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!

St Aldates Tavern

A narrow-fronted pub tucked inconspicuously away next to the Post Office, St Aldates Tavern had barely caught my eye during my ten years in Oxford. Passing by, I'd occasionally observe a few patrons chatting outside over a cigarette and a pint, but I was never once tempted to step through its doors. Not even during that phase when it served Thai food (somewhat incongrously, given its British boozer exterior). It just never looked like anything special. These days are gone, however. Now under new management, St Aldates Tavern is no longer an average spot for a city-centre pint: it's been given a makeover and a decent menu. Nowadays, it's an ideal venue for an after-work bite to eat, a catch-up with friends over a glass of wine, or erm... a city-centre pint.

Don't get me wrong, St Aldates Tavern hasn't gone all gastro. There are no high-backed leather chairs, faux-distressed tables and arty wallcoverings here. The interior is tasteful and minimal: it's definitely still a pub, but its wooden tables, neutral colour scheme and tasteful fixtures and fittings hint at a slightly higher end market than its previous incarnation. Walking in on a Friday evening, it was almost standing-room only: luckily, we managed to grab a little table at the back, behind the bar. Winding our way through the pub, C and I noticed tables of hungry customers tucking into sharing boards and platefuls of hearty-looking food. Never having seen the menu (unfortunately their website wasn't yet up and running), I was pleased to notice that the dishes being demolished looked more appetising than standard pub grub.

It certainly promised to be appetising, with the announcement at the head of the menu that all food is homemade from fresh ingredients every day – and on the premises, no less. The all-day menu (food is served from 12–9.30pm) is unpretentious but appealing: classics such as sausage and mash (£7) and beer-battered fish and chips (£7.50) sit along side a few 'St Aldates Specials' (such as crevettes with braised fennel and aioli, £8.50, and rump steak with hand-cut chips, £9.50). There are also a couple of dishes to share; ideal accompaniments for a post-work glass of wine: there's a baked camembert with freshly-baked bread (£8.50) and a charcuterie board featuring smoked duck breast, chicken liver parfait and ham hock terrine (£14). Prices are surprisingly reasonable given the pub's central location: but does the low price mean comparable quality, or petite portion sizes?

Oh hi, camembert

No, as it turned out. C and I devoured our whole baked camembert (I blame the appetite we'd worked up over a glass of red) pretty damn quickly: it was just too tasty. The centre was perfectly melted throughout, and the warm fresh bread ideal for scooping up the cheesy goodness. C pronounced it the best baked camembert she'd ever eaten, and I'd have to agree. Now I know that sticking a cheese in the oven doesn't sound like the most challenging of feats, but getting the right consistency is something of an art form. And it's one that the chef at St Aldates Tavern has clearly mastered. Add to that the touch of honey crowning the camembert, and welcome to cheese bliss.

Witness the fitness

My main course of roast pepper and butterbean stew (£7.50, one of 3 vegetarian options) had a hard act to follow, but it put in a sterling performance. In addition to peppers, the stew also featured a selection of other veg, including courgettes plus plenty of herbs, making it tastier than anticipated. I admit I hesitated before ordering, as I find that vegetable stews can often be disappointingly watery in consistency, but the St Aldates version was robust and tasty.

Vegetable and butterbean stew

C opted for the 8oz beef burger served with hand-cut chips (£8.50), which came topped with red onion and cheese. It was cooked medium (just right, apparently), with a well-seasoned, herby flavour. The bun was toasted, the salad topping worked well: all in all, an excellent burger, apparently. Both our mains were on a par with a gastropub offering, at a more modest price.

Beef burger

If your appetite is more restrained than ours, St Aldates Tavern also serves bar snacks (from £3). Although about half of the customers were dining, it's very much a pub: there are 8 beers on tap, priced from £3.70 a pint. There's also a decent wine list, with small glasses from £2.20 – but be warned, large glasses don't come in so cheap, with the house white £4.85 for 250ml and the most expensive wines over the £8 mark. Bottles are better value, so all the more excuse to settle in for the evening and order some dinner while you're at it.

With a strong menu of well-cooked – and well-priced – food, a wide choice of drinks at an average city centre rate, a comfortable setting and friendly service, St Aldates Tavern is worth a visit. After ten years, it's now well and truly on my radar.

Verdict: 8.5

St Aldates Tavern is at 108 St Aldates, OX1 1BU. Tel: 01865 241185.

Apologies for the silence: fortnightly reviews to be resumed!

Las Iguanas foodie night

Italian? Make mine a pizza. Indian? Yep, I know my order by heart. Chinese? That's a rice versus noodles decision. Latin American? Hmm... what does that mean, then?

While most Brits have now embraced a variety of world cuisines,food from some countries has been slower to reach our shores. Delicacies from Central and South America definitely remain under-represented. London has a smattering of independent restaurants from this corner of the globe (plus the Mexican chain Wahaca) and Brazilian rodizio places are gradually popping up nationwide, but it's probably fair to say that Las Iguanas is the best-known Latin American eatery in the UK. Established in Bristol in 1991, there are now 28 branches across Britain, including one on Park End Street in Oxford. The kitchen draws inspiration from numerous countries across Central and South America, largely Mexico and Brazil, although dishes from other nations (and a few geographically hazy but tasty sounding numbers) also pepper their menu. You certainly won't want for choice at Las Iguanas: all tastes are catered for, including fussy vegetarians like myself who wouldn't touch a rodizio restaurant with an asparaus spear.

One Tuesday night every month in the Oxford branch of Las Iguanas, that Latin American geography I mentioned gets a little more soecific. A three-course set menu from one of the countries that make up the continent is also on offer to diners. In August, Brazil took the culinary spotlight. The welcome caipirinha (the country's signature cocktail, or 'drink of the people' as the menu would have you believe) seemed to speed our decision-making: with three options for each course (one meat, one fish, one veg) there's just enough choice. M and I opted for the salt cod bolinhos (fritters) and the cheese empanadas (pastries) to start, rejecting the least Brazilian-sounding option of spinach and chicken dip served with tortilla chips. Aren't they a product of Central America's behemoth instead? Ah well, it's all a big Latin American love-in at Las Iguanas, so a bit of cross-border food trading can be excused.

