The Field Kitchen

First of all, an apology that this is quite possibly the latest review known to man. We're talking almost 4 months after visiting. No attempt at excuses, but I've been a bit busy emigrating to Spain. Which is why this is also likely to be the last review you'll be seeing on here. Thanks so much to everyone who has supported Girl Eats Oxford over the past couple of years, by reading, commenting, tweeting me, listening to the radio shows and inviting me along to try out your cafes, pubs and restaurants.

After the closure of The Ball Green Door, Oxford had a vacancy for a pop-up restaurant. Thankfully the city's would-be underground diners didn't have too long to wait: along came The Field Kitchen to supply that secret supper demand.

For those unfamiliar with the concept, pop-up restaurants have no permanent base, but hold evenings in different venues on an ad hoc basis. Run by chef Rupert and his team of able assistants, The Field Kitchen first 'popped up' on Hogacre Common during summer 2012, but has ventured inside for the winter months. I went along to one of its January nights at the Jericho Community Centre, a surprisingly cosy little venue on Canal Street.

Around 30 diners filled the cute, candle-lit room, made inviting by The Field Kitchen's own touches such as handmade tablecloths and vintage crockery. The atmosphere was somewhere between an intimate restaurant and a meal at a mate's: with smaller tables largely occupied by different groups of friends, it didn't have the same dinner party vibe as at at-home supper club, but it definitely had a sociable feel. Adding to the ambience was a guitarist, tucked away in the corner providing a soundtrack to our evening.

N and I were seated on a shared table with another pair of diners, who we chatted to over a welcome glass of red wine. The menu is available to view in advance of events on The Field Kitchen's website, but it was also chalked up on a board as a reminder. We started with puy lentil, fennel and carrot broth served with homemade sourdough bread.

Lentil broth

Rustic in appearance, it was a comforting dish with a hint of paprika lending welcome winter warmth. Even Goldilocks would have approved of the portion size: just enough for a starter.

Sea bass

After a short interlude, the team whisked in our main course from the van outside. The Field Kitchen is fully mobile: even the cooking facilities are on wheels. The fillet of sea bass was served with a warm salad of roasted squash, balsamic red onions and rocket. My plate was a little squash-lite, but N's had a better ratio. It was light and fresh, made seasonal by the accompaniments. Vegetarians were offered the same dish with halloumi in place of fish.

Treacle tart

The 'winner' of the night (in N's immortal words) was the dessert. 'Mum's treacle tart' came served with a dollop of lemon zest-topped creme fraiche, and was utterly delicious. Incredibly flavoursome, it rounded off the relatively healthy meal with a good helping of indulgence.

All in all, it was a lovely evening with great food and a brilliant ambience. Everything ran smoothly, with only a short wait between courses. More fun than visiting a restaurant yet without the overly intimate feel that makes some people unsure about supper clubs: if you don't fancy sharing a table with 4 or more other diners, the Field Kitchen is definitely one for you.

Price: £35 per head. I was a guest of the Field Kitchen (thank you!).

Verdict: 8
For upcoming dates and locations, visit the Field Kitchen website.

And that's all from me. Hasta luego!

La Galleria

In the oh-so-English town of Woodstock, you'll find a little corner of Sardinia. Tucked in between the Cotswold stone shop-fronts and ivy-covered pubs stands La Galleria: a restaurant with a menu full of traditional Italian cooking; the perfect antidote to all those pizza and pasta chains.

Peeking in through the window on a Saturday evening, it may have looked a little like a living room circa 1990 (modern and minimalist La Galleria is not), but it was a living room packed with guests. Opened by Sardinian Lucio in the 1990s (perhaps explaining the decor), the restaurant is popular with both locals and visitors to Woodstock. Taking our seat at the last available table, we took in our surroundings: intimate and smart yet relaxed. The size of La Galleria helps to create a convivial atmosphere, with conversations starting up between diners at different tables as the evening progressed.

