The Unicorn in Deddington had stood empty for over a year when Mark and Hanna Martin took it on, having scoured North Oxfordshire for a suitable pub to make their own. But two years in they realised pub classics were not going to cut it, and have enrolled head chef Stuart Midson to shake things up a bit.
Having been working in the Channel Islands for years, Stuart’s love of seafood was just what they’d been looking for, and with his help The Unicorn has just rolled out the new Beef and Reef menu, the seafood being delivered daily from Brixham.
“We realised that to make our mark we needed to offer something a bit different here,” Mark says gesturing around him at the 17th century pub.
‘We realised that to make our mark we needed to offer something a bit different here’
“And as our heritage is from Cornwall and the seaside, and that what’s Stuart specialises in, we decided to work together to rebrand the menu as Beef and Reef and take The Unicorn in a new direction.
“So we still have pub grub in the bar, but the casual dining room at the back will serve the Beef and Reef menu, as well as a proper Sunday roast.”
‘we still have pub grub in the bar but the casual dining room at the back will serve the Beef and Reef menu, as well as a proper Sunday roast’
Complete with lobster, scallops, moules, crab, squid, whitebait and prawn dishes, alongside some impressive looking steaks, its quite the offering, and a seismic change of direction for The Unicorn.
“We are on the same page as Stuart, have the same vision and want the same thing, ” Mark adds. “We want to give people a reason to come back to The Unicorn, so it’s about finding the right balance.
‘We want to give people a reason to come back to The Unicorn’
“So while we don’t want the menu to be too complex we want to make sure what’s on the plate is brilliantly done. We are not reinventing the wheel but it’s more about honest simple seafood done well – like our lobster served with a herby butter, or our mussels in a classic mariniere…..” Hanna adds.
“And we will introduce more fish dishes as time goes on. Of course the menu will also be seasonal, so for example we’ll be brining venison onto the menu for autumn, alongside the veggie and vegan dishes.”
‘Our object is to build a vibrant business at The Unicorn which appeals to everyone’
Hailing from Falmouth and moving to Oxfordshire to be nearer to Hanna’s dad, the couple add: “Our object is to build a vibrant business at The Unicorn which appeals to everyone, and the feedback on the new menu has already been great – some people have revisited two or three times. So people are looking for something different.”
“Because The Unicorn has got so much potential: It’s got rooms, a bar, dining room and function rooms, but it has fallen off people’s radar and we want to change that – to build something sustainable,” Mark explains.
‘the unicorn has fallen off peoples radar and we want to change that – to build something sustainable’
“We know The Unicorn has had its challenges, but we feel like we’ve turned a corner and we want people to come and see what we’re doing. So come down and try it out.” Full review to follow.
The Unicorn is at Market Place, Deddington, Banbury and serves food Wednesday-Saturday evenings and Saturday and Sunday lunchtimes. https://unicorndeddington.co.uk