Empanadas

Bolinhos

Starters were served promptly by our friendly waiter. The presentation and portion sizes were both above average: M and I already had the feeling we'd be rolling home bolinho-shaped after our meal. Of the two, we preferred the empanadas: although their slightly crisp texture suggested the traditional method of deep frying had been at work, they didn't taste artery-clogging. The cheese inside was pleasantly gooey, and the spicy cranberry salsa was an unexpectedly tasty complement. The salt cod fritters were, as M pointed out, 'a bit salty', but worked well with the accompanying aioli and rocket garnish.

Feijoada

The difficult-to-photograph bobo

Next up was Brazil's traditional feijoada for M and an intriguingly named seafood bobo for me (chicken, steak or butternut squash crepes being eschewed this time). Feijoada is a meaty stew made up of braised beef, chorizo and black beans with a garlic and red wine sauce, served with rice and plantain. It was reportedly tasty: the beans were particularly flavoursome and held their texture rather than turning to mush. The chorizo was good too, the beef perhaps not top quality but fine for a stew. It was good to see plantain featuring in both of our dishes: it's not something we're often served in the UK, and a different taste makes a welcome change from the usual medley of vegetables on our menus. My seafood bobo was elaborately presented in a clay pot, with a candle to keep it warm. A good selection of fish (prawns, mussels and cod) were cooked in a spicy tomato, cassva and coconut milk sauce, and also served with rice and plantain. To bring yet more flavour to this carnival in a bowl, I was also given a spicy salsa and some toasted coconut farofa. The salsa I soon discarded as unecessary, but the coconut added more depth and an interesting texture to the dish. Despite sounding like some kind of bogeyman, the bobo was fresh-tasting and recommendable. Again, portions of both dishes were generous without being over-facing: you definitely feel you're getting value for money with the set menu.

Chocolate pot

Cheesecake

Given the speed with which our desserts appeared, I had a feeling they weren't going to be something a Brazilian grandma had laboured over for the occasion. I find that pudding is often a chain restaurant's downfall, as they're so easy to buy in and refrigerate. Sadly this proved the case here, with both of our desserts tasting ever so slightly of fridge. We regretted rejecting the most Brazilian-sounding dessert, the quindim de yaya (apparently this means 'girlish charm' - why on earth did we turn it down?). If the promise of feminine charm didn't lure us in to order this baked custard flan, the word 'homemade' should have. Instead, we opted for the chocolate pot and the dulce de leche and macadamia cheesecake. The Argentinian caramel that is dulce de leche (ah, there's that inter-country food swapping again) is lip-lickingly divine. It's also my joint favourite ice cream flavour ever. So naturally I went for that. But it didn't taste so much of sweet, gooey caramel as I'd hoped. In fact I detected a hint of garlic (or maybe the taste of the bobo just lingered longer than expected). M's chocolate pot wasn't quite what we expected, but was pleasant nonetheless. A misplaced comma in the menu (layers of dark chocolate, sponge) misled us: there was more sponge in evidence than dark chocolate, and the coffee Kahlua taste was definitely dominant.

For £21.50 for 3 courses and a drink, the themed set menus offer great value if you fancy trying something a bit different. And let's face it, whose Tuesday evenings couldn't do with a bit of Latin American flavour? Upcoming nights include Venezuela (4 Sep), Cuba (2nd Oct) and Mexico (6 Nov). If you don't fancy going the whole enchilada and committing to three courses, give the regular menu a try. There's plenty on there (including enchiladas) to suit everyone, and if you're feeling adventurous there's bound to be something new to try. No matter what night you visit, there's always a bit of atmosphere in Las Iguanas too. As someone who dreads a silent restaurant complete with waiters hovering expectantly, the lively music and flag-filled decor are a welcome touch. There's also a bar at the front of the restaurant with a nightly happy hour if you fancy a mojito or caipirinha. The continent's drinks may be more familiar to us than its food for now, but you could easily be converted.

Verdict: 7

Las Iguanas is at 40 Park End Street, Oxford OX1 1JD. Tel: 01865 263150 or book online.

Gousto recipe delivery service

Unless you're fanatically skilled at meal planning and religiously re-stock your kitchen on a weekly basis, you'll no doubt have come home from work and opened the fridge to find some festering carrots, milk and butter from which to create your evening meal. We all lead increasingly busy lives, so sometimes food shopping falls by the wayside. And even if you do have a variety of ingredients to hand, devising ways to combine them into a tasty dinner can prove a time-consuming challenge. But what if you could choose a selection of tasty-sounding recipes for the week ahead and have the ingredients delivered to your door in just the quantities you need, with preparation instructions? Well now, residents of Oxford, you can: thanks to Gousto.

When I was invited to trial Gousto, I was reassured by the fact that their recipes are divided by difficulty rating - and a number of them looked so simple that not even I could mess them up. I'm definitely not a whiz in the kitchen, but I'm not an awful cook either: I just find I don't have time to prepare elaborate meals during the week. I selected two recipes from Gousto's website, a smoked trout summer salad and spicy tofu with coconut rice and waited for my delivery. Gousto is a subscription service: users choose to receive between 2 and 4 recipes per week, available for 2, 4 or 6 people (you better hope your household has an even number). Each week, you log on and select from a regularly updated collection of recipes, and ingredients are delivered to you on Thursday in a cool bag. Although I was concerned about the waste that would come with so many packaged ingredients, Gousto package items together where possible, and is as environmentally friendly where possible (for example, they use Wool Cool to keep produce fresh). In order to keep things as fuss-free and simple as possible, they provide every ingredient you need apart from salt and olive oil. That way, you'll never again have to come face to face with that mouldering half packet of mint you bought two weeks ago for that tabbouleh recipe.

