Top notch pub food
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| Roasted venison, smoked potato puree, chard, port |
As part of my Cotswolds trip, the Nut Tree Inn near Oxford was high on my hit list. Great pub food is hard to come by in London so I always try to find a quality local pub whenever I have the chance and it seems Nut Tree Inn ticks all the boxes. The menu looks interesting with some creative flair while still maintaining the principles of traditional British cuisine. Nut Tree Inn also has a Michelin star to its name for 9 years now, a remarkable achievement, especially for a pub. As well as the standard 3 course a la carte, it also has a tasting menu which is a 8 course marathon, ideal for people like me who usually go for tasting menu whenever I visit a Michelin restaurant.
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| Celeriac and apple soup |
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| Garden beetroot, goat cheese, olive crumb |
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| Smoked Loch Duart salmon whipped horseradish cream, pickled cucumber, Avruga caviar |
The parfait of chicken livers might look simple in presentation but it delivered some very impacting tastes, it was rich and creamy without being too thick or bold. The halibut was meaty but smooth in texture, very well seasoned and I especially enjoyed the cucumber salad which enhanced the freshness of the fish. The roast venison was a thing of beauty, very tender with some lovely, earthy and robust flavours that worked so well together with the silky smooth smoked potato puree. The raspberry souffle was truly outstanding, the texture was perfect as was the balance of the sweetness and sourness. It was the best souffle I have ever encountered and I was very pleased that my dining partner doesn't eat souffle which meant an extra one for myself!
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| Chicken Liver, apple chutney, brioche |
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| Olive oil poached halibut, risotto, fennels |
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| Chocolate egg salted caramel, praline, chocolate mousse |
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| Raspberry soufflé |
Overall, my dinner at the Nut Tree Inn totally reached my expectation, the cooking was simply fabulous with a touch of refinement so it totally justified the price tag. There are many restaurants in London that would cost similar but without anywhere close in terms of the cooking quality. I was also a big fan of the service that was provided. We were warmly welcomed as soon as we walked in and our waiter never missed a beat for the whole duration of the meal, whilst remained very charming at the same time. For anyone who is planning to visit Oxford, I would highly recommend to go an extra mile to visit this wonderful pub in Murcott.
Food 4/5
What I paid:
£55 per head with a beer
Average cost without drinks and services:
Tasting menu: £60
Main St, Murcott OX5 2RE, United Kingdom
http://nuttreeinn.co.uk/
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