Nibbling on hunks of warm bread and sipping a far-too-drinkable glass of Sardinian Sauvignon Blanc, N and I perused our dining options. The menu begins with a selection of classic appetizers, from £5.95 for a soup to £9.50 for the calamari fritti, served with an intriguing-sounding tomato, garlic and avocado salsa. In true Italian style, the pasta and risotto selections are available both as smaller portions (£8.95) for those who want to continue their meal with some meat or fish, and in main course portions (£2 extra). All tastes are covered by the pastas, with a number of vegetarian options, as well as a nod to the owner's roots with the Sardinian malloredos pasta served with spicy sausage, broccoli, tomato and pecorino. I was pleased to note that risotto is made from scratch, but this unfortunately means that at least 2 diners must order it to make the preparation worthwhile. Next up are a selection of fish and meat options, with the latter particularly well represented: carnivores will have trouble choosing between dishes such as pollo alla salvia (boneless chicken cooked in white wine and wrapped in bacon and sage, £13.50) and spiedini di manzo kashis (baked slices of beef tenderloin skewered with onions, mushroom and peppers in a garlic sauce, £16.95).

Crab linguine

Hackett's

Multipurpose is all well and good, but how often does it actually work? From the face wipe that promises to cleanse, tone and moisturise in one sweep to the restaurant, bar and café catering to all types of customer, I find that many of these multi-taskers are significantly more skilled in one area than others. When it comes to dining, a venue that offers a casual experience during the day and ups the gastro and glamour stakes come sunset sounds like a recipe for success – but can all the required ingredients combine to create something memorable?

Hackett's in Witney describes itself as a 'coffee bar and bistro'. So far, so French: casual cafés across the channel often serve both coffee and more substantial meals under one roof. They might not always set the culinary world alight, but they're reliable. So, is Hackett's following the French recipe for success then? Based on whispers I'd heard about the quality of their food, not exactly: their 'bistro' element seemed to extend into stay rant territory. With increasing expectations of my visit, a colleague informed me that Hackett's was 'also lovely for a cocktail'. Yet another 'purpose', I thought.

I arrived on a Thursday evening unsure what to expect. A café serving good food? A restaurant with a bar? It turns out Hackett's is a bit of both. A light, airy space with high ceilings and a mezzanine level, Hackett's is located in central Witney. Open all day, it serves both food and drink – I was impressed to note both diners and drinkers in evidence on my visit, some of the latter just having a coffee and a chat. So far, so multipurpose. With a combination of relaxed armchairs and restaurant-style tables, patrons select the option they prefer: there didn't seem to be distinct areas for cafe customers and diners, although one cosy corner looked perfect for sipping a latte and leafing through a magazine.

While both casual fare (including sandwiches) and main meals are on offer at lunch, the main menu is all about well-cooked modern British and European dishes. The menu changes monthly and is comprehensive without being over-facing: with 5 starters, 3 sharing 'slates' (fish, charcuterie or cheese, all £8.95) and 8 mains, you should find something to tempt you. Vegetarian options were a little limited though: just 2 starters (a caramelised goat's cheese and beetroot salad and the risotto of the day) and one main (open wild mushroom, ricotta and butternut squash cannelloni) were on offer. Fortunately I was happy with the choices, and opted for the salad (£5.95) and the cannelloni, while my dinner companion M chose seared king scallops with a garden pea 'risotto', black pudding and crackling (£6.95) followed by seared duck breast served with smoked bacon in a wild mushroom madeira sauce (£13).

Burford Garden Company

The beginning of winter may not seem the most logical time to visit a garden centre. But then again, Liz Hurley's garden centre of choice* isn't your average retailer of hardy perennials, connifers and compost. Burford Garden Company is a purveyor of the very finest plants and other paraphernalia to the Cotswold set. There's much more than gardening goods here; works of art, glamorous gifts, homewares, Christmas decorations and delicatessen delicacies are also on offer. Tucked away next to the rows of kitchen gadgets, premium olive oils and perfectly-packaged boxes of biscuits is my reason for visiting Burford: the café.

With its high glass ceiling and industrial steel touches, the Burford Café is reminiscent of a greenhouse. There's no roughing it among gro-bags of tomatoes, though: smoothly-sanded wooden tables dot the space, which is adorned with works by local artists. A live piano player tinkles away in the background. As you would expect, the classy touch extends to their edible offerings: on my visit, the daily-changing hot lunch options included venison and red wine pie (£10) and a red onion tarte tatin with Cotswold brie (£7.50). Also on offer are a choice of meat and vegetarian soups, served with homemade sourdough bread (£5), salads and sandwiches. Children are well catered for with cute little lunch packs – and a separate café all of their own, the brightly-decorated Little Burford Café, full of fun features for kids. Produce is local, seasonal and Fairtrade as far as possible, prepared under the expert supervision of former Daylesford Organic chef Diarmuid Rogan. Sweet treats promise to be tasty, too: the man in charge of your sugar rush trained at Oxford's Maison Blanc.