Recipe 1: Glazed trout fillet with summer salad

Not something I would ever have thought to make, this seasonal recipe lured me in with it's one-star difficulty rating and 30 minute preparation time. The double-sided recipe card is photographic, guiding you through the ingredients you need and giving an overview of the dish, plus information on equipment needed and portion size before moving on to a step-by-step breakdown of how to make the recipe.

Eight steps to dinner

Instruction number one was certainly pitched at my level: 'Fill a medium sized pot with water and bring to boil, ideally using a lid'. Confidence boosted by managing to boil water, I worked my way through the 8 steps, chopping, marinating and mixing my way to an evening meal.

The steps were well broken-down and easy to follow: boiling the potatoes, making the dill, honey and mustard glaze for the trout, marinating the fish and making the rest of the salad (apple, beetroot, radish and cucumber). As a clumsy individual, I'm not much of a precision chopper, and managed to make a bit of a lash-up of the apple, but that aside, I managed pretty well. Apart from cooking the potatoes, no timings were given, but due to the simplicity of the recipe and the step-by-step approach, it didn't seem necessary. Instructions were succinct but thorough without being patronising, which I liked.

So this goes in here, yeah?

I totally know what I'm doing.

A couple of the ingredients were unlabelled, which almost proved disastrous when I reached for the coconut milk for recipe 2 instead of the sour cream, but the photographic depiction and a good old sense of smell sorted that issue out. And as for the end result? Impressive. The salad looked great but tasted even better, with a fresh combination of flavours. The glaze was delicious, and the contrast between the apple and beetroot was just right. Good work, Gousto.

The finished product! We'll make a chef of me yet...

Recipe 2: Black pepper spicy tofu on coconut rice

Spurred on by my success with the salad, I moved up to difficulty rating 2 (of a possible 3). Spicy tofu on coconut rice didn't sound too challenging, but there were more ingredients to deal with: onion, chilli, mange tout, ginger, garlic, rice vinegar and soy sauce.

Look,  I can chop an onion, OK?

I just can't chop mange tout length-wise

I began by chopping the onion, but 'cutting the mange tout in half length-wise' defeated me. Too fiddly by half: I chucked them in whole. I tried to stay on brief for the rest of the recipe, although I admit I had assistance with the rice (but only because my attention was focused on the vegetables, you understand). I found the lack of timings more of an issue with this recipe: some stages had timings, but the cooking of the rice didn't ('turn down the heat to let it simmer and stir regularly').

Frying the vegetables appeared to be timed to perfection, but unfortunately the 2 minutes allowed for 150ml of water to reduce just wasn't enough, and we ended up with rather a lot of excess liquid. The recipe was easy enough to follow and tasted good, but it wasn't as memorable as the trout salad. As for the slight sogginess, I'm not sure whether the quantity of water added needed to be reduced or the time allowed increased, but the recipe seemed to need a little tweaking. I admit I added extra black pepper to the end result, as it wasn't as flavoursome as the previous day's dish.

Overall, I think Gousto offer a great service. If you don't have time to plan your meals and shop accordingly, Gousto takes the stress out of dining at home, and is an easy way to ensure a varied and healthy diet. Recipes are developed by a team of chefs and updated each week, so you shouldn't get bored. Although it's clearly aimed at couples, families and house-shares, if you're cooking for one, you could easily take the second portion to work the next day for lunch. With prices starting from £4 per meal, the price is impressively reasonable given the quality of the ingredients (which is sourced from organic farms in the UK wherever possible). Despite their commitment to the environment, I do think that providing a new cool bag each week seems a little wasteful, as it seems like something that would be easy to reuse. I'm also a bit unsure about Thursday as a delivery day: although the ingredients for most dishes keep a minimum of 4 days, it seems to me that Monday would be a much more convenient day for most subscribers. Also, a maximum of 4 meals a week can be ordered currently: 5 seems to make more sense to me in order to cover the working week, but apparently the service will increase if the demand is there.

If you're looking to shake up your culinary repertoire and make your life a bit easier, give Gousto a try. There's no minimum commitment and you can place your order on hold at any time. For more information, check out their website.

Win tickets to Foodies Festival

From 25–27 August, Foodies Festival returns to South Park for the third year running. A three-day extravaganza of cookery demonstrations, food & wine matching masterclasses, new product showcases and endless opportunities to indulge, it's the ideal bank holiday destination for food lovers.

Visiting last year, I was impressed by the number of different vendors offering produce from around the world, from traditional English cheeses, to spicy Asian sauces, to sweet American treats. The cookery demonstration by the Italian-English couple behind La Cucina Caldesi provided some culinary inspiration and helped me to work up an appetite; thankfully there were plenty of choices when it came to satisfying my hunger. This year promises more top-notch demonstrations: names to grace the Chefs' Theatre include Michelin-starred Gary Jones of Le Manoir Aux Quat'Saisons, Michael North of the Nut Tree and food journalist Xanthe Clay. Oxford's own Maxwell Mason of The Big Bang will also take the stage, as will MasterChef finalist Andrew Kojima. If you want to do more than merely marvel at the pros, you can get involved in the masterclasses, which include bakery sessions with Outsider Tart and perfect pie-making with the Posh Pork Pie Company. This year, all the family have the chance to pick up new skills while having some fun: there's a full programme of kids' events in the Children's Cookery Theatre.

Unfortunately, I'm going to be away over the bank holiday weekend, but if you fancy some Foodies Festival action, you can find out more and purchase tickets here (priced from £10 for one day; three-day tickets cost £18). Foodies Festival have kindly offered me five pairs of tickets to the Oxford event to give away to readers. If you'd like to win some, please email me your name and postal address to girleatsoxford at gmail dot com by midnight on Wednesday 15 August. Names will be drawn at random and tickets will be posted to you. Good luck!

