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Authentic French café nestled in residential side street in Headington. |
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3 Osler Road Ads by Daily Info:   
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Went for a birthday meal with friends recently and was really impressed despite prior reservations. I had not considered Cafe Noir as a possible venue when considering which Oxford eaterie to visit when planning the occassion given that I always thought it was nothing more than a casual cafe serving sandwiches and hot drinks during the day, and thought the cooking would not be up to much. I was very wrong as my friends' and my own meals were all very good. The atmosphere was cosy and buzzy (helped by its small size) and the service friendly and attentive without being intrusive. My squid starter was very tasty and it was refreshing to have it not served as kalamari. I went for the wholly unoriginal choice of a steak for main but was rewarded with a beautifully cooked rare entrecote with decent chunky chips and a thick, punchy Bernaise sauce. The side order of veg I had was also well cooked. The pudding was probably the weakest part of my meal, with the walnut gateau being quite bland. (It was perhaps not helpful to be able to see from my seat all the cakes/gateau piled up in the fridge in containers. It does suggest that dessert is something of an afterthought.) I was driving, but did have a small glass of so-so Rioja before reverting to a far-too-sweet and not tart enough lemon presse (not a touch on Café Rouge's DIY version). Prices were very reasonable and I would recommend a visit to anyone who wants somewhere a little different and that is wholly unpretentious. Joe B, 03/02/10 Wow, what a convivial evening. Went there for dinner with some friends. The service was very attentive but there was never a feeling of being rushed. The food was excellent, especially the Seabass special and great value for money considering. Wine was good also and we will definitely be coming back for more; have happily recommended to a friend who is visiting this weekend. Paul, 23/01/10 Great tasting, simple food at reasonable prices, in a friendly, welcoming and lively atmosphere. With its long, high curved bar, small tables for two, on-street seating, glass frontage and walls plastered in vintage French posters, this place could hold its own in any French town! Truffle scented ragout of forest mushrooms with linguine and parmesan was £10.95 well spent - it was DELICIOUS, as was the merlot (£4.95 for a big glass). There were a couple of interesting-looking Persian options on the menu too which I'm looking forward to trying next time. Hooray for having such a fab little eaterie on my doorstep! HeadingtonLass, 25/08/09 Visited this restaurant for dinner yesterday and was mightily impressed. We chose the 2 course menu for £10.95 (starter and main course). Everything was perfect. The food was superb, high quality and perfectly cooked, service impeccable, attentive but not intrusive; the atmosphere relaxed and welcoming. We didn't have a reservation and the table was needed again at 7pm but we were never rushed and in fact we left at 7.20 without a murmer. The wine we had was a fantastic sauvignon blanc from New Zealand for £15.95. The atmosphere is exquisite, the staff attentive and friendly, the food is delicious and wonderfully presented, and the prices were amazing for the quality experience we got. Although we had opted for the 2 course meal at £10.95 we could not resist the desserts once we saw one being served. They were just what I like: simple, full of flavour and done to perfection. And to end up the evening, we were given a plate of lovely chocolate truffles. For a 2 course meal of this quality I wouldn’t mind paying more than £20. I do think honestly a lot of restaurants should be inspired about what this team is able to achieve during what we call a credit crunch!!! We really enjoyed our two hours there, it was a perfect dinner and we will definitely be back. Thank you and well done. Emma, 30/03/09 This has got a real good quality feel to it. It’s a lovely place for a date - cosy and intimate, or for some quality time with a friend or family member. I love the goats cheese and cranberry toast for starter - it’s not too overpowering but full of flavour. They do some nice main courses (my favourites: Persian lamb and aubergine) and, something that particularly excites me: crêpes! The staff are friendly and the service is good. Drinks are quite cheap compared to some other restaurants, with soft drinks coming in at around £1.70. Flick, 25/02/09 We went for a birthday meal here last weekend and both thought it was fantastic. Food was cooked to perfection, service was fantastic and the restaurant itself had a really nice intimate feel about it. Would definitely visit again. Enrica, 17/01/09 We had our Christmas Party at