Salad plate

Mushroom and tarragon soup

M and I chose to share a hearty-looking salad plate (£6 for your choice from 4 vegetarian salads and a leaf salad, served with bread) and a mushroom and tarragon soup. Salads are serve yourself; the perfect excuse to pile our plate high with bulgur wheat with vegetables and herbs; cucumber, poppy seed and chilli; butternut squah, caramelized onion, goat's cheese and green bean, and marinated courgette and chickpea. All four complemented each other well, their robust, autumnal flavours healthy and fresh but still satisfying. The soup was creamy but with just enough 'body' to make it filling, the hint of tarragon lifting the mushroom taste. Burford's homemade sourdough bread was another winner: perfectly chewy yet light.

Harvest festival: Alex James presents cheese and cheesy tunes

A weekend of tasty food and live music in the open air, so close to home I don't have to rough it in a tent? What's not to love? When I heard that Harvest were bringing the festival formula they've successfully employed at Jimmy's Farm in Suffolk for a couple of years to Oxfordshire, I was keen to snap up a ticket. Set on ex-Blur-bassist-turned-cheese-'empresario' Alex James's land in Kingham, Harvest promised a weekend of household names of both the culinary and musical varieties, along with enough good grub to satisfy even the most discerning palates. And camping was strictly optional.

After much debate, Sarah of The Peas Kneas and I decided we preferred Sunday's line-up: not because of the usual festival criterion of who's playing live, but for who was cooking live. Yes, we chose Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Mark Hix and Rachel Allen over The Kooks (and sadly Ottolenghi: what was I thinking?) and parted with £45 for a day ticket. A day out on Mr James's 200-acre farm certainly doesn't come cheap.

On arrival, we were surprised at the festival's size: I'm not dissing the size of AJ's estate (nor the sprawl of his be-chimneyed country pile either, for that matter), but we'd both expected rather more in the way of stalls to peruse. The family area and big top wasn't of much interest to two childless twentysomethings (although the helter skelter did appeal), but we were hoping to sample plenty of local produce. Surprisingly, there was actually far more in the way of take-home treats and culinary tools on offer at the Oxford Foodies festival in August. Our appetites were well-provided for by the likes of London tapas bar Salt Yard, pop-up restaurateurs the Salad Club, a marquee of Mark Hix creations and a 'Chef's Table' tent offering dishes dreamed up by the chefs topping the bill. These culinary maestros graced a smaller stage equipped with a kitchen, while the musical entertainment took place on the main stage.

The food

Gooey not glam

Entering into the spirit of things, the first morsel to pass our lips was a delicious Cotswold rarebit from cheesemakers Paxton & Whitfield: made with local bread, cheese and cider, it was a gooey, (slightly) greasy and flavoursome treat for the modest price of £2.50. At £3 for some Alex James Presents cheese 'blankets' on white Warburtons toast, it was an easy choice to make. Although Alex's three artisan cheeses received some acclaim (and Farleigh Wallop won best goats cheese in 2008), the muso seems to be aiming at the convenience end of the market these days, with a new range on Asda shelves now.

 Although the rarebit put up a good fight, the real foodie highlight was our cookery class with Daylesford Farm. With a choice of 4 dishes to recreate under the expert tuition of Raymond Blanc-trained head chef Vladimir, we opted for pistou soup: a light, summery broth filled with seasonal vegetables grown at Daylesford, garnished with a garlicky French pistou (like the Italian pesto but minus the parmesan and pine nuts). We joined ten other would-be chefs for the hour-long workshop in a portakabin kitted out with 6 state-of-the-art work-stations, and before long my arm was aching from pulverising the fragrant basil with the heaviest pestle known to man. 'The first tool ever invented', enthused Vladimir. I was feeling distinctly less enthusiastic, but the knife skills we learned won me over. As the chunk currently missing from my left thumb will testify, I'm not the most skilled of choppers, but I can now slice an onion, julienne a carrot and chiffonade some basil with the best of them. I may finish ten minutes behind them, but all my digits are intact.

