It was the level of ingenuity that took our breath away; the surprises, the revelatory menu, the experimental bent, the pride and reverence in the food. It was an extraordinary meal in fact at The Old Crown Inn in Faringdon, although for anyone who’s already been, that won’t come as a surprise.
If you want examples, how about the tomato creme brûlée, the bone marrow and onion ketchup, a smoked tomato fondue, the yazu parfait, egg yolk fudge or avocado and wasabi ice cream. No? Us neither, but we were desperate to find out more.
Because head chef Samuel Squires never disappoints, his menus like poetry, his passion and curiosity evident on every plate. It was great to be back.
head chef Samuel Squires never disappoints, his menus like poetry, his passion and curiosity evident on every plate
When we arrived in the town’s central square, The Old Crown‘s extensive courtyard garden was full of drinkers enjoying the sun, eating burgers, Thai fishcakes and even chips from the bar menu. Venture inside to the bar, and you’ll find regulars playing board games and chatting happily with a pint.
But wind your way further in, and you’ll find the swanky JJ’s bar where cocktails reign supreme, a more avant garde crowd enjoying its concoctions, in particular the spicy margarita (homemade jalapeño tequila, cointreau, sugar syrup, lime juice, salty chilli and lime rim) which worked its magic.
it’s in The Ballroom where the magic happens
But it’s The Ballroom where the magic happens, as you are led up the stairs to the huge, lofty room, diners and guests already tucking in with visible delight.
And while we knew we were in for a treat, I’d forgotten just how gifted, elaborate and thoughtful Samuel’s food is. So first the bread, which needs its own special mention, whole baked, juicy, baby tomatoes nestled inside some of the rich muffiny rolls, the whipped herbed butter so good we began eating it with a teaspoon.
Then the tomato creme brûlée with BBQ prawns, baby fennel, pickled cherry tomatoes and basil gel. (£12) I mean what even is a tomato creme brûlée? Apart from delicious, the tomato custard held its shape, torched to caramelise the sugar, the sharpness of the fennel, pickles and herbs slicing through.
next time you’re thinking about where to go out to eat, and fancy really turning up the volume, you’ll know where to head
Smoked beef tartar, bone marrow & onion ketchup, caramelised shallot and egg yolk fudge (£12), yes you read that right, the egg yolk fudge perched whole, pretty as a picture right in the middle, bringing a richness to the raw meat and sharp ketchup.
And the charred chalk stream trout with avocado and wasabi ice cream (come on!), lime, mouli and caviar (£12), which took our breath away; the cold, peppery, vibrant ice cream cutting through the succulent fish and citrus.
Or the fascinating sounding carrot mosaic with orange and ginger jus, carrot jerky, ginger, whipped goat curd, parsley gel. Can I repeat that – carrot jerky! Full of strong flavours and textures, topped with crunchy fried onions, everyone had to try it out of sheer curiosity, and were amply rewarded.
And that was just the starters! The BBQ monkfish (£28) followed suit, my personal favourite, served with Thai green curry, peanut & puff rice crumb, pickled mayo, pak choi, baby courgette and coriander. The perfectly cooked fish divine against the Asian flavours, balanced with the crunch of nut and and the soft veg and pickled mango.
The pork loin was another firm favourite with braised fennel, nduja, heritage tomato, caperberries and pork jus
The pork loin (£28) was another firm favourite with braised fennel, nduja, heritage tomato, caperberries and pork jus. A hearty but sophisticated dish, the capers tart against the sweetness of the meat and the melting fiery nduja.
The ‘ratatouille’ (£26) – a smoked tomato fondue with grilled artichoke, aubergine, courgette and black olive – was almost over flavoured it was so rich, moist and dark, while the beef sirloin with whipped blue cheese, potato terrine, watercress, charred tenderstem and Guinness beef jus (£32) was a brave dish, full of strong flavours, but it worked on every level.
The dish that literally blew my mind was the black forest gateau with sour cherry ice cream and freeze dried cherries
The dish that literally blew my mind however, was the black forest gateau with sour cherry ice cream and freeze dried cherries, the ice cream tart and strong, crumbly brownie, rich ganache, whole macerated juicy cherries. I refused to share it and can still remember every mouthful.
And while the banana cremeux with salt caramel popcorn, peanut ice cream and caramelised banana chocolate syrup was a pretty close contender with its creamy, fruity, nutty deliciousness, or even the yazu parfait with black sesame ice cream, meringue and white chocolate, which was for the sweet-toothed, the sesame almost indiscernible against the citrus.
their Thursday night supper club offers three courses for £35
And if push came to shove, the strawberry and elderflower, vanilla cheesecake, roasted strawberry, elderflower ice cream and shortbread (£10) would be a viable option.
We were in awe, and when Samuel came out afterwards, were almost speechless. So yes, next time you’re thinking about where to go out to eat, and fancy really turning up the volume, you’ll know where to head.
If, on the other hand, you fancy cutting your cloth, their Thursday night supper club offers three courses for £35, Wednesday night steak night with wine is £25-£30pp, and Samuel has just released his new August menu, so there’s lots of temptations to suit every budgets well as an extensive and fun events menu. Don’t miss out!
The Old Crown Coaching Inn is at 25 Market Place, Faringdon, SN7 7HU. https://www.theoldcrowncoachinginn.com
