Review - Loch Fyne Bar and Grill

The skirl of the bagpipes preceded Robert Burns’s stirring Address to a Haggis — both delivered courtesy of kilted Steven Duffy — as Oxf-ord’s Loch Fyne Bar and Grill paid tribute to Scotland’s national poet on the day of his birth.

It was appropriate, of course, that a business with its origins north of the border should have been marking Burns Night. Loch Fyne, the longest and deepest loch in Scotland, yields the wonderful oysters and mussels sold across the company’s 41 branches. Salmon, trout, cod’s roe, haddock, kipper and other goodies — including venison — emerge from the smokehouse on its shores.

It was fitting, too, that I as a Scotsman — well, half a one — should have been there to raise a glass to Rabbie, a large portrait of whom, in full Masonic regalia, has pride of place above my fireplace at home.

I’ll confess at once, though, that I left it to Rosemarie to do our duty where the haggis was concerned. Though I don’t dislike it, I can’t pretend to be its biggest fan. The words of the address, vehemently delivered by Steven, are not exactly designed to stir the appetite: His knife see rustic Labour dight, An cut you up wi ready slight, Trenching your gushing entrails bright, Like onie ditch; And then, O what a glorious sight, Warm-reekin, rich!

This remains the case even if you know that ‘reekin’ does not mean stinking, as you might think, but steaming.

But before we get to the food, let us have a little information concerning the restaurant itself, which opened back in 2001 in what many will remember as a bicycle shop. This was at a time of significant expansion for the company, which began in 1988 when Johnny Noble, the owner of the Ardkinglas estate in Western Scotland, set up an oyster bar in a cowshed next to the loch, principally catering for tourists.

My first taste of Loch Fyne’s delights came in 1992, when the company opened a new branch, its third, at Elton Hall, the Proby family’s ancestral home not far from Peterborough. Indian chef Manikandan Veluchamy put in a stint here on his way to taking charge of Loch Fyne Oxford’s kitchen. He has now been at the helm for the past five years, ensuring a welcome consistency in delivery all too rare in the restaurant business.

Sad to say, founder Johnny died in 2002, after which the company moved into other hands — to begin with, those of its employees. Since 2007, the chain has been part of the Greene King catering empire.

Happily, the trading format remains as it has always been, with a menu delivering a beguiling range of fish and seafood dishes, that include a fish stew, an assortment of pastas, lobster thermidor and, at the other end of the spectrum, good old-fashioned fish and chips with cod or haddock — also available as a takeaway dish. But meat-eaters are not forgotten in such offerings as an Aberdeen Angus burger, duck confit and rib-eye steak. The main course vegetarian dishes are baked butternut squash cannelloni and beetroot risotto.

That the place offers good value was certainly evident in the special menu for Burns Night, which was priced at just £26.95 for three courses. It was hardly surpr-ising that the place was packed with people eager to sample starters that included steamed mussels in Highland whisky cream, haggis and seared Scottish scallops and game terrine, and main courses ranging from roast salmon fillet and lemon sole with scallops to sirloin steak and wild mushroom and basil.

There were three puddings, all of which we tried. Reversing tradition-al procedure I shall deal with these first. Rosemarie loved the treacle tart, which was rendered a bit Scottish by a touch of East Lothian’s Belhaven black beer included in the mix. Clootie pudding was my favourite — tasting like a very spicy Chrstmas cake and possessing something of the texture — following five hours steaming — of roly-poly. Raspberry cranachan was something in the style of Eton mess but with cream, honey and toasted oats. Delicious!

Chef: Manikandan Veluchamy welcomes Christopher Gray

So was my starter, the smoke-house ashet, featuring three ways with salmon — hot-smoked Bradan Rost, delivered under a glass jar shrouded in wood-chip smoke, classic smoked salmon and the very lightly smoked Kinglas fillet.

To follow I had a perfect grilled lemon sole in caper butter sauce, served unfilleted. In addition to green beans and new potatoes, I had a side order of pan-fried samphire, very generously supplied.

Doing her Burns bit, Rosemarie started with Cullen skink, the classic Scottish smoked haddock and potato soup which this time, with its crispy croutons and lardons, had more of the character of a fish stew.

Her haggis was everything it should have been and certainly “warm-reekin’ and rich”. It came, of course, with neeps and tatties, all polished off with aplomb.

Though whisky ought to have been the drink of the night, we began, I confess, with gin and tonic — both finding favourites on the list, Sipsmith for me and Bloom for Rosemarie. Our wine, selected from a moderately priced list, was the Languedoc’s citrusy Picpoul de Pinet (£19.75).

Coming up for Valentine’s Day, readers might like to note — and indeed on the days before and after — is a tempting four-course menu priced at £39.95, including a glass of champagne.

Loch Fyne Bar and Grill 
55 Walton Street, Oxford OX2 6AE 
01865 292510 lochfyneseafoodandgrill.co.uk

Opening times: Monday to Thursday 11.30am-10.30pm, Friday 10.30am-11.30pm, Saturday 9am-11pm, Sunday 9am-10.30pm.
Parking: Limited on-street.
Key personnel: General manager Karl Medhurst; head chef Manikandan Veluchamy.
Make sure you try the... smokehouse ashet (Bradan Rost, classic cut and Kinglas fillet, £9.95), Scottish rope-grown mussels (£5.95), Loch Fyne oysters (£2.25 for one, £11.95 for six and £19.45 for 12), Loch Fyne fish stew (£17.50), lobster spaghetti (£19.95), whole baked lobster (£24.95), whole grilled lemon sole in a caper butter sauce (£24.95), rib steak on the bone (£24.95), passion fruit cheesecake (£5.25), treacle tart (£5.50) Scottish cheeseboard (£6.45).
In ten words: Best from sea and land charmingly served in buzzy setting.