An uncharacteristically domestic moment

Vegetables all chopped, we set about frying them on a high heat and then made the broth. Our bubbling pans yielded takeaway bowls of September delight: carrots, onion, romanesco and, to my woe, fennel and celery, some tiny cherry tomatoes thrown into the mix at the last minute. The pistou added punch, and the accompanying cheddar on sourdough toast added a naughty but nice element to such a healthy dish. We took the fruits of our labours out into the sunshine to enjoy, feeling justifiably proud of our tasty creations.

With Daylesford chef Vladimir

Pistou soup: the finished article

Although satsfied by our soups (and yet more cheese on toast), during the course of the day we managed to much our way through a Dutch triple chocolate pancake (S), summer vegetable tacos from Wahaca (me) and cake from local bookshop Jaffe and Neale, all washed down with cup after cup of tea given the cold wind whipping over Mr James's land.

Vegetable tacos

 Although our hunger was appeased and we enjoyed some good food, I would have liked to see more local and independent stallholders, rather than a dominance of London-based restaurants. Oh, and some more budget-friendly options wouldn't go amiss either, given the ticket price. Take note for next year, Harvest.

The chefs

Cooking up a storm on stage and whipping the crowd into a similar frenzy requires some skill. Talking an audience through the food preparation process doesn't sound riveting in theory, but the popularity of TV chefs testifies to the fact that they manage to make it watchable. Seeing chefs live on stage at Harvest made me realise that personality is key to engaging with a festival crowd: most of them can't see what's being prepared close enough to find it enthralling, even on the big screen projection, and unless you're one of the lucky folks with a prime stage-side position, you won't be tasting any of it either.

TV chef Valentine Warner's menu of venison and something or other featuring whelks and razor clams was so inaccessible as to be dull; we wandered off half-way through. Mark Hix and Alex James suffered a similar fate: they appeared to be having microphone trouble, as they were barely audible. Surprise of the day was Rachel Allen: although I own one of her books, I've never seen any of her shows, so pitched up with minimal expectations. Relaxed and chatty (no doubt helped by the booze she confessed to have consumed during the day), Rachel was warm and engaging as she cooked her way through a soda foccacia with olives and red onions (so tempting that S is attempting to recreate it tonight), mackerel with panzanella and a strawberry and white chocolate tiramisu. Down to earth and skilled at describing the cooking process with a touch of humour, Rachel was a joy to watch - and the only chef whose slot we sat the whole way through.

On-stage cheffing

To my surprise, 'headline act' Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall came across as slightly arrogant and on a mission to plug his new vegetarian cookery book. In what seemed like an elaborate marketing ploy, he's been cutting out meat and aiming to discover the joys of a vegetable-based diet for the past few months. Plenty of people do this, but most don't take Hugh's sanctimonious approach and hector others; nor do they act so smugly self-satisfied about it. Before we exited to watch The Feeling, he prepared a hearty bean soup and a blood orange and cabbage salad with a tahini dressing.

And as for the big cheese himself, when we came face to face Alex James turned out not to be a man of many words. He happily posed for a photo with S: fortunately she refrained from telling him that his cheese blankets didn't taste any different from other supermarket offerings. And most supermarkets don't make salad cream flavour cheese, either. Rock and roll, AJ.

Alex James presents... his new friend Sarah

The music

Sunday was a bit lacking in big names, and most of the local bands we could hear sounded a bit screechy for our liking. We chose to sit down in the sun with a cider just as Will and the People sat down, and we were very glad we did: playing perfect feel-good festival music, we were soon grooving to their ska-influenced Lion in the Morning Sun and singing along to Salamander. Their groupies certainly shifted a fair few CDs that afternoon. The Futureheads seemingly cancelled, as Sara Cox was pulled out of nowhere to DJ, followed by Jo Whiley. The Feeling got everyone up and dancing, but we were too cold and tired out by all that country air to stick around for headline act KT Tunstall.

The Feeling

 All in all, Harvest was a fun day out, but didn't have enough on offer to justify the price tag - particularly where music was concerned. Perhaps we picked the wrong day, but even so, I think there's room for improvement for next year. Add in a few more big name acts and keep a constant presence on the main stage, find some more chefs with Rachel Allen's warmth, mix in a few more local producers selling their wares and drop the ticket price, and I may consider returning to my mate AJ's abode.

