It’s hard to make your mark in the Cotswolds at the moment, new gastropubs popping up on every corner, sniffing out the affluent catchment.
But in Kingham there’s still just the two main players – Daylesford’s Wild Rabbit and The Kingham Plough, a stone’s throw from each other on the village green, rubbing along together quite happily over the years.
The Kingham Plough was taken over by Matt and Katie Beamish in 2019 and they’ve ensconced brilliant young, female chef Ashleigh Farrand in the kitchens to keep the punters pouring through the door, or in this weather the lovely outdoor dining area.
the hot weather meant that the lighter options and sharing plate style mentality suited the temperature more than any big main courses
It’s a beautiful location, the menu there matching the setting, but the hot weather meant that the lighter options and sharing plate style mentality suited the temperature more than any big main courses. And with lots on offer, we went all out, the dishes arriving as and when.
Heading straight for the crispy Szechuan pork belly with chilli and spring onion (£11), the fiery little dense sticky cubes washed down with much needed iced water and a glass of chilled rose, and a round, homemade Coburg loaf which emerged with a pat of salty butter, as we tore hunks off in a very undignified way, immediately enthralled by its chewy stretchy crust and soft insides.
The St. Jude Cheese on sourdough toast with piccalilli, (£13), a mix between cheese on toast and a Welsh rarebit, was peppered with delicate, home made pickled vegetables, the cheese, like a Camembert, rich, melted and gooey, it was simple but beautifully executed. We ordered another one.
The Heritage tomatoes, whipped goats cheese and red pepper (£14), the bountiful, juicy, sliced tomatoes bursting with flavour, laid on the blended cheese, a red pepper pesto scattered on top, emphasising the lengths Ashleigh goes to here.
The Ventriciana (a traditional rough salami), burrata, fennel, cucumber & orange (£13) was another delectable offering (see main pic), the burrata generous and plump, the cured pork rich and chewy, the crunch of fennel and mild cucumber cutting across the zingy orange, a big juicy combo.
The St. Jude Cheese on sourdough toast with piccalilli, was simple but beautifully executed. We ordered another
Ashleigh again went the extra mile with the seasonal lemon hummus with honey and chilli which arrived with a savoury pine nut and seed praline scattered on top, a harissa oil and some addictively moreish crispy triangles of baked tortillas to dip in (£8), rendering it impossible to resist.
The Wye Valley asparagus with pea velouté, crispy bacon, rocket & English Parmesan (£14) was another must, although the spears were rather thin (probably because it’s the end of the season), the pea veloute and rocket a bit earnest so that even the crispy rasher of bacon couldn’t mask it.
oh the puddings, we could have eaten all of them, and a fierce debate ensued
But, oh the puddings, we could have eaten all of them, and a fierce debate ensued, the steamed raspberry jam sponge with Amaretto anglaise and coconut brittle winning out, the vanilla creme brûlée with shortbread, and the dark chocolate mousse with olive oil ice cream and kirsch cherries. A feast indeed.
And didn’t they deliver! Quintessentially English, the rolled sponge endowed with the unmistakable hit of schoolboy raspberry jam – it was like eating a memory, the silky custard elevated with booze, the elegant sticky brittle, all decorated with raspberries and edible flowers.
the steamed raspberry jam sponge with Amaretto anglaise and coconut brittle was like eating a memory
The creme brûlée was tested with a spoon before we dived in, the tappy top standing firm before we could immerse ourselves in the vanillary depths.
Presented in a small glass, the chocolate mousse was one thing, but those kirsch cherries stole the show, enhanced by the grassy notes of the olive oil ice cream.
if you’re visiting the Cotswolds or live nearby, pop in, you won’t be disappointed
Even we couldn’t manage the petit fours – blackcurrant jelly, fudge and raspberry marshmallow – but next time my friends we’re in. At the very least it’s an excellent excuse to return.
As bucolic and nostalgic as ever, The Kingham Plough has lost none of its charm, and its inimitable feminine touch is alive and kicking. So if you’re visiting the Cotswolds or live nearby, pop in, you won’t be disappointed.
The Kingham Plough, The Green, Kingham, near Chipping Norton, OX7 6YD. Go to https://thekinghamplough.co.uk