Byron

If a friend had suggested going out for a burger a decade ago, you'd have automatically thought of parting with a few pounds at those golden arches. Nowadays, the simple hamburger isn't just a fast food phenomenon: it's gone a bit gastro. Pubs pride themselves on serving the 'best burger', with high-quality, locally-sourced mince seasoned with just the right mixture of herbs; chains such as Gourmet Burger Kitchen have challenged the dominance of the humble beef patty with creative combinations of both meat and vegetarian ingredients. Sometimes though, simplicity wins.

British chain Byron was established by Tom Byng in London in 2007 with the aim of serving simple hamburgers done well, in the tradition of great American diners. Not that there's anything kitsch about this burger joint, though – the decor is more along the lines of stripped-back industrial chic than 50s retro. Until recently, Byron's branches could only be found in the capital, but in July, their Oxford outpost opened on George Street: just two doors down from recently-renovated GBK. A burger battle was about to commence, surely?

Well no, as it turns out. Stepping through the doors of Byron one weekday evening, the atmosphere couldn't have been more different from that of its near neighbour. Rather than a brightly-lit space full of families polishing off a towering stack of meat plus topping, Byron is as simple and fuss-free as its menu. The varied clientele show that burgers appeal to all ages, while the cool and quirky design differentiate it from other Oxford restaurants: as N said, it's 'very London'. Clearly appealing to a different demographic than GBK, there should be space enough in this town for the both of them.

But the proof of the burger is in the eating. How would Byron's 'proper hamburgers' fare when put to my Belgian burger connoisseur's taste test? The restaurant manager explained the concept behind the menu: it's structured around the Classic burger (£6.75), a 6oz hamburger cooked medium (unless otherwise requested), topped with lettuce, tomato, red onion and mayonnaise and served in a bun. The beef they use comes from small farms in Scotland and is freshly ground every day. The menu features only 5 other items: Cheese (a choice of 5, £7.75), Byron (with dry cure bacon, mature cheddar and Byron sauce, £9.25), Skinny (no bun, with salad, £7.50), Chicken (chicken breast with tomato mayonnaise and spinach, £8.75) and Veggie. Which isn't a burger at all, but a portabello mushroom with roasted red pepper, goat's cheese, spinach and aioli (£7.75). Apparently the idea was to give vegetarians something like a burger so they don't feel 'left out'. As one of their number, I say give us a burger! If you go for a burger you erm, want a burger. But still, I decided to withold judgment until I'd sampled one for myself.

While we waited for our Byron (N's choice on the manager's recommendation) and Veggie to arrive, we munched on some 'proper olives' (£2.75) and tortilla chips with salsa and guacamole (£3.50). Both were excellent: good quality olives, and delicious homemade dips. I normally flinch at the English pricetag on olives, but shared between a few of you, these are worth it. When it comes to drinks, Byron's prices reflect its London origins, with soft drinks weighing in at £2.30+ and milkshakes for £3.95. In-keeping with the 'simple' ethos, the wine list is divided into 'good', 'better', 'great' and 'best' categories. I opted for a large glass of 'good' red (a Spanish Tempranillo, £5.25) – and very good it was, much nicer than the house red at my local – while N chose the 'great' Malbec (£6.95), which she loved but I wasn't sure warranted the price tag.

After a short wait, the burgers and our sides of skin-on chips and courgette fries (£3.25 each) plus a house side salad (£3.50) arrived. Prices may be in an entirely different bracket to Maccy D's, but the portion sizes and presentation take Byron's burgers out of the fast food category entirely. N's burger was definitely sizeable enough to keep her quiet for a good few minutes; once she surfaced from meaty mouthfuls she reported that it was the definition of medium, juicy and delicious. The salad was fresh, the bacon and cheddar were both 'perfect' – as she put it, 'the whole experience was enjoyable'.

The veggie versus...

The Byron

My veggie 'burger' was also generously sized yet less tricky to eat than some I've been faced with: it didn't collapse or crumble everywhere. The mushroom, red pepper and goat's cheese all worked well together, providing plenty of flavour and texture. Everything was fresh and tasty, but ultimately I couldn't help but feel that it was more of a fancy sandwich than a burger. It was definitely less substantial than N's meat version, but with the addition of starters and sides I was more than satisfied. The lightly-battered courgette fries were clearly made to order and it showed: they were delicious and moreish. The skin-on chips were the only dud note of the evening – in their haste to feed us, the chefs hadn't let them cook quite long enough.

Sides

Heaven

Dessert more than made up for this slight fault, though. I didn't think an Oreo and Brownie Sundae sounded like much to get excited about: after all, it was just ice cream mixed with chunks of cookies and brownie with some chocolate sauce thrown in for good measure. I was wrong. It was pure indulgence in a dish; so good I almost wanted to lick the remnants from the glass. Clearly inspired by the Olympics, N declared that the person who invented it deserved a gold medal. I'm inclined to agree. Silver would have to go to the cheesecake: a worthy contender, although outperformed by the sundae on the night.

Providing simple, fresh food at a decent price, Byron is bound to succeed in Oxford. Although once you've added sides and drinks to your main a meal doesn't come too cheap, it's worth it if burgers are your thing. With excellent service, a relaxed atmosphere and a setting that's a little out of the ordinary for Oxford, it's worth a visit. As for me, I'll be back once there's a veggie burger on the menu...

Verdict: 8

Byron is at 33-35 George Street, OX1 2AY. Tel: 01865 792155.

Ashmolean Roof Top

If you want to marvel at some Egyptian mummies, check out some Chinese ceramics or study some still-life paintings, you'd go to the Ashmolean. If you want to enjoy a post-work drink with a difference, accompanied with a tapas-style bite to eat, turns out you'd go to the Ashmolean too.

A prestigious museum isn't the first place that springs to mind when you think fine dining, but in-the-know Oxford residents have been enjoying the Ashmolean's top-floor restaurant since the museum's extensive re-fit finished in 2009. With lavish lunches and afternoon teas on offer during gallery opening hours, the Ashmolean Dining Room transforms on Thursday and Friday nights. Step through the concealed doorway on St Giles and take the lift skywards: an evening on the roof terrace awaits.

