Christopher Gray pays a special visit to the always popular Greyhound at Besselsleigh

I reviewed the Greyhound at Besselsleigh enthusiastically five years ago, within weeks of its takeover by Brunning & Price, and have eaten there at least half a dozen times since.

Originating in the north west, Brunning & Price is a smallish company whose ideas of what a good pub should be tally closely with mine.

Key factors include tasteful decor in traditional style, a good range of hand-pumped beers (I counted seven along the Greyhound’s bar) and robustly flavoured food served in generous quantity.

Good-natured, helpful staff are important, too, and the young team here are certainly that, if at times lacking a little in professional polish. But who expects this in a country pub?

The Greyhound’s history is not well documented, but it is reckoned to have been serving the local community and passing travellers for about 400 years.

Once a coaching inn with smithy on-site, it later housed both a bakery and a forge used to make bells. Alfred White (1804-1876), innkeeper and church bellhanger, is commemorated in a blue plaque to the right of the front door. Whites of Appleton remains in business, the oldest bellhanging company in the UK.

In the 40-odd years I have used it, the pub has always been popular with those seeking country comfort within easy reach of Oxford. It is but one stop from Botley on Stagecoach’s 66 buses to Swindon, as I found to my cost when I boarded one instead of the Witney-bound S1.

The bus was the preferred means of transport on our most recent visit, laid on for the birthday of Rosemarie’s mother, Olive. On such an occasion, there would naturally be wine taken.

This was sherry, in the case of the birthday girl herself, who was pleased to see her favourite Crofts Original among the bottles lined up behind the bar, including lots of the malt whiskies for which the place is known.

The back fitting is cleverly constructed, for it also opens on to the room behind, thereby supplementing an eclectic decor composed of closely-packed pictures (many on sporting themes), bric- à- brac and books.

Volumes of law reports, dating from the 1930s, filled the shelves next to the table to which we were directed once we’d finished our drinks at the bar.

The menu having already been studied, we were able to place our orders with waiter Tom as soon as we sat down, though it my case last-minute revision was necessary when the main course I fancied, hake wrapped in prosciutto, was sold out.

First, in accordance with my usual practice, I shall mention a few of the things we didn’t have as a prelude to describing the things we did. They included starters of satay king prawns, smoked salmon cheesecake (a very temping offer that) and grilled halloumi.

There were two sharing boards: meats (lamb rump, smoked duck breast and rare topside among them) and veggie (baked camembert, grilled artichokes, stuffed peppers and lots beside).

Light bites might have brought smoked haddock kedgeree, seafood linguine or confit duck salad; mains proper, a range including pan-fried seabass, slow-cooked feather of beef, three-cheese and summer vegetable lasagne, and spiced bean cassoulet. Something there for everyone, then, save vegans.

Oxford Mail:

  • The bar offers a wide range of hand-pumped beers

And let’s not forget the puds, among them steamed rhubarb sponge, pineapple cheesecake and chocolate and hazelnut brownie.

I kicked off with rabbit, ham hock and tarragon croquettes in crispy breadcrumbs with an admirable home-made piccalilli, while Rosemarie began with chicken liver pate, here teamed with (less usual) plum and ginger chutney.

Olive passed on a starter, suspecting – which proved to be the case – that her braised shoulder of lamb would present a formidable main-course challenge.

The meat was melt-in-the-mouth and cooked for so long that much of the fat was gone. Dauphinoise potatoes, chantenay carrots and broccoli came with it, plus a rich rosemary gravy.

For me, there were three plump Kelmscott Farm pork sausages with mash, butter greens and onion gravy, while Rosemarie completed a trio of traditional favourites with a perfect steak and kidney pudding, the suet crust packed with meaty filling.

Olive was the only taker of pud. The hot waffle with caramelised banana, toffee sauce and ice cream was judged an ideal birthday treat.

DETAILS

The Greyhound, Nr Wootton, Oxford,
OX13 5PX,
01865 862110/greyhound-besselsleigh.co.uk

The people: Manager Peter Palfi, head chef Piotr Wysocki
Opening hours: Food served daily noon until 10pm (9.30pm Sunday)
Large car park and garden.
Do try... rabbit, ham hock and tarragon croquettes (£6.50), chicken liver pate (£5.95), steak and kidney pudding (£13.95), sausage and mash (£10.95), braised shoulder of lamb (£16.95), hot waffle with banana (£5.65)