The Old Parsonage, Banbury Road, Oxford

The website for The Old Parsonage proudly states that it “is ranked as the best hotel in Oxford”, a judgment that I see no cause to argue with, although the same owner’s Old Bank surely qualifies as a possible rival. Can the Parsonage also boast the city’s best restaurant? Again, I think it probably can, with the same owner’s Gee’s, a little further along the Banbury Road, the only possible other contender for the accolade.

Oxford has a great deal for which to thank Jeremy Mogford, starting of course with Brown’s which he and business partner John Mayhew opened as long ago as 1976, before going their separate ways, and the firm’s sale into chain ownership. Assemble a group of 50-somethings and they’ll soon be reminiscing about gorgeous waitresses, handsome barmen and the 95p spag bol — with salad and garlic bread.

Having got to know Jeremy well in those days, it was perfectly natural, given my job, that I should have been shown over the premises he later acquired while restoration work was in progress. Gee’s came first, exactly 30 years ago, followed in 1991 by the Old Parsonage and the Old Bank eight years after that.

All three were buildings of architectural merit, that of the 17th-century Parsonage not much appreciated during its days as a dowdy-looking guesthouse.

Considering the inherent good taste Jeremy showed over its renovation, it seems astonishing now there should have been such a rumpus — as our cuttings files reflect — over his plan for a wall on its Banbury Road frontage. As in so many planning skirmishes the battle was led by the busybody Lady Wheare (of blessed memory) and the voice of sanity supplied by my old pal John Power. He told the city planning committee that if a wall was not allowed, there would be nothing to prevent the planting of a similarly view-blocking hedge. His opinion prevailed.

Sitting last week in evening sunshine in the pretty courtyard created behind that wall, which is now supplied with a canopy and heating for use when necessary, I felt good reason to thank John and his colleagues for not caving into the spoilsports. Here, truly, is a little bit of heaven, especially when sitting is extended to eating, and eating to drinking, and all three conducted in the sort of convivial company with which I was blessed.

Joining me and the ever-sunny Rosemarie were our friends Sally Dunsmore and Tony Byrne, who have added so much, like Jeremy, to the sum of human happiness as, respectively, the Oxford and Blenheim literary festivals’ director and special adviser.

Arriving at the Parsonage hotfoot from the opening of another venue for al fresco refreshment — the new roof garden above The Varsity Club, in High Street — Rosemarie and I found our guests already present, with glasses of Laurent Miquel Rosé already on the way. We chose Laquete sauvignon blanc from the same French region (Languedoc-Roussillon), which proved so deliciously zesty that we stayed with it for the rest of the meal. Since this was the bargain-basement house white, it made sound financial sense.

Tony, who had eaten here not long before, was soon voicing his approval of the Cotswold white chicken and bacon pie, over which silence might have been a tad more diplomatic, since he proposed to bag it for his own main course.

In fact, with a menu so wide and laden with good things, we could all easily find dishes to appeal, even if — as in the case of my main course choice of fillet of wild sea trout from the night’s specials — some were already sold out.

I went instead for lemon sole with girolles, Jersey royal potatoes and chervil butter. The beautifully fresh fish was served whole — better this than the one I received days before at London’s Wolseley, which was said to be bone-free but wasn’t, leaving me with a tickle in my throat for the whole weekend.

I started with a British delicacy too rarely seen on menus — not considered smart enough, I guess — in the shape of soft herring roes, served on toast with capers and lemon. Fabulous! For Sally there was a generous ‘cake’ of Jersey crab mayonnaise, for Tony a crumbly-based tart of asparagus and chervil, and for Rosemarie chunks of delicately flavoured smoked eel with a poached egg and frisée.

She continued with the lamb burger which was of such a size (7oz) to permit me a taste and thereby the opportunity to confirm her approval. Sally was happy, too, with her salmon cake with spinach and sorrel sauce, as was Tony, I need hardly add, with his pie.

By this time, around 9.30pm, there was a slight chill in the air and we decided to move indoors for pudding (or in my case cheese — wedges of a splendid Isle of Mull cheddar and Harbourne Blue, a creamy but powerful goat’s cheese made by the admirably named Ticklemore Cheeses of Totnes).

The dining room at the Old Parsonage is one of the city’s visual treats, with its tables arranged in clubby style amid a wall-filling assortment of pictures, a fabulous collection of 20th-century portraits of literary and artistic figures, a number of them ‘Bloomsberries’. These are now shown off to even better effect against the very dark grey Farrow & Ball paint which replaced the Russian red on the walls during the hotel’s recent refurbishment. Visitors might admire, too, the new York stone of the entrance lobby and the way the purple-panelled Pike Room to the left of the front door has been given better access. Other improvements include five new bedrooms and a first-floor residents’ lounge/library with outdoor terrace.

Ringing down the curtain on this utterly delicious meal Sally and Tony both enjoyed English strawberries with Jersey cream, while Rosemarie had the richest of chocolate tarts with crème fraiche.

The best? I rather think so.

The Old Parsonage
1 Banbury Road, Oxford OX2, 6NN  
01865 310210
oldparsonage-hotel.co.uk

Opening times: Restaurant, 7am-11pm (10.30pm Sun). Set menu served noon-6pm Mon-Fri, two courses £18.50, three £24.
Parking: Limited onsite parking but plenty in St Giles
Key personnel: Owner Jeremy Mogford, general manager Rebecca Mofford, restaurant manager Nong Smitinand, head chef Steve Smith
Make sure you try the... starters of Jersey crab mayonnaise (£12), smoked eel and poached egg (£8) soft herring roes (£6.50|), main courses of Cotswold chicken and bacon pie (£17), lemon sole (£19), lamb burger (£13.50) and salmon cake (£16), and puddings of chocolate tart (£7) and strawberries and Jersey cream (£6.50).
In ten words: Best produce perfectly cooked and charmingly served amid sumptuous luxury