Park Royal Classic Dining is Oxfordshire’s newest gourmet experience and perhaps its most unique! The upper deck of its 1960’s double decker bus has been recreated like a Pullman dining carriage with leather seats, starched white linen, plush red carpets and Royal Albert crockery.
The copper bar on the lower deck, salvaged from a local hostelry, serves wines, cocktails, beers and whiskies many made on-site at its home at Bicester Heritage.
“I’m a great enthusiast of classic vehicles, good food and nice wine, and now I’ve managed to combine all three”
Park Royal Classic Dining is the brainchild of Simon Baldry who only began the culinary experience earlier this year, you can now enjoy a four course dinner on Friday May 31 and and Saturday June 1 served in style for £49 per person.
Scouring the land for fittings and crockery and little touches to make it special, the copper topped bar came from a small venue that was closing in Northampton and now transplanted to the lower deck bar!
The seats and fittings downstairs are all original, with period king’s pattern cutlery, beautiful Royal Albert Holyrood crockery, cut glass glasswear, starched white table cloths, linen napkins and thick red carpet everywhere!
In terms of food, Simon and his father run the kitchen, while front-of-house is run by his mum Sue (the trio ran a pub together in North Yorkshire), and their hearty British monthly menus are always different.
Menu-wise this weekend you can expect dishes such as potted shrimp with sourdough toasts or baked fig, goats cheese, pistachio and Oxfordshire honey for starters.
Next up a broccoli and Oxford blue soup, followed by slow cooked pork belly, baked apple, mustard mash, cider jus and a roasted veg medley for mains and then an ode to the Black Forest gateau – chocolate cremaux, hazelnut brittle, boozy cherries and chocolate soil for pud, amongst many other choices.
With capacity for 18 guests, (the bus is also available for private parties), Park Royal has had incredible feedback so far with a couple of highly successful afternoon teas squeezed in too.
“we’re now ready to get going into the summer and look forward to whoever would like to join us for the ride”
As for the bus itself, it’s a 1965 Leyland Titan – one of 12 ever built (with only two still operational) so is definitely a unique venue. “She was in fantastic condition when we got her so have fitted her out really carefully,” Simon explains.
As for the name Simon says: “Park Royal were the best coach builders in London and the name and our logo is inspired by their attention to detail, old school style and Britishness!”
So how’s Simon feeling about his new business? “I’m a great enthusiast of classic vehicles, good food and nice wine, and now I’ve managed to combine all three. And while we’ve started off quietly, we’re now ready to get going into the summer and look forward to whoever would like to join us for the ride!
“I think there’s definitely a little gap in the market for us, because our menus change regularly and you can always get a table by the window at Park Royal! So I’m really proud of my creation!”
And come winter Simon plans to extend Park Royal’s monthly menus and party bookings. But in them meantime to book dinner for this Friday and Saturday night go to https://www.park-royal.co.uk/menus/
