* Enormous congratulations to Andrew Hill, head chef at the Red Lion in Britwell Salome, who was named Gastropub Chef of the Year this week, a huge achievement in such a presigious national competition, his award presented by famous TV chef Tom Kerridge.
Other Oxfordshire pubs which deserve a massive pat on the back for coming in the Top 50 were the Kingham Plough, The Nut Tree in Murcott, the Wild Rabbit, Kingham, and the Red Lion, again as an overall experience.
Aren’t we lucky to have them all on our doorstep!
* The Godfather of modern cooking, Marco Pierre White, is to open a new restaurant in Oxford.
Dubbed the original ‘enfant terrible’, the famed celebrity chef and restaurateur will open a Marco’s New York Italian, in the Mercure Oxford Eastgate Townhouse, on Monday, February 12.
With 90 covers, the restaurant replaces the hotel’s previous venue which was called the High Table Brasserie and Bar and will serve Marco’s take on American-Italian food.
Work to convert the existing restaurant and bar areas is already well under way. Once open, visitors will be able to choose from a selection of fresh pastas, steaks, seafood, burgers and handmade pizzas.
* Award-winning city-centre pub Far From the Madding Crowd closed this weekend after the landlord said it was no longer economically viable to run after 13 years.
Landlord Charles Eld said it had been struggling since 2011 and blamed a number of factors including a change in the culture of drinking and the rent.
Far From the Madding Crowd was opened in 2002 by Mr Eld, and after establishing itself as a place for a multitude of locally-sourced ales, was awarded the Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA) Pub of the Year Award in 2009, 2011 and 2012.
* The City Arms, pictured, re-opened this weekend with a massive makeover and a £230,000 investment to make it extra student-friendly.
A wide choice of craft beers, super-fast broadband connections and interactive digital entertainment are just a handful of the new additions at Cowley Road’s popular pub.
A one-stop shop for its customers from early morning breakfast through to late night entertainment, a coffee shop style grab and go counter serving tea, coffee, snacks and pastries to eat in or take-away, plugs and USB ports on tables for easy phone and computer charging, and a free cash machine, should do the trick.
The City Arms is at 288 Cowley Road, Oxford.
* The General Eliott in South Hinksey is running Fish & Fizz Friday (half price bottles of Prosecco or Laurent Perrier).
See thegeneraleliott.co.uk or call 01865 598068.
* Valentine’s Day is slowly approaching, and The Ovisher in Kidlington is pulling out all the stops.
This year the Kidlington curry house is hosting a new concept: ‘The Lovers Weekend’, which costs £16.50 per head and consists of a four-course meal plus a bottle of wine to take home (between a couple). It runs from February 13-15.
Call 01865 372827 or see ovisher.co.uk
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