News that The Corn Room was opening in Witney on the site of Dirty Bros went viral, spreading like wildfire. READ ABOUT IT HERE Headed up by young whippersnappers Paul Piper and Jay Bartlett, previously of The Lamb in Crawley, the pressure was on!
‘The Corn Room has got everything going for it’
But from the moment we arrived on Saturday night we knew The Corn Room was onto something; the bustling, welcoming, bistro-like interior bathing its diners in a real bonhomie, cocktail-drinkers lining the bar, foodies tucking in with gusto, laughing, chatting and enjoying the convivial atmosphere and great neighbourhood vibe.
Joining in, we immediately ordered some of Paul’s vibrant cocktails – the toasted negroni made with his homemade hazelnut gin, and the ginger and elderflower sour, both of which were gulped down in an indecent time while salivating over the menu.
there was literally nothing on the menu we didn’t want to try
And there was literally nothing on it we didn’t want to try, meaning that narrowing down the options was excruciatingly difficult, especially as Jay’s food was creating ripples around the room.
In the end we kicked off with the beef ragu and mozzarella arancini with tomato sauce (£8) because we’d spied one being carried over to the other side of the room and had major food envy.
Throw in the crab mayonnaise on brioche (£9), the mediterranean marinated lamb skewer with wild garlic chimichurri and chilli (£9.95), some padron peppers with smoked sea salt (£7) and the wild garlic panisse with olive tapenade (£8.95) because we had no idea what it was and needed to enlighten ourselves, and we were happy.
And The Corn Room delivered on every front – the piping hot, crispy arancini, like a Dutch bitterballen, was meaty and mushy, the mozzarella oozing out when you cut into it, the tomato sauce rich and vigorous. Oh so good.
The table next to us agreed. They’d popped in for a quick drink the night before, tried the arancini as a bar snack, and immediately booked to return for dinner.
The table next to us had popped in for a quick drink the night before, tried the arancini and immediately booked in for dinner
The crab mayonnaise was completely the opposite to the strident Italian arancini – delicate, light, fresh and quintessentially English – it was so delicious my husband had to fend us all off.
The wild garlic chimichurri that accompanied the beautifully marinated lamb defied belief – so punchy and piquant they could have served it on its own with some breadsticks and we’d have been happy.
But it was the garlic panisse with olive tapenade that held the biggest surprise. Like polenta sticks made with chickpea flour it was fairly humble aesthetically, but the taste! One bite and we were addicted, the tapenade further proving Jay’s immense skill at dips and sauces. It was a stunning start.
The fish of the day was a whole skate wing cooked perfectly in brown butter, served with tender stem broccoli; the fish generous, succulent, soft and resplendent on the plate.
As for the 8oz ribeye (£34) it came with all the extras – some awe-inspiring onion rings, soft, plump, sweet confit cherry tomatoes, moreish parmesan and chive fries, and a wild garlic chimichurri, the steak perfectly cooked, the accruements an embarrassment of riches.
As for the parsley and tarragon sauce which accompanied the leek tatin with goats cheese (£17.95) – the dark green, thick, herby coulis complimented the creamy leek and the crumbly pastry.
And as diners come and went, Fat Lil’s regulars popping in for a quick cocktail before they moved next door, people catching up over dinner, we revelled in our newfound knowledge that Paul and Jay were bringing something new to the table while elevating Oxfordshire’s food offering right here in Witney, without any airs or graces, instead relying on good old-fashioned passion.
Paul and Jay are bringing something new to the table and elevating Oxfordshire’s food offering right here in Witney
Dessert was a push, but if the previous dishes were anything to go by we were helpless to resist – the poached rhubarb and creme patisserie tartlet (£9) was beautiful to behold, the creamy white of the custard contrasting with the pink of the ribboned fruit, and the green of the mint.
But it was the tonka bean panna cotta with blood orange that won hands down, the citrus fruit plump, juicy and sweet without any of the acidity, perfectly complementing the soft, buxom panna cotta which sucked against the spoon.
the tonka bean panna cotta with blood orange won hands down
So look out Oxford, because there is a new contender in town. And while opening up during the current climate is a brave move and should be applauded, with food of this quality The Corn Room has got everything going for it. Give it a try!
The Corn Room is at 64 Corn Street, Witney, OX28 6BS. Go to https://www.infocornroom.co.uk
