In an exciting step restaurateur and food writer Yotam Ottolenghi branches outside of the capital arriving at Bicester Village where his namesake restaurant feels right at home.

The Ottolenghi group was formed in 2002 and has since opened nine sites with the latest one at the luxury designer outlet.

Arriving half an hour before our booking lent itself to a quick trip around the village as we popped into stores of some of the world’s most renowned brands.

As is well known, the stores in Bicester Village are high-end and its food offerings all look to follow suit.

On walking inside the restaurant, you are immediately faced with a large deli with a selection of ingredients, cookbooks, kitchenware and an abundance of baked goods.

Oxford Mail: Ottolenghi opens restaurant at Bicester Village

Even if you are not planning to sit down for a meal while on your shopping trip, it is still well worth a look inside to see what you might find.

However, I would implore you to take the opportunity to sit down inside and take a look through the menu which boasts ample mouthwatering dishes with a range of intriguing ingredients.

Once sat down, our waiter, who was incredibly attentive throughout the evening, took our drinks orders as we started to narrow down on what exactly we were going to order as each main comes with two salads alongside it.

The two mains we went for were the ‘Confit Portobello Mushroom with Butterbean Mash and Chipotle’ and ‘Sweet and Smoky Roasted Chicken Break with Lemon Yoghurt’.

This meant we could choose four salads from the list.

We opted for the ‘Roasted Aubergine with Saffron Yoghurt, Pomegranate, and Pine Nuts’, ‘Spinach and Yoghurt Dip with Za'atar Pita Chips and Walnuts’, ‘Char-Grilled Broccoli with Chili and Garlic’ and ‘Roasted Cauliflower with Pumpkin Seed Romesco and Barberries’.

Oxford Mail: Confit Portobello mushroom

All the food was brought out within no time with the salads tasting incredibly fresh and complimenting both the chicken and mushroom.

The portobello mushroom was a true vegetarian masterpiece. Slow-cooked in its own juices it had a melt-in-your-mouth tenderness that was truly exceptional.

Paired with the creamy butterbean mash, it's a match made in heaven, with the addition of chipotle adding a subtle touch of heat.

Roasted to juicy, the chicken breast’s sweet and smoky glaze was balanced out with a zesty lemon yoghurt sauce adding a refreshing tang.

Oxford Mail: Roasted chicken breast with lemon yoghurt

The two salads which stood out were the roasted aubergine and the spinach and yoghurt dip

The aubergine brought a rich, smoky taste, complemented perfectly by the creamy saffron yoghurt.

Bursts of sweetness from the pomegranate seeds added a refreshing contrast, while the pine nuts provided a satisfying crunch.

Oxford Mail: Roasted aubergine and spinach and yoghurt dip

Perfect for dipping or as a side dish, the creamy spinach and yoghurt dip was beautifully seasoned.

The za'atar pita chips were wonderfully crisp, providing the perfect vessel for scooping up the dip.

Both the broccoli and cauliflower were perfectly cooked, tender on the inside with a slight crispiness on the outside both packing a punch with an array of flavours and tastes.

Oxford Mail: Char-grilled broccoli and roasted cauliflower

After clearing our plates, we took a look at the dessert menu ordering a flourless chocolate torte and a pineapple-topped passionfruit cheesecake.

Oxford Mail: Pineapple-topped passionfruit cheesecake.

These were simply amazing, a perfect way to end the night.

And we couldn’t get enough, after finishing up our coffees we headed straight to the deli to pick a handful of sweet treats which didn’t last the journey home.

Overall, the food was undeniably good, the staff were unflappable and the deli is undoubtedly a marvellous addition to the Bicester Village collection.

On your next visit to the designer village make sure to pop inside to check it out but in truth, the restaurant itself is worth the trip alone.