During a recent visit to The Lion in Wendlebury, near Bicester in Oxfordshire, we simply couldn’t pass up the opportunity to have a meal there, as we just couldn’t resist. We had heard good things about the restaurant, and had seen a few tempting dishes making their way to tables when passing through the restaurant area, so we were excited to indulge ourselves.
To begin our meal, we both shared the truffle glazed Normandy camembert, which came served with spiced apple chutney and warm French stick. This was a rich and decadent starter, with the earthiness of the truffle being perfectly complemented by the buttery cheese and sweetness of the chutney. We couldn’t help but finish every last mouthful.
For our main courses, I chose the rump of spring lamb served with parmesan polenta, spring pea fricassee, pea puree and rosemary jus. The lamb was cooked to perfection, and wonderfully tender and the accompaniments were the perfect match. My partner chose the 10oz rare breed North Yorkshire ribeye steak, which came served with triple cooked chips, truffle mushrooms, garlic, truffle butter and watercress. Again, the meat was cooked to perfection, and the truffle mushrooms were a particular highlight. As a side dish, we also enjoyed the chilli and hazelnut broccoli.
“As well as the food being perfectly delectable, the service throughout was faultless.”
Throughout our meal, we sipped on a fine bottle of the 2013, Domaine de Beaurenard, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, France. This was a full-bodied red, with jammy flavours and a little spice that went down very nicely indeed.
For dessert, we both had three scoops of their Purbeck Ice Cream, which comes from a farm in Dorset and is made completely from natural ingredients. Picking a flavour was a difficult decision, but we finally decided upon the blood orange sorbet, the vanilla and the strawberry ice creams.
We were most impressed with our meal at The Lion and left our table feeling very full and extremely satisfied. As well as the food being perfectly delectable, the service throughout was faultless, and our charming waiter really made the experience that extra bit more relaxing for us.
We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend The Lion in Wendlebury as a great place for a good meal in the local area, and would urge you to check it out even if you’re not staying in their guest rooms. We certainly look forward to returning in the future.