The restaurant itself is full of light, with floor-to-ceiling glass windows maximising the view of the historical Randolph Hotel and beyond to Oxford's famous spires. One of these windows is a sliding door, opening onto the terrace. Thanks to our wonderful British weather, this terrace is sadly under-exploited for much of the year, but once summer rolls around (hurry up, would you?), this space is the place to be. There's an extensive area of decking with tables and chairs for informal dining, plus a patch of real grass with deck chairs that's perfect for lounging after a hard day's work.

In addition to a well-chosen wine list, a selection of wines and beers, the Roof Top menu also offers three appropriately-named cocktails: the Randolph, the Oxford Fool Sling and the Rooftop Daiquiri £6 each). N, D, M and I tested the range between us, with the vodka and cointreau Randolph and the rum-based daiquiri winning particular praise. The watermelon flavour of the Randolph makes it the perfect summer drink. Sadly the weather on our visit didn't quite fall into the 'perfect summer' category, but we didn't let a spot of rain stop us from ploughing through the entire food menu.

With dishes designed to be shared, the Roof Top's is ideal for a sociable post-work bite (or what I like to all a pre-dinner dinner). Or, if you order everything on offer as we did, you'll have more than enough for an evening meal. The select menu features a range of 'small plates', priced £4 each or 3 for £11. There are also sharing boards featuring either meat or cheese or a combination of the two for £14.50 a pop. These nibbles are definitely pricier than a bag of crisps down your local pub, but they're also a damn sight tastier – and more filling.

Meat and cheese boards

Dosa Park

It's 7pm, you've got £5 in your pocket and an empty stomach. Looks like a sandwich is the most likely option, unless you want to go down the greasy burger/chips route. Or you could take that fiver to a kebab shop. Not just any kebab shop: Dosa Park. Because as I discovered, not all kebab joints are created equal. In fact, some aren't really kebab shops at all.

You've probably passed by Dosa Park on your way to and from Oxford train station and not spared it a second glance. Unless you found yourself in the aforementioned famished in possession of a fiver situation. Then you might have wandered in and realised they serve far more than just various combinations of meat + chips: they also serve South Indian food. The clue's in the name, really – a dosa is a savoury rice pancake popular in the south of India, as well as in South East Asian countries such as Malaysia and Singapore. In the UK, we're much more familiar with curries from the north of India, Bangladesh or Pakistan, so dosa can be hard to come by. Oxford now has three purveyors of this light, crispy stomach filler: Chutneys, Trichy Dosa and Dosa Park. The latter may look like any other greasy kebab shop, but its cheap cooking gives much pricier Indian restaurants a run for their money.

Gee's

A lounge suit, a scholar's gown or even black tie is a common sight on the streets of Oxford. Even on a Tuesday evening. With the staff and students of the city's ancient university accounting for a significant percentage of Oxford's population, you soon get used to its quirks – smart dress mid-week being one of them. After all, this traditional institution has plenty of balls, formal dinners and graduation ceremonies in its calendar. The latter are particularly proud occasions, when beaming families dressed in their finest flock to the Sheldonian Theatre in support of a be-gowned graduand. Ceremony over, it's time to celebrate. But where in Oxford is worthy of such an occasion?

A Victorian conservatory nestled discreetly among university buildings and chic shopfronts on Banbury Road, that's where. Part of the Mogford group of restaurants, Gee's is many Oxford residents' go-to address when it comes to occasion dining. There are regulars too, of course, but I'd wager that a high proportion of diners only visit erm, occasionally. It's a favourite for families celebrating their offspring's intelligence post-graduation, and a popular option for Sunday lunch when well-heeled parents swing by Oxford for a term-time visit. But what does Gee's have to offer those without an event to toast?

Aziz

Mention curry in Oxford and it's not long before Aziz crops up in conversation. Something of an institution, this Cowley Road restaurant divides opinion: from raves to rubbishing, I've heard it all. Maybe the wildly varying accounts are what kept me away until now. After all, Oxford has no shortage of decent Indian restaurants.

But in preparation for my 25 May radio show on the topic of Indian restaurants, I decided to branch out from my curry houses of choice and try out Aziz. Turning up with two friends at 6.30 on a Tuesday, I was surprised to be asked whether I'd booked. I know it's a popular spot, but given that only a handful of tables were full at that point, it seemed a little unnecessary. More surprises were in store, as we were seated by an ageing waiter in a full suit, complete with dickie bow and the rather modern accessory of a bluetooth headpiece. Not exactly something you see every day. The menu was much more familiar territory: a manageable selection of starters (priced from £4.15–6.75) followed by a range of special meat, poultry, fish and vegetarian dishes, plus the usual curry classics. There's nothing radically different about the menu, but it covers all bases and caters to all palates. Some of the specials sounded interesting, such as kodu gosht (lamb with pumpkin, £9.75) and eitcha bagaun (medium-spiced prawn with aubergine curry, £9.75). Dishes are priced from £7.75 for a vegetarian main to £12.95 for some king prawn dishes: although prices don't climb too high, I would expect to see some cheaper vegetarian options.

Sunday lunch at The Cape of Good Hope

Conveniently located as a compromise venue for meet-ups between residents of OX4 and the rest of the city, The Cape of Good Hope is somewhere I'd choose to quench an alcohol thirst. With a decent wine selection and a range of ales, beers and ciders on tap, it doesn't disappoint. I've also been known to order one of their fish finger sandwiches a few drinks in. But I'd never really thought of going there specifically to eat.

