Adrian Lomas from the three Michelin starred Moor Hall in West Lancashire has taken over the reins as head chef at The Fox in Middle Barton, just a few months after it opened.
The Oxfordshire village pub pulls in some big names, Richard Galli from Claridge’s running the kitchens there for the first few months. READ OUR EXCLUSIVE HERE But now that the pub is up and running, Richard has departed and Adrian has stepped swiftly and firmly into his kitchen clogs.
Either way, new owner Tony O’Sullivan, would be the first to admit that The Fox has had its fair share of teething troubles, but is now confident of Adrian’s prowess, so we headed down to see what the new chef had in store.
The Fox itself is beautiful to behold, lit up of an autumn evening, its historical splendour irresistible, the lengthy garden stretching out alongside. Inside the dazzling bar is framed with exquisite wines and the famous Guinness Nitrosurges which pour the perfect pint in 14 seconds.
‘We don’t want The Fox to be like any other pub’
We were hoping for a cocktail menu, but instead they serve daily drinks specials, the pear Spritzer with hints of ginger crumb absolutely delicious. Wine here is also a big deal so during the meal we luxuriated in a Minuty rose and a silky, smooth glass of Cote de Rhone.
Inside the tables are spread out from the bar either side of the fireplace. There is an upstairs private dining area, and then a second bar area near the kitchens where we were sat, the tables mingled tightly together, the furniture quite close and lacking privacy. An odd place to eat.
Adrian, it seems, is the right man for the job
Come summer, the seating options are much more extensive and to be fair they had reserved us a table near the bar but it was too dark for photography, so maybe next time. Would a division between the drinkers and diners work better?
To be honest, once we were handed our menus we cared less, so many interesting and original entries. What to pick? We took so long to choose that our poor waitress nearly gave up.
We studied the menus for so long our poor waitress nearly gave up – so many interesting and original dishes
From the snack section, the beef shin croquettes with mustard mayo (£7) and the corn ribs with whipped feta (£6). Croquettes usually feature chorizo, ham or fish mixed with potato, so the beef shin was an original entry, the meat lovely and flakey, soft, flavoursome and beautifully cooked and then packed tightly within the crispy cylindrical shell, the mayo homemade and accentuated with a herb oil. Stunning.
The corn ribs, trendy on menus these days but often bought in, here were tiny little succulent chewy nuggets of crispy, charred, BBQ’d goodness, which we dabbed in the light, fluffy cheese dip, and ate like a raccoon. Things were looking up!
The pasta though! Served from a pronged fork and engulfed in a shamelessly buttery sauce dotted with shaved truffles and a herb oil, was simple but utterly delicious
It’s also unusual to find pasta as a starter, although the Italians always have it before the meat or fish course, but here Wiltshire truffle tagliatelle, parmesan and maitake mushroom (hen-of-the-woods) was up for grabs as an entree, and who were we to say no? And the birds liver parfait with home made brioche (£15), made with both duck and chicken, another first.
Picture perfect, the parfait was rich and smooth, the red wine gel piquant, the homemade bread soft and sweet, and an apt demonstration of the skillset Adrian is bringing to the Fox table, literally.
The pan fried halibut, seaweed beurre blanc and samphire was another masterclass
The pasta though. Mamma Mia! Served wound from a pronged fork and engulfed in a shamelessly buttery sauce dotted with shaved truffles and a herb oil, it was simple but utterly delicious. We could have had it for mains as well.
The pan fried halibut, seaweed beurre blanc and samphire (£30) was another masterclass, the fish exceptional and flakey, the salty, classic sauce replete with white wine and a butter emulsion infused with the savoury, briny depth of seaweed, the bite of salty samphire, and a side of al dente, tender stem broccoli.
the cheese board had a menu on its own
Aubergine parmigiana is usually a simple dish of layered veg, cheese and tomato sauce but here complete with pesto (£18) was almost crispy like a patty and so rather oily, its components melded rather than distinct. Can a parmigiana be too rich?
Still up for dessert, the cheese beckoned, a menu of its own; three for £11 and six for £19.50, a wonderful collection of British classics from as far as Killeen Dairy in Ireland, Leicester’s Westcombe Red, Tunworth’s Camembert rival, Gubbeen from Cork, Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire and a Cashel blue, the texture, maturity and variety enhanced by the truffle honey and quince.
Dessert wise, the banoffee creme brûlée was a must, the topping so deliciously crackly and crunchy it was almost hard to break through, the creme heavenly in its smooth, creamy, vanillary depths, although the banana pieces within were rather unwieldy.
So yes, moments of brilliance, and with Adrian only in situ for two weeks, and a whole new kitchen and team to deal with, it’s almost too early to call.
The banoffee creme brûlée was a must, the topping so deliciously crackly and crunchy it was almost hard to break through
There’s more work to do on the pub’s aesthetics, but from what we experienced the writing is already on the wall, just as Tony hoped, and Adrian, it seems, is the right man for the job.
“I’m learning,” Adrian told us after our meal. “This is my first time working in a pub so there are adjustments to be made, but we are using the best ingredients, the best suppliers, and want to offer something a bit different. So everything is made in house. We don’t want The Fox to be like any other pub.”
Watch this space!
The Fox, 27 Enstone Rd in Middle Barton. https://thewinedevil.uk
