shami is at 25 Walton Crescent, Oxford OX1 2JG. Tel: 01865 310066.

The Royal Oak

Back in my student days, The Royal Oak's menu featured a childhood classic: a fish finger sandwich. Now, I personally like my fingers of fish just the right side of burned and served in a barm cake (that's a bap to anyone not from Lancashire) with a healthy dollop of ketchup. Although the Oak's offerings were never quite charred enough for my curious palate, they were certainly a tasty reminder of my infancy and ideal comfort food, so I have to admit that I was hoping to tuck into one of these bad boys on a recent visit.

But the fish finger days are over, folks. Although its menu always boasted more sophisticated offerings than my meal of choice, the Oak's gone a bit gastro since I left full-time education. With a menu that changes regularly (a good thing in my book, as long as it's kept up to date online - which the Oak's is), the Oak dishes up pimped-up pub grub such as beer battered haddock & chips with minted mushy peas and tartare sauce and slow-cooked lamb shank shepherd's pie with carrots and broccoli (both £8.75). The vegetarian options are a little less 'British classic' however, and I feel that this is what may have prompted my wave of fish finger nostalgia.

On a spring evening, a dish of warm halloumi with toasted cous cous and a bean and avocado salad with chilli and lemon (£8.75) sounded just the ticket, if a bit of a mouthful. However, the portion was pretty small given the price tag, especially considering it equalled thoe cost of many of the meat dishes on the menu. I know halloumi isn't the cheapest cheese, but even so - £7 would have been a much fairer price. The halloumi was certainly the star of the salad: good quality, gorgeously rubbery cheese marinated in an unidentifiable but tasty sauce. Sadly, its supporting cast let the magnificent halloumi down: far from being toasted, the cous cous was slightly soggy, and the avocado put in a 'blink and you'll miss it' appearance.

Warm halloumi salad

I was pretty disappointed, especially when I belatedly noticed that for 25p less I could have gone for the two course prix fixe menu, which is available from Monday to Friday and features such delights as salt and pepper squid with lime mayo and pea and mint risotto. If only I'd have found the card lurking under the main menu before ordering.


The Royal Oak fared much better in the British classics test, however. A's free range Gloucester Old Spot sausages were served on a bed of crushed pea mash and red onion gravy, and for £8.00 packed a much better portion punch than my skinny salad (I know, I know: don't have salad in a pub. Lesson learned). He rated it 'better than expected' (probably after my moaning), with the sausages tasty, the peas a pleasant addition to the mash and the gravy delicious.

So there you have it: the slightly gastro Oak is a winner for carnivores, but not such a hot tip for pescetarians and veggies. Bring back the fish finger sandwich, I say.

Verdict: 5. Should have had the fish and chips.

The Royal Oak is at 42-44 Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 6HT. Tel: 01865 310187