A few weekends ago, a series of unfortunate incidents involving country walks and blisters meant that M, S and I missed the window for Sunday lunch out in the Chilterns. Caught out at that awkward time of 5pm with nothing consumed since breakfast but cake, we returned to the city. Our first port of call, The Black Boy, didn't start serving food again until 6. I was in danger of gnawing at my own arm, so we proceeded to The Cape. And it didn't let us down: Sunday roasts are served all day. Their normal menu changes daily, and features pimped-up pub classics with some locally-sourced ingredients, such as Gloucester Old Spot sausages with crushed pea mash and red wine gravy. On Sundays, they dish up a selection of traditional starters (including potted smoked mackerel and a cured meat platter), roasts and a few mains, among them fish & chips, a West Country beef burger and a fig, goat's cheese, pecan and squash tart.

Nut roast

The Grand Cafe

There's something about the first flush of spring in Oxford that makes me feel incredibly English. I'm not sure whether it was the daffodils down by the river or that first annual glimpse of pasty white legs showcased in shorts, but this particular Sunday had me craving a cream tea. Visiting the UK from her usual home in Spain, my friend K was only too happy to share my oh-so-English craving, so we made our way to the Grand Café on High Street.

Apparently the site of the first coffee house in England (as claimed by Samuel Pepys), these days the Grand Café is all gilt and mirrors. Classic in style it may be, but it's certainly no historical relic: it's quietly buzzing at all hours of the day. Its petite proportions could be overshadowed by its imposing neighbour the Examination Schools, but the colonnaded front and swish interior of the Grand Café hold their own. Open daily for brunch, light lunches, afternoon tea and cocktails, it's certainly a multipurpose venue, but there's something about its slightly overblown interior that just suggests indulgence to me.

Served from 2-5pm, afternoon tea is one of the Grand Café's mainstays, if the scone-laden tabletops around us were anything to go by. The Grand High Tea (£16.50) reads like the perfect reason to ignore government guidelines for calorie consumption: sandwiches of the smoked salmon & cream cheese and egg mayonnaise varieties, scones served with jam and clotted cream, handmade chocolate truffles, a glass of champagne and of course, tea (or coffee for the less traditional). Just a couple of hours after our picnic lunch, neither of us could quite find room for this decadent delight, so we both ordered the more modest-sounding cream tea (£7.50) of scones and err, tea.

Hungry?

The Black Boy

It's taken almost a year, but here's my first review for the OX3 postcode. Shameful or telling? Well, Headington's not local for me and nor is it in the way of much passing trade, unlike the bar and boutique hubs of Jericho and Cowley. Tucked away from the main road, Old Headington is even less accessible. So when a restaurant located there is repeatedly recommended, it seems like you're on to a winner.

The Black Boy certainly has some champion credentials, not least a glowing review from The Observer's Jay Rayner and an appearance on the 50 best gastro pubs in the country list. Frequently billed as a gastro pub, I found the reality more akin to a restaurant: the leather-backed chairs and elaborately patterned wallpaper didn't really scream 'pub dining room' to me. Whatever bracket The Black Boy falls into, it's an inviting spot: welcoming, well-decorated and intimate without being cramped.

M and I visited on a Tuesday evening to spend a Living Social voucher valid for 2 courses and 2 glasses of wine. We chose from a set menu that was less limited than I had feared: 3 starters and 4 mains were on offer, with a meat, fish and vegetarian option for each course. I opted for a Greek salad followed by fish pie, while M chose a smoked haddock and salmon fish cake to start and bangers and mash for her main. The house wine was decent and cheap at just £3 a glass, while the rest of the wine list was varied and well-priced. The main menu is British with international influences, with starters including potted English trout and shrimp served with toasted homemade bread (£6.95) and Clonakilty black pudding with a soft poached egg and pancetta (£7.50). Starters are a little on the pricey side (mostly around the £7 mark), with mains such as roasted cod loin with spring onion and potato rosti, mussels and a cream and saffron sauce more reasonable around £12.95. There are also plenty of specials to choose from: 3 starters and 4 mains on the day we visited. At lunch time, sandwiches are also available, but don't expect a chunk of cheese wedged between hunks of bread: at £6.50 plus, these are deluxe doorstops.

Greek salad

Trichy Dosa

 UPDATE: As of July 2012, Trichy Dosa is now Sherpa Nepalese.

Poppadoms, curry, rice, naan bread: standard Indian fare. Dosa and idly? If you live in the UK, probably not so much. Since the opening of Trichy Dosa in late 2011, these staples of South Indian food can now be found on the Cowley Road, so there's no excuse to limit your repertoire.

I first encountered a dosa in Malaysia. The large, thin savoury pancake didn't say 'Indian food' to me so much as it said 'smear me with nutella and devour me like Lent starts tomorrow'. (Well, to be honest, it didn't say anything - it was a pancake). Devour it I did though, dipped in the sauces it came with. And it was love at first bite: for the rest of my stay, a dosa a day was an essential requirement. Served solo or filled with vegetables, cheese or meat, these pancakes made of rice batter and black lentils are simple yet delicious if done well. Needless to say, I was pretty excited at the prospect of a visit to Trichy Dosa.

The restaurant itself is unremarkable; a plain Jane making no mark on the design scale. The leather-backed chairs are decent, but the lack of tablecloths cheapened their look somewhat. The neutral effect inspired by the bland decor was cancelled out by another type of decoration, though: decorations of the Christmas variety. Yes, at the beginning of February, tinsel still adorned Trichy Dosa's walls. Epiphany rules may not apply here, but for me it suggested a lack of care and lent an oddly unseasonal air.

The waiter's warm greeting appeased me a little, but once we got stuck into the menu we were lost. Rather than ordering a thali plate of mini-portions of different dishes (from £8), our group of 3 wanted to test out a range of dosa and idly (steamed 'savoury cakes', according to Wikipedia). Given the low prices of the dosa (from £3 for a plain pancake to £5 for a chef's special), we weren't sure whether they were meant to be ordered alone or as accompaniments. Most didn't seem to have fillings, so we assumed the latter. In addition to thali and dosa, there were also vegetarian and meat curries, idly, rice and breads on offer, as well as a range of starters. As South Indian food isn't common to the UK, an overview and some ordering guidelines on the menu would probably help: we overheard other groups musing similar thoughts. With some help from our waiter, we opted for 3 different dosas (onion, paneer and lamb), 2 curries (chef's special vegetable and chicken chettinadu) and some idly (jasmine, out of curiosity). Fortunately the wine list proved more familiar territory: a bottle of decent house white set us back just £10.95.