Cafe Noir - around 26 of us up for a great night out with the promise of a 4 course dinner. The evening did not disappoint. We were extremely well looked after all night, by on-the-ball waiters who did an amazing job keeping us all fed and watered. It could not have been easy for the kitchen getting 26 starters, mains and desserts out the door at the same time but somehow they achieved it. The food was top notch and everyone was happy. The majority went for the steak as a main course and were rewarded with a thick and succulent cut of beef. I had turkey with trimmings which was ok but a little dried out. My Creme Brulée was A grade though - creamy, good consistency and served beautifully. We chose a £17 bottle of New Zealand Sauvignon and a £15 bottle of Argentinean Malbec, both of which were well received and we effortlessly got through at least 10 of each! Overall a thoroughly enjoyable night with the service standing out as a real high point. Will be back soon. Jan, 12/12/08 Had a great dinner which cheered up an otherwise wet and windy day. The staff were incredibly friendly, the atmosphere was busy and cheery, even on a Monday night, and it was a Godsend to find somewhere in Headington you can leave with both your stomach and your wallet well filled: fantastic value! I had a very generous helping of salt and pepper squid with a tasty chili dip to start followed by the tastiest steak I've had in years. The wine list also looked amazingly reasonable (and varied) although I opted for a well cooled bottle of Italian beer. My wife had a soup to begin (I can't remember exactly what variety) but she declared it 'warming and wholesome'. She then went for the chicken brochette which was amazing. There was also a huge range of puddings - my warm chocolate orange pudding was worth its weight in gold: rich and very, very satisfying. My wife opted for crême brulée which she refused to share with me. I cannot recommend this cafe enough for a casual, great value meal. The staff were very professional and warm and find the time to come over & say 'hello' which I thought was unique and caring. John Cole, 11/11/08 Cafe Noir is a little gem of France brought to Headington with lots to offer. I have been on numerous occasions and introduced colleagues to their crepes, which I think are the best in Oxford. The staffs are always bubbly and accommodating, having good knowledge of their seasonal specials and recommend dishes that suited the occasion. The pan fried salmon is the one to try – the skin was crisp and meat cooked to perfection. The combination of citrus and creamy sauce also added a touch of excitement to the usual pan fried cooking you get elsewhere. All in all, 10 out of 10 and I shall be returning soon for more! Ray, 31/10/08 Great ambience, really cosy and nice lighting. It’s good for a drink or coffee in the afternoon and a nice place to impress a date as it becomes an intimate candlelit French restaurant/bistro after dark. Reasonable prices for fresh food that has that home-cooked touch… even the desserts! Welcoming, friendly staff. Well worth checking out next time you find yourself in Headington, though you'll probably want to book a table if you're eating there on a Saturday. There is a downstairs dining room which can be booked for large parties, and there is seating outside at street level so you can watch the world roll by. Sazzberry, 14/10/08 I've been going to this cafe/wine bar/restaurant for the past several years and it's been consistently great. This is such a great place for all sorts of occasions .The food is very good quality and extremely tasty, the staff are friendly and professional, everything works in this great little place, I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone as its friendly, sophisticated and most importantly delicious. Well worth your time and money! The only draw back is that there is no wi-fi facility. M Kemp, 02/10/08 Cafe Noir is the real thing. Unlike other so-called French restaurants, this one both looks and tastes authentic - it looks like it's straight out of a Goddard movie. Simple sophistication is the key here at this uncluttered restaurant. The pavement tables are ideal in summer and add to the French ambience. The food here is first class: the pork is a particular speciality of the chef and the wine is sold at a good price. The service is superb as well, making dinner here a delightful experience. Sue, 16/09/08 We have been going to Cafe Noir for many years. The service is nothing short of fantastic. The food is also Grade A and affordable. The restaurant is small, however the character of the restaurant is big. I like this little place, non-formula and a bit different. Very comfortable dining atmosphere which I think makes for a pleasant evening out and we really enjoy the food. Kate & Simon, 14/09/08 I recently visited cafe noir with some friends of mine after hearing rave reviews about it. I can honestly