The restaurant at the Old Parsonage Hotel in Oxford is a beautifully decorated restaurant. It’s decor is a Regal red and purple theme as captured by the hotel’s entrance area. We had a corner table which was comfortable and faced the rooms gallery wall, we could see the impressive array of both traditional pieces of art and some more contemporary offerings on display. The service was fabulous and we were looked after very well. The menu is a celebration of British cuisine, and certainly provides an enjoyable evening of dining.
We started our evening with an aperitif, two glasses of Three Choirs Cuvee, Gloucestershire. A dry and subtle wine with a lovely sparkle and very pleasant on the palate.
To begin I ordered the Scottish Smoked Salmon, with pickled cucumber and a squeeze of fresh lemon. An excellent choice to begin, the salmon was light and full of flavour. My partner ordered the Devon Crab, served with creme fraiche and wonderfully fresh watercress.
“A fabulous celebration of British cuisine.”
For our main course, we both opted for the rather tempting 8oz Hereford fillet steak, served with hand cut chips and a bearnaise sauce. The steak was superb, and just oozed flavour. We added sides of minted new potatoes, along with spinach, mushrooms and garlic, a nice combination of flavours that worked well with our main course.
Moving on to dessert, I ordered the Creme Brulee. I always enjoy a creme brulee and this was a fine example that I was more than satisfied with. My partner opted for their Apple and Pear Crumble with vanilla ice-cream. Another fine dessert, each and every dish we sampled throughout the evening was excellently prepared and all the flavours were well-executed.
We enjoyed a bottle of 2014, Cote du Rhone Villages, Rhone, France. A rich wine packed with juicy fruits like black cherry and plum, a rewarding choice and a great choice for meat dishes.
With excellent service and dishes we can’t fault the restaurant at the Old Parsonage. I have no hesitation recommending this restaurant and we will be returning in the future I’m sure.