Review - The Folly, Oxford

In an ideal world we would all travel to and from The Folly restaurant in one of the lovely Edwardian river launches operated by its owner Giles Dobson, who is also boss of Oxford River Cruises. I’d suggest the Bacchanalia suitable for the outward journey on the Thames — as it proved a summer or so ago for Rosemarie and me, with quantities of fizz to match action to the name. The company’s other vessel, called Golden Slumbers, might more fittingly perform the return trip.

But this is hardly the time of year for boating, though the company’s much larger Serafina II is still in action, ready and waiting at the pontoon alongside the restaurant. The sight, I dare say, is a familiar one to my readers, for who can cross Folly Bridge without a peep down towards the waters?

The Folly, of course, enjoys a glorious location, with wide windows offering superb views of the river, and lots of space for outdoor eating and drinking when the sun shines. Odd to think there was a planning hoo-ha involving some of the neighbours when the pontoon scheme was first mooted a few years back. Intriguing to see what spoilsports some people are.

This does not apply, I hasten to add, to the Folly’s closest neighbour, my pal Orde Levinson. A regular patron, as might be expected, he keeps me briefed on activities there, including most recently the arrival of an excellent new chef in the shape of David Haywood. Orde not only told me of his coming but — tuned into the festive mood — generously invited Rosemarie and me to assess David’s skills over a dinner there with him and another friend — another David.

This took place at a time when, on other nights, the Folly was playing host to many large parties. These were hardly a problem, I surmise, for a young chef well used to dealing with 120 covers or more on evening service at Oxford’s Randolph Hotel. He trained there for three years between 2009 and 2012 and returned briefly last year. He CV also includes spells at the great Cherwell Boathouse and at Clinton Pugh’s Café Coco in Cowley Road. He was in Australia for five months in 2013, working in one of Melbourne’s fine dining restaurants which fuelled his passion for fresh approaches to food.

These are evident even in a cursory glance at the menu at The Folly which on the night of our visit offered such starters as terrine of beetroot and goat cheese, and ballotine of local wild rabbit, with risotto of celeriac and butternut squash, and a poached fillet of brill with an orange and ginger sauce among the main course dishes.

Since the menu was sensibly modest in dimension, and we were a party of five — the aforementioned Giles also joined us — we got to see and try much of what was on offer. The whole supplied an impressive demonstration of David’s skills, on which I was delighted to compliment him at the end of the meal — by which time Orde had magicked up the Tokay from his stock at home. Earlier (let’s mention the wines straightaway) we had drunk a tasty Côtes du Rhône (St Hilaire D’Ozilhan 2012) and a similarly spicy Chilean pinot noir (Anane, 2012).

Always pleased to be eating English rabbit (helps keep numbers down) I started with the ballotine. This was a generous portion, consisting of two large discs of the delicious meat, teamed with celeriac purée and a sweet red wine dressing. There was plenty of home-baked bread to enjoy with it.

Rosemarie had scallops, pan-seared and served with kohlrabi and velouté foam. There were three of them which, even at £8.50, was significantly better value than one she she was served at a lunch with me last week. And I do mean one, costing £16. But this was diver-caught (I’d have expected Jacques Cousteau, at that price) and it was at London’s Savoy Hotel.

Just as generous, perhaps even more so, was the other starter sampled by our team — Orde’s portion of beetroot and goat cheese terrine, with pickled wild mushrooms and parsley oil. It is in the nature of the beast, being beetroot, that the terrine was going to be a bright pink; that it was, however, made it look for me, in its shiny smoothness, a little too reminiscent of blancmange, with all the horrors of 1950s childhood parties this summoned to mind.

Speaking of pink, that was the colour of my main course breast of partridge, as can be seen in the photograph, above, with the accompanying red cabbage, baby onions and butternut purée. This was because it had been cooked sous-vide (for a long period, in a bag in water). Now the purpose of this is to ensure even cooking throughout, But is this what you want with a partridge? I like a crispy outside, and a decent gamey flavour, which was absent here, as I pointed out later to chef David.

The Times’s Giles Coren delivered an intemperate tirade against the cooking method in a review this summer of the Kingham Plough. I wouldn’t wish to see it outlawed, as he suggested, but chefs certainly need to be choosy about what it’s applied to.

It was not, thank goodness, to the sirloin of beef shared by Orde and David (again pictured). Besides the pink slices of beef, were sticky braised cheek, onion rings and triple-cooked chips. The grilled fillet of sole and the poached fillet of brill were given the thumbs-up by, respectively, Rosemarie and Giles.

There was even room, in some cases for pudding, including a hot chocolate fondant, and coffee-scented panna cotta.

I had a share in the sensational cheeses seen right. A fine meal.

The Folly 
1 Folly Bridge, Oxford, OX1 4JU
01865 201293
no1-folly-bridge.co.uk

Opening times: Lunch noon-3pm Sat and Sun. Dinner 6-9.30pm (10pm Fri/Sat). Closed Dec 24-6, Jan 1-8
Parking: Redbridge park-and-ride recommended or Westgate
Key personnel: Owner Giles Dobson, manager Nathan Conn, head chef David Haywood
Make sure you try the... ballotine of rabbit (£7), pan-seared scallops (£8.50), BBQ sirloin of beef for two (£45), poached fillet of brill (£22), partridge breast (£19), hot chocolate fondant (£6.50)
In ten words: Enjoy great food and wine in a stunning riverside setting.