It’s a bucolic scene that greets you on emerging into the gardens of The Perch behind the historic pub in Binsey. The conservatory windows and doors are open, a breeze flowing through the packed interior, the terrace tables sit dappled in the sun, while the benches in the garden are decorated with families, couples and friends enjoying a drink and snack from the Shed Bar.
Even the ancient interior was full, perhaps with those requiring more of a shaded dining spot. Owner Jon Else must have rubbed his hands in glee when the sun finally came out this week, after such an abysmal summer, and the crowds flocked. Where else would you want to spend your Sundays?
It was a late lunch we were after, and as the service at The Perch runs from 12 noon until 9pm, it was the obvious place to go. Sat on the terrace with a cold glass of wine, all was good in the world, but would we go for the roast or something lighter?
‘Where else would you want to spend your Sundays?’
Our lovely waitress Geraldine helped us choose, starters consisting of Isle of Wight tomato and Somerset ricotta salad, lemon & honey dressing (£11.95) and the fish plate which consists of prawn cocktail, peppered smoked mackerel pâté, rollmop herrings, whiskey and treacle cured trout, pickled cucumbers, caper berries and warm breads (£12.95) both of which you can also have as a main.
The fish plate was inspired; delicate portions of each, huge capers on stalks, the smoked mackerel pate so moreish scattered with tiny pink peppercorns scooped onto the variety of breads and then heaped with the pickles, a piquant prawn cocktail, succulent rollmop and flavoured trout disappearing indecently fast.
‘Sat on the terrace with a cold glass of wine, all was good in the world’
The tomatoes (see main pic) were marinaded and juicy, ricotta replacing the usual mozzarella, creating a gentler, softer, more seasonal dish, dotted with yellow baby tomatoes and red roasted onions. Just the right summery appetisers we’d been hoping for.
And while there were alternatives to the roast – burgers, fish and specials – we still couldn’t resist the magnificent plates of beef, pork, lamb and wellington being paraded past, and gave in.
Brilliant decision because the roasts are not only generous but lived up to all expectations; the attention to detail evidenced by long term head chef Craig Thomson making all the difference.
‘the roasts are not only generous but lived up to all expectations’
As evidenced in the shredded cabbage; delicate and light as befitting the climes and dressed with rapeseed oil, chervil, garlic, and basil (I could have eaten a whole portion in a big bowl), the gravy deep and salty, the potatoes crisp and scattered with rosemary, huge soft, chewy Yorkshire puddings with crispy edges, the bright yellow heritage carrots actually tasting of carrots thanks to veg supplier next-door farm Medley Manor, the extras more than holding their own!
As for the the two huge slices of 28-day dry aged, british grass-fed rump of beef (£25.95), their abundance made them a challenge to finish, despite their tenderness, offset with a glorious home-made fiery creamed horseradish.
The cauliflower cheese (£5.45) had to be ordered separately, which we debated at lunch, it now being standard practice, my husband convinced not everyone likes it! How can you not? Served in little enamel dishes, The Perch offering needed more cheese in the sauce but was nicely cooked.
There were two veggie/vegan options, The Perch being notorious for its extensive and varied herbivorous menus, but the roast butternut squash, leek and spinach wellington with beetroot relish (£19.95) won the day, something a bit lighter as the afternoon stretched in front of us.
‘the attention to detail evidenced by long term head chef Craig Thomson making all the difference’
The crispy soft wellington pastry was littered with tiny roast pumpkin seeds, the filling beautifully flavoured, often a clumsy mishmash that’s either too sweet or bitter, but here packed with leek, spinach, butternut squash and seeds, the ideal foil for the roast additions, the beetroot relish a clever summer alternative to the more wintery red cabbage.
Refusing to give up on the epic portions we ploughed through, pausing for breath before they even dared show us the dessert menu. Nothing too heavy then, so sadly no to the gingerbread pudding with stem ginger, caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream (£8.75) or even the lighter frozen strawberry and vanilla parfait, chopped strawberries & mint, elderflower cream & almond brittle, eventually compromising on the Salcombe Dairy Vanilla Ice Cream, dark chocolate sauce & toasted almonds £8.25.
The chocolate sauce was served in a tiny bottle and was so good I actually sipped the leftovers afterwards, not too dark but more akin to a French hot chocolate, melting the sterling ice cream underneath, the nuts providing a satisfying crunch.
‘a more English scene would be hard to come by’
It really was a superb meal, and a delectable experience, because eating out is about more than the food, however good the menu is, and equally about the atmosphere and circumstance. And sitting back to enjoy the vista playing out around us, a post- wedding party taking place in the marquee at the back, a more English scene would be hard to come by.
So whether you fancy a pint and a burger or a more refined offering, The Perch has got it all going on this summer, with capacity for 150 on the terrace, conservatory and interior and a further 150 in the garden catered for by The Shed Bar. But don’t take our word for it, try it out for yourselves!
The Perch is at Binsey Lane, Oxford, OX2 0NG https://the-perch.co.uk
