Review: The White Hart, Wytham

To cut a very long story short, it was a fait accompli.

Baz at The White Hart in Wytham knew I was coming, as did his kitchen crew and waiting staff, so whether they were any nicer than normal, or more skilled all of a sudden, I don’t know, but I’d blown my cover big style.

The White Hart regulars had heard me on on Radio Oxford that morning talking about tipping – to tip or not to tip in the wake of Cote-gate – and at the end of the show the radio producer swung a curve ball and asked me where I was dining that very evening, and like a fool I told him.

So there Baz was, waiting for me, ready to dull my edges with a nice glass of wine, bless him.

I can’t be bought by the way, just so you know, and we proceeded to have dinner regardless, like defiant caravanners on the edge of the motorway, oblivious to what was going on around us.

Besides, I had been planning my come-back more carefully than John Travolta, and having heard that Baz of St Giles Cafe fame had taken over The White Hart had squealed like a pig in an abattoir.

At last the Wytham pub might rise resplendent from its mediocre ashes to once more reign supreme.

Waiting with baited breath for the inn to re-open, set up shop and get into the swing of things, I’d saved the bank holiday weekend in August to dine in splendour in the beautiful walled garden, and what happens?

It rains. Of course it does.

And I know there were many of you worse off, huddled under beach brollies in Cornwall, or in tents in Devon and Wales, but I was still mightily peeved, because this was supposed to be my home-coming.

In its heyday, when I was a student, The White Hart was the place to be, except for Browns of course, and securing a table there was a fine art, even though Wytham is situated in a hidden village off the A34, so you had to know someone with a car.

I won’t dwell on the interim period, but suffice to say The White Hart’s halo then slipped so far it had emigrated. Until now, that is, with Baz at the helm, its reputation given a lifeline for the first time in years.

Arriving in a flurry of excitement, despite the weather, we sat stubbornly in the courtyard outside under the big heated umbrellas. It’s lovely and rustic inside, but it was August and we are British for God’s sake. We had seen worse.

The lovely Carla served us a crisp South African rosé as we sat and took in our surroundings while studying the menu.

We opted for the marinated beetroot tartare with goats cheese mousse and lambs lettuce (£6.25)and the slow braised pigs cheek with pickled cabbage, pear puree and mead juice (£6.50).

I misread it though and was surprised when the beetroot tartare arrived without pastry. Doh! Pastry would have been nice though.

The pigs cheeks however was delicious, the meat beautifully cooked, although the cabbage was more like sauerkraut and not as successful.

The pulled lamb with bulgar wheat and cherry jus, sampled from the special’s board, came with a wonderfully rich sauce and was more like an exotic stew than a tagine.

• The seafood kedgeree at The White Hart

The pan fried calves liver with crisp polenta, lemon, sage, a cherry tomato salad and marsala sauce was also a big hit, the meat sliced like butter (£13.75).

Sadly, the seafood kedgeree was slightly too stodgy for me – more of a risotto than the creamy silky strands of curried rice, eggs and fish that I was hoping for (£14.50). I was hoping for more spice, but still a good addition to the menu.

The homemade rhubarb and almond tart with ice cream, another special, was shared rapturously, and over coffee we reflected on how Oxford’s best pubs were slowly but surely coming back to life, like relics from another age.

As for the future, Baz has big plans. He knows The White Hart is a work in progress and his outdoor paella plate and wood-burning oven dreams had to be put on hold when he decided to get married this summer instead.

But I am in no doubt that the White Hart is on the mend and we had a lovely meal there.

The food was simple but gracious, the ingredients spoke for themselves, and given a dose of sunshine it will be absolutely unbeatable.

So welcome back to the White Hart. You took your time!

As for the tip, it was generous to say the least.

I set myself up there.

THE WHITE HART

Wytham, Oxfordshire, OX2 8QA

Opening times: Food
Mon – Sat: 12pm – 3pm
Mon – Sat: 6pm – 9pm
Sun: 12pm – 4.30pm
Parking: on site
People: Baz otherwise known as Mark Butcher and the lovely Amanda as front-of-house
Do try the: Sunday lunch which includes an array of à la carte starters from the main menu