say we were not at all disappointed. The ambience was great, I really did not know what to expect but it was like being transported into the heart of Paris. The food in my opinion is great, this coupled with the warm and friendly atmosphere make for a thoroughly enjoyable evening. We all had a wonderful time and have booked to go back on Saturday evening for my friend's birthday. I have come across nothing else like this place in Oxford. Well done Café Noir, keep up the good work. mjl, 23/08/08 Really cool little place, just fantastic! I love the food here. Their menu is good value. I’ve been a few times and tried different things. Lamb and aubergine dish was amazing and steak is great. I wish there were more restaurants around like this. And the chocolate truffles given at the end of each meal is to die for. Will be back soon. Mathew, 18/08/08 The menu choice was vast and the quality and quantity outstanding. Go prepared to eat too much! The staff are respectful, attentive and very friendly. My husband and I went for a special occasion and they certainly ensured it was. The only thing about the restaurant is that tables are too close together. Everyone was having a fantastic night, the place was full and had a great atmosphere, you were not rushed and nothing was to much trouble, the staff seem to really enjoy their job. Excellent!! we would definitely recommend it to others. Cost per head = £21 for 3 courses and coffee. Betty, 16/07/08 This charming little cafe/bar/restaurant/bistro (I can't work out quite what to call it!) sits unassumingly on the main shopping street in Headington, on the corner with Osler Road. The initial impression is of a bar with small, crowded tables inside and out, that might serve you an average steak and chips, but once you sit down and take a look at the menu, it becomes apparent that the food here is something more. When a group of four of us arrived late on a Saturday night (it must have been approaching 10pm) the place seemed full, and we assumed that they would not be interested in serving us food that late. But as soon as we got inside, and squeezed ourselves near the bar, the chap behind the bar enthusiastically promised a table within 10 minutes, and asked what he could get us to drink in the meantime. Before we'd had a chance to make real headway into our G&Ts (made with Bombay Sapphire) the table was ready, and we sat down. The menu is predominantly meat based, although I must confess that I can't remember the whole range, it was so extensive, and we were so tired (there is a menu on their web site which will do better than I could). I ordered a grilled lamb fillet cooked rare, which came with french fries, chips and bearnaise sauce. It arrived in good time, and was perfectly cooked, nice and red in the middle, and the accompaniment was spot-on. It's the only time I've been out in Headington in the evening (it's nowhere near where I live) but I get the impression I'll be going to Cafe Noir again... Toby, 06/07/08 Tucked away in a little side street off London Road is Café Noir. This petite restaurant has a real homely atmosphere and serves a delicious range of food from the Mediterranean to the Middle East. With its mostly black & white decor, Café Noir is the perfect place to meet up with friends or work colleagues in the afternoon or at the beginning of a night. Even if you are not looking to have a meal, Cafe Noir makes a great sociable meeting point to have a delicious coffee or hot chocolate in an atmosphere that reminds of 1950’s France. The staff are very friendly and extremely helpful in serving meals suitable for anyone. Above all they always seem to have weird and wonderful beers from different parts of the world. Guy from JR, 10/06/08 Having gone to Oxford to pickup my daughter who lives in Headington and studies at Oxford Brookes University we decided to go to a local eatery for a quick snack before our return trip to Leeds. My daughter suggested this cosy cafe tucked away in Headington. We were immediately welcomed and looked after. The atmosphere was very warm and relaxed and the food we ordered was delicious. Food arrived promptly in less than 30 minutes although the place was jam packed. The cuisine is a fusion of middle-eastern, mediterranean, continental and traditional English and satisfies all tastes and dietary needs. I would definitely recommend the Khoresht with saffron rice and lemon cheese cake with tea to end with. Overall, we had a very pleasant experience and will be visiting again on my next visit to Oxford. I am already craving those saucy chunks of lamb. Total bill for 2 courses including soft drinks came to £36 for two. The complimentary truffles given with the bill were so tasty that I bought 2 tins; you guessed it - one for my wife and one for myself. Chris, 04/06/08 Ever since moving to Headington from London 2 months ago, I have been coming to this restaurant once or twice a week. The food is