Mixed Feelings

MR GREEDY asked: “Have you written your review yet?” over lunch the next day. “No, why?” I replied, knowing full well what was to follow and that my foody bubble was about to burst. “Well put it this way, I won’t be going back,” he said.

“What did everyone else think of The Jolly Boatman,” I asked the rest of the crew hopefully, knowing they’d enjoyed it. “We loved the seats by the river and watching the boats go by, and drinking lemonade,” they said. My youngest then piped up, “and I liked the attic,” which turned out to be the paraphernalia displayed in the roof of the dining room that fascinated them all, from rowing boats to hay balers.

“You see, they liked it,” I said pointedly.

“Ask them about the food then,” he said.

“You loved the cheesy garlic bread and the BBQ ribs and chicken didn’t you?”

Yes, they nodded dutifully. And then my six year-old daughter said: “But the lasagne wasn’t as nice as yours mum. It was really dry and didn’t have any tomatoey sauce.”

“But at least it had a children’s menu that didn’t even mention chicken nuggets. And I loved my creamy garlic mushroom starter (5.95),” I persisted.

“But you didn’t touch your pancakes,” Mr Greedy said. “And my burger was too herby. As for the cheesecake, I can still smell the cream cheese. That was inexcusable.”

“But you’re not reviewing it, I am,” I pointed out. So before he tarnishes your image of The Jolly Boatman on the main road near Thrupp any further, let me tell you there was lots to love about it, not least the fact that it surprised me. Because having driven past a million times, I’d always been put off by the car park and roadside location.

Had I known that when you venture in, the new patio area comes complete with wicker sofas and chairs and beautiful views of the river, I would have entrenched myself with a cold glass of white wine and the papers a long time ago. And the dining room took my breath away; cosy, light and framed around a square fire burning on a plinth in the middle of the room, we couldn’t believe our luck when we first sat down.

Add in the charming staff – such as Sallyann Ebsworth, pictured – the family atmosphere, the fact the dining room was fully booked for parties that night, a breakfast menu I wanted to wake up for, and being able to sit and watch the world go by on a sunny afternoon, and we were onto a winner... until the mains arrived.

Mr Greedy was right – all very dry. My homemade spinach and ricotta pancakes, topped with a tomato relish and cheese then oven baked and served with a crisp dressed salad and garlic bread (£10.50), should have been oozing and delicious but the pancakes were baked tortillas rather than the expected crepes, leaving them hard and fairly untouchable. The kids sausage and mash (£4.95) was good, and the children’s fish and chips excellent (£5.50) but the overpoweringly herbed burger (£10.25) and kids lasagne (£5.25), weren’t big hits.

The banana and butterscotch waffles with ice cream (£2.95) had the children in raptures, but the Key lime cheesecake (£5.50) was a big mistake. Mr Greedy said it was like a slab of cream cheese with lime sprinkled on top.

In a word then, mixed, but not through a lack of trying. Even if Mr Greedy doesn’t go back, if the sun ever shines again, I might see you there.

* The Jolly Boatman, 216 Banbury Road, Kidlington.

OX51JU.

01865 377800