Girl eats Oxford hits the airwaves

It turns out I have a face for radio. Well, a voice at least. From 29th July until the end of the year, I'll be appearing on Jo Thoenes' afternoon show on BBC Radio Oxford one Friday lunchtime each month to discuss dining out in Oxfordshire. On each show, we'll be focusing on a particular theme, and aiming to explore options suitable for all budgets, as well as ways to recreate some of the dishes at home.

We're hoping to involve plenty of local restaurants - and local residents. If you'd like to suggest a theme or a place for me to eat, please get in touch with BBC Radio Oxford by phone on 08459 311444 or by text on 81333 (start your message with 'Oxford'). You can also contact me via the blog, or on Twitter @girleatsoxford. We'll be looking for people living in Oxfordshire who'd like to talk on air about their favourite restaurants related to each theme, so I'll keep you informed of upcoming topics and please get in touch if you'd like to comment. Your recommendations and participation are more important than ever to make this as interactive as possible, so please do keep your much-appreciated suggestions coming.

The theme for 29 July will be fish, so if you have any thoughts, comments or favourite fish restaurants and fish and chip shops, please drop me a line. And be sure to tune in to 95.2 FM from 1pm on 29 July. You can listen online here.

Wine tasting at Chiltern Valley Winery

The idea of drinking English wine has never really appealed to me. There's got to be a reason the English countryside isn't covered in vines, I thought. And if we're not really a grape-producing country, the wine's going to taste pretty ropey, surely? After all, if English wine was good and marketable, surely there would be more of it around? After just five minutes at Chiltern Valley Winery & Brewery near Hambleden, my dodgy reasoning was proven unfounded and I was ready to taste some English vino.

According to our knowledgeable but unpretentious former sommelier tour guide, grapes don't need a hot climate to grow in. When the owner of Chiltern Valley Winery, David Ealand, purchased Old Luxters Farm in the early 1980s, a survey of the land revealed that the soil was ideal for growing grapes or rhubarb. Crumble may be delicious, but it's not as profitable as the hard stuff, so David made the sensible choice and went into wine production. Three decades later, Chiltern Valley produce 120,000 bottles a year, have won over 600 awards around the world and even have a Royal Warrant - apparently Prince Philip enjoys a glass of their Old Windsor Ale with a pie. In addition to making white, red, sparkling, blush and rose wines, they also produce bottle-conditioned real ales and a range of liqueurs.

Tours of Chiltern Valley begin with a potted history of the company, which is still a family run operation, before moving on to a visit to the micro-brewery, wine press and bottling and labelling room. The entire production process happens on site, and 90% of the company's sales are made through the shop at Old Luxters - the only other stockists are Windsor Farm Shop and Fortnum & Mason.

Suitably informed about the beer- and wine-making processes, we headed into the shop for the real reason for everyone's visit: the tasting. Our guide had definitely whipped up plenty of enthusiasm for Chiltern Valley's wines, but would they live up to our now rather high expectations? We started with a dry white wine (£8.95): and dry it was. It was crisp and delicious. I have no idea about its floral bouquet or any of that malarkey (and nor were we fed any such information, although several of our fellow tourists were doing a lot of swirling and sniffing), I just know it tasted better than anything I've had in any of Oxford's pubs recently and that I bought a bottle at the end of the tour. The blush and rose were less impressive; one a little bitter and the other too sweet, but the medium dry white was another hit and the special cuvee very drinkable. The sparkling wine (£19.95) was the star: produced in the same method as champagne, it could certainly have taken on its French counterpart. The dessert wine, Autumn Glory, was similarly delicious. I passed on the two ales, but my tasting partner J informed me that they were excellent, so I'll take her word for it. Damson vodka (£17.50) was a surprise hit, as was the wild strawberry liqueur (£18.50). As soon as our guide mentioned pouring it over vanilla ice cream, J & I had to resist a strong urge to whip out our credit cards there and then. We finished strong: an Irish cream liqueur that made Baileys taste synthetic and pathetic. Chiltern Valley's Irish cream is almost indecently creamy, with a caramel taste that comes from the specially blended whiskey they use.

If you're looking for a day out with a difference and can find a designated driver willing to limit themselves to dainty sips (thanks J!), Chiltern Valley Winery is well worth a visit. Tours are interesting and informative, and the quality of the wines we sampled made me wish that English wines were far more widely available. I might just have to start drinking local.

Tours are £12.50 per person and must be booked in advance. The shop is open daily.