An enchanted evening assures Katherine MacAlister that The Perch is firmly back on Oxford's culinary map

News that The Perch had been taken over by Jon Ellse of Mamma Mia and Portabello fame was such good news it raised a cheer around the office.

Having languished for years, Jon aimed to put The Perch back on the map and remind people what a jewel Oxford had in its riverside crown.

Beset by planning regulations, the restaurateur’s vision for The Perch is still ongoing, but after a summer opening and a busy al fresco season, The Perch has really come into its own now that autumn is here.

I can’t think of a more cosy hostelry than Binsey’s thatched inn, with its warm, welcoming glow as you enter through the latched door, regulars thronging the red-walled bar, the wonderful Deirdra on hand to welcome you.

It’s like being led into a farmhouse kitchen and fed by the farmer’s wife, the menu boasting dishes such as shortcrust chicken leek and bacon pie with wholegrain mustard and buttered greens (£12.95) or pot-roasted ox cheeks and autumn veg casserole with carrot and sweded mash (£13.95).

We began with local sparkling wine, a Brightwell Vineyard English chardonnay, whose crisp tones woke us all up. We later tried the same vineyard’s Pinot Noir, which managed to hold its own against its more established friends.

The cod cheeks with pea mash and Kelmscott Farm bacon (£6.45) had already disappeared from the starters menu, such were their popularity, so we opted for the potted duck with piccalilli (£6.75), the devilled mushrooms on toast (£5.95) and the roasted beetroot and apple salad with sour cream (£5.95), all beautifully presented, the chintz plates and enamel dishes, continuing the parlour theme.

“The clever thing is that the older generation will look at the menu and say: ‘oh look, lovely; smoked goose, ox tongue, leek and parsnip cakes, stew and dumplings,’ but for us it’s all a novelty,” my friend noted. A novelty it was indeed, the ingredients taking centre stage, the presentation charming. The potted duck needed a bit more flavour, but the starters admirably whetted our appetites for the next course.

We tried a bit of everything – the fish of the day, whole roasted plaice with a caper and parsley butter (£14.95), a generous piece of fish which came with new potatoes from the PYO down the road. “These taste like they were grown on my grandpa’s allotment,” my friend said appreciatively.

The cauliflower and strong cheddar tart with winter leaves and a homemade onion and walnut chutney (£9.95) was similarly well received and the suet pudding of braised lamb shoulder (£13.95) an enormous treat; the rich, red wine gravy and buttered greens paving the way for winter with its strong deep tones.

Slumbering gently, we expected Vera Lynn to come in and start singing as we ordered dessert – Binsey apple and blackberry crumble, (£5.45) which arrived bubbling with seasonal goodness, the custard served in a tiny milk bottle on the side of the white enamel dish with its familiar navy rim.

The hedgerow fool and homemade butter shortbread (£5.45) silenced me temporarily and the treacle tart with chilled clotted cream (£5.45), fattened us up for the hardest of winters.

I can’t think of a more enchanting evening actually. Short of huddling around the wireless afterwards to hear the news, wandering into The Perch is like going back in time to a better age when food, flavour and homegrown produce couldn’t be beaten, although the kitchen is more than up to the job of ensuring its menu is relevant to today’s palate.

So do visit, it’s well worth the trip and if I was a local I’d be waiting for the snow to fall, locking me in for good.

The Perch, Binsey Lane, Oxford, 
OX2 0NG 
01865 728891 the-perch.co.uk

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