After a reasonable wait, our dishes arrived. For a moment I thought I'd stepped back in time and found myself in my school dining hall circa 2000. Served on huge white plastic trays reminiscent of school dinner trays, the presentation of the dosa isn't going to win any prizes. Although inelegant and cumbersome, the trays are fairly practical, with different compartments for dipping sauces. Eating did provide some logistical problems though - did we eat our curry with the dosa? Did we decant it from the dish onto the tray? When it comes to South Indian food, we were all clearly novices. So we did what any novice should do and got stuck in.

The paneer dosa (£3.50, unfortunately not photographed) most closely resembled the lightly crispy slices of heaven I'd polished off in Kuala Lumpur. Filled with Indian cheese, it was light and tasty. The other two dosa were made from coarser semolina batter, and were much 'flatter' and heavier. Our unanimous preference was for the paneer dosa: the onion and lamb dropped out of their respective dosa too easily, making eating them a bit of a messy experience (although our technique was no doubt partly responsible). N pointed out that it wasn't exactly 'date food'. The chicken curry (£6) was well-received by N and S; its creamy sauce well-spiced. I was less enamoured of my vegetarian option (£6), which was more sauce than vegetable content, although the addition of some paneer did help to win me round. The portions were also a little on the small side. Despite this, we still struggled to finish: the dosa were huge, and the idly (4 for £4.50) were also sizeable. These puffy, glutinous cakes are difficult to describe but I'd recommend trying them: the texture was a delight, even if the jasmine flavour wasn't really discernible.

Like our selection of dishes, my thoughts on Trichy Dosa are mixed. I think our experience would have been enhanced by knowing what to order: if any of your friends know their South Indian food, it might be as well to consult them before visiting. Although for the purposes of a review I wanted to sample a variety of dishes, I can't help but wonder whether a thali plate would have been a safer bet for a first visit. Our food was cheap and filling, but it failed to rekindle my daily desire for dosa. Which, wallet and waistline considered, is probably a good thing. I think it's great that Oxford has a South Indian restaurant though (Dosa Park on Park End Street falls into the fast food category). For this reason, Trichy Dosa's a welcome addition to Oxford's dining scene, and if you've never tried South Indian food, I'd recommend a visit. Just be sure to seek some ordering advice.

Verdict: 6

Trichy Dosa is at 209 Cowley Road, OX4 1XF. Tel: 01865 241493. Take away also available (delivery or collection)

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.

Chiang Mai Kitchen

Hype is a dangerous thing. When it’s PR-generated, we’re all naturally suspicious, but word of mouth is usually so much more reliable. After hearing excellent reports of Chiang Mai Kitchen for several years, I was thrilled to be invited to a work dinner there. It’s probably the priciest of Oxford’s Thai restaurants, so I’d been saving it for a celebration (or February at least), but thankfully there was no need.

Walking in at 8pm with high expectations, I was glad we’d made a reservation: the place was packed. Nothing unusual for a Friday or Saturday evening – but it was Monday. We were shown to the last free table in the restaurant’s cosy upstairs. Set in a historic building, Chiang Mai is charmingly higgledy-piggledy, its oh-so-English wood-beamed dining area given a Thai touch with the addition of gold statuettes. Glamorous it isn’t, though: tablecloths are the paper variety and the menu was well-thumbed and spiral-bound. I wasn’t impressed to note a stain on our tablecloth – yes they were busy, but surely there was time to quickly exchange a sheet of paper?

The menu quickly improved my opinion though. If you’re indecisive, you’ll find dining at Chiang Mai a challenge: there are just so many tasty-sounding dishes to choose from. With a page each, starters and salads are manageable, but when it comes to the main event, there are options galore – chicken, pork, beef, seafood, fish, vegetarian dishes, curries; it’s all covered. There’s something for all palates too – spicy dishes are indicated with chillis; 1 denotes medium spice and 2 is seriously hot. With starters ranging from £5.60–7.90 and mains between £8.30 and £14.50, it was less expensive than I imagined – but of course, the price of noodles or rice (from £2.70) must be factored in. After a good ten minutes ruminating, we placed our orders. 45 minutes later, as the other diners had almost all emptied out of the restaurant, we were still waiting to eat.

After some prompting, our starters appeared. M and I had both opted for the tofu (£5.60), which was deep-fried and served with a spicy peanut sauce. Thank goodness for the sauce – we both agreed the tofu was bland and a little watery in the middle, as though it had been sitting around for a while rather than jumping straight from the fryer to our table. The portion was generous, though, as was C’s Mieng Gai (minced chicken with spinach, £6.60). This dish was particularly well-presented (apologies, we were too ravenous to care about photography at this stage), the spinach leaves forming a pretty floral pattern on the plate. She was surprised to discover it was served cold, though. The peanuts sprinkled on top certainly gave an extra dimension, but were whole rather than chopped, overloading the dish somewhat. The chunks of lime also included were a more successful touch, adding a fresh flavour. Unlike the Mieng Gai, S’s fishcakes were hot: both in terms of temperature and spice. With 4 pieces, this was another sizeable starter, and was complimented on its taste.

Malikas

Although Cowley Road is far from lacking in Indian restaurants, Malikas was the first to tempt me through its doors. Formerly Jaipur, the revamped restaurant opened in August. As far as I can tell, the management team is the same: the name may have changed and the interior and menu been overhauled, but Jaipur fans needn't fear too much change.

