The hype around OXTWO‘s recent opening has been impressive, news that Grape Minds and The Back Lane Tavern team in Woodstock were joining forces and opening a new restaurant in Summertown, READ ABOUT IT HERE creating waves around Oxfordshire.
And if there’s one place we get asked about, it’s OXTWO, but living up to those expectations is quite another thing, and despite the jubilation and fun of the opening party, there was still an abject curiosity around what OXTWO would actually deliver.
An enormously sophisticated, fun and refined product is the answer, because firstly it doesn’t fall into that trap of taking itself too seriously and overcomplicating things.
OXTWO should be applauded for bringing Oxford’s food scene something new, ambitious and accessible
So while the decor wows and the former Laura Ashley shop has been completely transformed, you can still pop in for a glass of wine in the comfy velvet chairs at the front, and maybe a plate of cheese, while watching Summertown passing by, or even sit at the bar and grab a bite to eat, perfect for the lone diner.
In fact, the delight of OXTWO is that you can eat and drink as little, or as much, as you want. We’ve tried a bit of everything from big birthday sharing menus to a snatched lunch and a few meetings.
But now that the dust has settled a bit, we returned for a more relaxed affair to really test head chef Johnny Parke’s mettle, giving OXTWO the time and appreciation it really deserves. And oh how we were rewarded!
Unsure what to order, we picked the must-haves and asked Johnny to fill in the blanks, and much like at The Back Lane in Woodstock, the dishes come out as and when. True to the tapas style menu it encapsulates, the portions here are smaller and more plentiful.
But first we perched at the bar and drank some lovely wine, with a great variety on offer ranging from the very affordable to the more aspirational, the lovely Hugo on hand to welcome you.
Taken to our table, we sat back and waited for the magic to happen as tables filled up around us, the atmosphere buzzing without being all consuming.
Some Cantabrian anchovies with rose harissa, Gordal olives and salt pig Coppa to nibble on and whet our appetites. Even the pumpkin sourdough with beef butter and tapenade (£5) had us reeling, the crusty chewy bread, Marmitey butter and piquant tapenade totally addictive.
Then a tiny cup of coconut lobster bisque with lemongrass and kaffir lime (£5), which sent us into paroxysms of delight and we had to immediately order more, its soft, silky depth of flavour and Asian tones really hitting the spot.
The cep arancini set on a Godminster cheese custard were another revelation; crispy, hot and packed full of flavour, the mild cheese sauce the perfect antidote, dusted with parmesan. The Korean chicken wings with ranch dressing (£5) which the team dared not leave off the menu such are their popularity in the BLT were another must.
Then the Oxtail rendang chips with curry sauce (£8); so unctuous and carefully prepared, the meaty flaky stew layered between the crispy potato, finished with a satisfying dunk in the spicy sauce.
Dense with meat and flaky pastry, the pork and apricot sausage roll’s sweeter elements revelled in the accompanying mayo, while the lone Cornish scallop with sobrassada (cured sausage), lovage and champagne (£8) was positively, lauded both in presentation and ingredients, and much fought over.
Then onto the ‘COOKED OVER FIRE’ menu offerings – a juicy Cotswold lamb taco with chimichurri, avocado and anchovy sauce, literally bursting with flavour.
And the simple sounding roasted peppers with tapenade, goats curd, hazelnut and black garlic (£8) which took our breath away; the soft, slippery, sweet peppers, bite of hazelnut, sharp tapenade and creamy cheese complementing each other perfectly.
Two huge tiger prawns smothered in miso butter and cashew satay (£8) were another highlight, and the innocuous sounding charred hispi cabbage dish (£8) also got its moment in the sun, here served with Caesar sauce and pickled walnut emulsion, served al dente and heightened immeasurably by its accruements.
The dishes flowed thick and fast, all washed down with some sterling red South African Pinotage, leaving everyone just enough time to try a bit of everything before moving on, a really fun, novel and intoxicating way of dining.
And so to pud, because while having enjoyed ‘an elegant sufficiency’, we could stretch to dessert without becoming uncomfortable, and what a treat lay in store.
I could devote the whole review to the ricotta and orange doughnuts (£10); tiny light, hot, cinnamony balls accompanied by a rich chocolate sauce (£10), to the cardamom & tonic bean creme brûlée with Yorkshire rhubarb (£8) or even the white chocolate with cremeux, passion fruit, salted caramel, polenta and crumble (£8), a light sweet elegant dish of complex textures and tastes offset by the exotic fruit.
What a divine meal! Once replete we sat back almost startled out of our reverie. What a meal. What an elegant yet wonderfully communal way of eating. What better way to showcase Johnny’s dexterity and skillset in the kitchens than by giving him free rein. What novel dishes, What an eclectic menu. The novelty!
So yes, not only one for the little black book, but OXTWO should also be applauded for bringing Oxford’s food scene something new, ambitious and accessible. It’s a hard combination to pull off, but here in the centre of Summertown it’s already casting its spell.
OXTWO is at 267 Banbury Rd, Summertown, Oxford OX2 7HT. https://www.oxtwo.co.uk
