La Galleria

2 Market Place, Woodstock, OX20 1TA 
01993 813381
lagalleriawoodstock.com

We were thinking quite a lot about the past during a smashing dinner two Fridays ago at La Galleria in Woodstock — and not just because the best-selling historical novelist and Oxford academic Harry Sidebottom was one of our party. The author of the four instalments (so far) of Warrior of Rome lived until recently in Woodstock and remains a big fan of this cheerily traditional Italian restaurant and its Sardinian owner Lucio Montanino.

It was because La Galleria is so traditional that our thoughts turned to the way things were on the local restaurant scene. With us, too, were Alastair and Sally McEwen, friends from way back, who joined me in reminiscing of a time when the county was rich in such establishments, supplying top-quality Italian food to people with robust appetites. In Oxford alone were the Cantina di Capri in Queen Street, the Capanina in Cowley Road and the Saraceno in Magdalen Street. All are long gone, though there is one noted survivor in the style, North Parade’s Luna Caprese, which last year marked 50 years in business. Out of Oxford, Rigoletto at Middleton Stoney keeps the red, white and green flag flying proudly, as does La Fontana in East Hanney, which I noticed, driving past last week, is now celebrating its quarter-century.

Lucio, too, has a noteworthy anniversary, it being 20 years since he opened La Galleria in a former art gallery beside the Town Hall, whose ochre stone walls supply shade for those seated, when weather permits, at tables on the restaurant’s forecourt. One of these is popular with Harry Sidebottom, who presumably favours the great outdoors because he is allowed to puff cigarettes there.

Lucio previously worked, he was telling me after dinner, at the George in Stamford, a favourite of my youth, which gave a further fruitful topic for reminiscence. I’ll spare you reference to yet another, in my own residence in Woodstock, 40 years ago, because we really must get on to the food.

We ate at what I suppose must be considered La Galleria’s ‘star’ table, a circular one in the front section of the building, beside a window offering a glorious view down Park Street. Perhaps, around here, only Quod, in Oxford’s High Street, has an outlook more splendid. On to the pink tablecloth, between flowers and crisp white napiery, were placed hand-made bread, grissini and an assortment of green and black olives. Starters quickly followed. Lucio had barely got into his recital of the day’s specials before my choice was made, along with my main course dish as well. Rarely one to decline the seasonal joy of fresh asparagus, I could certainly not resist it as offered (see picture) with a wrapping of parma ham beneath a layer of melted parmesan. Ideally suited to its delights was the recommended wine, Gasia Langhe Bianco, a deliciously fresh, straw-gold 100 per cent chardonnay from Piedmontese producers Villadoria.

For Rosemarie, choosing from the extensive main menu there was a prettily presented plate of sliced avocado, with smoked salmon and prawns in mayonnaise.

To my right, Harry was about the necessarily messy (but always enjoyable) business of getting to the meat of his quintet of juicy king prawns. Why, I wondered, did it suddenly strike me that his books are noted for their intimate understanding of Roman banqueting etiquette, which fortunately (all that vomiting!) was not being imitated here? He continued with another ‘starter’, so called, but actually a pretty gigantic plate of linguine with fresh Cornish crab meat, tomatoes and chilli. I had superb medallions of monkfish (pictured), which were encased in pancetta and served with cannellini. There was just room left for a pud of strawberries and passion fruit sorbet. Rosemarie’s main course dish is shown below, too, perfectly cooked rounds of immensely tender beef fillet in the richest of cream, brandy and mushroom sauces. No pudding for her, especially after her inroads into the dishes of fried potatoes and battered courgettes.

What of Alastair and Sally? To be honest, I was so nose-in-my-own-plate (plus Rosemarie’s — for my mini-meat-course) that I barely registered more than that they were enjoying their tuck. Alastair reported later: “We both had carpaccio of beef to start, and Sally had the pork medallions with asparagus from the main menu and I had escalope of veal with white wine and lemon juice. Oranges in caramel and tiramisu were the puds. All delicious.”

 

Opening times: Tues-Sat, lunch noon-2pm; dinner 7-10pm
Sunday, lunch noon-2.30pm;
dinner 7-10pm
Parking: In nearby streets
Key personnel: Owner/chef Lucio Montanino, pictured below
Make sure you try the... Avocado Cardinale (£8.95), Gamberone al Mediterraneo (£9.95), Medaglioni di Manzo Mignon (£22.50), Coda Di Rospo in Padella (£21.95), Pannacotta with wild berries (£5.50)
In ten words:
The way things were is how they still are here