On arrival, L and I were struck by both the smart appearance (modern leather chairs, linen tablecloths and tasteful low-lighting) and the polite friendliness of the waiters. On a pre-Christmas Monday night, Malikas was half-full yet calm: not so quiet we felt the need to whisper awkwardly, as sometimes happens on the first night of the working week, but pleasantly relaxed. Put simply, the ambience was spot on.

The menu at Malikas is extensive without being overwhelming, with vegetarians well catered-for. Starters range from £3 to £5, with classics including a lamb sheek kebab and a range of samosas, and more interesting options such as dahi wada (lentil cakes with spicy yoghurt and tamarind sauce). The chef's special section starts at £6.50 and offers meat and fish dishes including murgh nawabi, a whole chicken breast stuffed with medium-spiced mincemeat). The rest of the menu reads much as you'd expect it to: a selection of biryanis, kormas, bhunas and more, plus fish and vegetarian sections and side dishes.

The Oxford Blue

Having a man attempt to attach a carpet to the wall behind your head isn't exactly a typical Sunday lunch experience. But then again, not much about the experience of dining at a new establishment is typical. Based on this little incident at the Oxford Blue, I'm quite happy about that.

The former sports pub just off the Iffley Road has been taken over by the team formerly behind Bottega in Jericho and transformed into a chic but cosy spot for a drink and a bite to eat. With white walls and a few interesting decorative touches, it's inviting but still remains within the 'pub' realm. The wine savvy of the management team is evident on the menu, though: each dish is paired with a wine chosen from their list. With tipples including Spanish whites and Portuguese and Hungarian reds, it's an interesting selection – picking up exactly where Bottega left off. Prices are fair given the quality and wide range, but a touch steep for the area, with house wine £4 a glass (i.e. 50p more than in the lovely Rusty nearby).

The menu sticks to more familiar territory, with chef Mark Bradbury (formerly of Smiths of Smithfield and Branca, among other restaurants) cooking up modern British dishes with a gastro twist: the 'Bannister burger' (£10.95), Korean barbecue lamb with kale and baked smoked haddock with cream, spinach, cheese and a poached egg (both £14) feature among the 6 main courses. Mains are reasonably priced, but the starter selection is on the expensive side, with dishes from £5–7.50. Sides aren't included, adding to the bill by a further £2.75. The menu itself features an interesting reverse side, full of facts 'Oxford blue'-related facts: a nice touch.

Christmas at No1 Folly Bridge

Turkey, roast potatoes, brussels sprouts, parsnips, stuffing, gravy, looseing a notch on your belt. For most Brits, the phrase 'Christmas dinner' conjures up all these images. Christmas is definitely a time when diets are relaxed and indulgence rules. In the build-up to the main festivities, it's likely you'll eat more than one Christmas meal with work colleagues or friends. And with the majority of Oxford restaurants offering festive set menus, you're spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing where to tuck into your turkey. But what if you're looking for something less traditional? If you can only face the full turkey and trimmings once over the festive period but still want to keep things festive, try No1 Folly Bridge.

With a prime riverside location, this new brasserie no doubt comes into its own during the warmer months, when the terrace opens up. However, it's also a lovely spot for dinner at any time of year, with its white walls, light wood furniture and candlelit alcoves. The main menu changes with the seasons, offering well-priced French-influenced meat and fish dishes (such as swordfish steak, £12.75) along with a selection of stone-baked pizzas. The Christmas menu offers even better value, though: 3 courses for just £19.95. With 4 options for each course, we weren't limited on choice, but at such a good price, would the dishes deliver?

A, N and I greedily sampled one of everything on No1 Folly Bridge's Christmas menu, starting with baked goat's cheese salad, a salmon and prawn tartlet, parsnip and celeriac soup and a ham hock and game terrine. I admit I wouldn't usually opt for soup as a starter, but a taste of this creamy, subtle yet rich tasting parsnip and celeriac number had me rethinking my ideas. Notoriously fussy N also loved it, but preferred the terrine: both my carnivorous companions said that it was a real meat lover's dish, densely packed with good quality meat, and offset well by a cranberry relish.

Badly photographed salmon and prawn tartlet

Oxfork

Any Oxford resident who likes their grub will have heard of Oxfork by now. Unless you're a Twitterphobe with selective deafness when it comes to word of mouth, you'll no doubt know that the former pop-up restaurant converted 39 Magdalen Road into a café over summer, firmly cementing this corner of East Oxford as the city's new go-to gastro destination.

Tellingly, the hype behind the venture wasn't generated by those behind Oxfork, but largely by those excited by the prospect of a cosy but chic café serving well-prepared seasonal dishes sourced from local suppliers. Trendy East Oxford types may like to shop and eat local, but if they can do so in a quirkily-decorated, relaxed venue, so much the better.

Visiting on its opening weekend, it was clear that the hype had worked: by the time I turned up on Saturday lunchtime, the demand-supply balance was looking a bit precarious. The cheery staff were rolling with it admirably though; one of the chefs even delivered our order and apologized for the delay. Oxfork's brunches and lunches were clearly in demand.

Although I love the idea of brunch, as a vegetarian who used to pretend to be allergic to eggs as a child, such was my hatred of them, the options available often leave me a little cold. Thankfully for me, although Oxfork's menu is an egg-lover's delight (benedict, royale, scrambled, poached, in a sandwich...), there are a number of other choices for the less enamoured: a vegetarian breakfast, a variety of treats on toast and porridge. And as brunchtime runs into lunchtime (no noon cut off point here), I was also able to pick from the daily lunch menu. From the short selection of dishes chalked on the board, I opted for the potato and thyme soup with wild mushrooms (£4), while S went for eggs florentine (£7.50). Perusing the menu, I was struck by the price of the egg dishes: £7.50 seems pretty steep, especially when you consider that the Oxfork breakfast (sausage, bacon, fried egg, beans, slow-roast tomato, mushrooms and sourdough bread) is the same price. Still, there's no denying the quality of the ingredients: all the eggs used are free-range, sourced from a farm near Witney.