delicious and well presented, I’m working my way down the menu and so far everything I have tasted has been beautifully cooked and presented. The staff is very welcoming and friendly and are always able to cater for individual needs on request. This restaurant is just as good as any London one. Simplicity deserves success. Nicole, 02/06/08 My boyfriend and I used to live just around the corner from café noir and we used to eat there religiously until we moved (haven't found an equivalent in Reading yet!). The family who run the place are fantastic at what they do and make this place what it is. Great value for money, uncomplicated and always good. To owner of Café Noir: if you are reading this article please open a branch in Reading. We’ll be forever grateful. Theresa, 20/05/08 Our daughter and son-in-law who live in Headington took us to this café last week. Having just arrived from Paris we weren't expecting to enjoy the best French food ever. When you enter Café Noir, it seems to be stuck back in the fifties but the food is classic. The service is superb, the staff very friendly and accommodating. After eating out at a series of weak but famous 'eateries', my faith in serious restauranteering has finally been restored by a rather less well known establishment. Our meals were nothing short of sublime, wine list is short but complements the menu perfectly. I'm pretty sure I didn't eat for two days after our meal. Make sure you are ready for a true banquet. I can't give this place enough stars! I ponder how soon I will be invited again. Martin Solder, 19/05/08 We turned up without a reservation on a Thursday night - no tables, but they offered us one in 30 minutes, which was fine. Once seated we were both very impressed by the range of food on offer; you know when you look at a menu and there's nothing you wouldn't want to eat? It took us ages to choose, but the staff didn't hurry us. My starter, a pan fried salt and pepper squid with a sweet chilli sauce, was exceptional. The combination of flavours was quite unusual but worked very well indeed. My guest was more conventional, choosing soup of the day, but was also more than satisfied. For main course I ordered roast cod with spinach and parsnip mash and I tried to order extra vegetables but was told by the waiter that these were not required, and this proved correct. Portion size was perfect, flavours fresh, intense, but not overpowering. My guest chose steak, which arrived cooked perfectly pink as requested - it all disappeared quite quickly, so I guess it did the job! We chose a bottle of wine from the wine list, but I have no recollection of what it was, except to say that we enjoyed it and it did not seem overly expensive. We both went for our waiter's recommendation of chocolate pudding which turned out to be incredible. All in all, we left feeling very pleased with ourselves for our spur-of-the-moment decision. We'd had a really excellent three course meal including wine and coffee for around £55. We also got with our bill a small plate of chocolate truffles, in all honesty the best I’ve ever tasted. It was so good that when we asked for some more we not only got it but also were given some to take with us. Everything about Cafe Noir is totally fantastic. I wouldn't fault it at all. The decor is lovely and the staff wonderful and, most of all, the food is delicious. How the staff cope with the people who eat there makes them even more professional. Can’t wait to go back. Mark Brassington, 09/05/08 We just cannot get enough of this place. The atmosphere is unique - perfect for coffee or a meal at any time of day. Friendly staff, great coffee and food, and lovely, reasonably priced special menus for occasions such as New Year's Eve or Valentine's Day. We recommend their lemon pressé, and making sure you eat enough to get a (heavenly) truffle at the end. Hopefully enough reasons never to go anywhere else! frequentflier, 16/02/08 Cafe Noir is a gem of a restaurant. It combines the perfect blend of casual, unpretentious charm, delicious food and an amazingly friendly and warm staff. I only wish they would bring back the music on Wednesday evenings! And maybe even redecorate the downstairs to expand their seating... but it is a huge bonus to Oxford to have a place that truly embraces "cafe society". And it's a huge relief to be able to have an adult conversation! Wouldn't Hemingway have chosen Cafe Noir?! headiegirl, 31/01/08 Cafe Noir is a brilliant location for lunch, dinner or coffee with friends. It has a brilliant ambience with friendly staff. The Cafe Noir Salad is to die for and the flavoured lattes are unmatched in any coffee establishment in Oxford. akm103, 16/01/08 While in Headington just follow your nose - You can smell the aroma of freshly made coffee a mile away. The antithesis of those mega chains clogging up Oxford, Café Noir takes coffee back to the basics. No skinny caramel mocachino, frappucino abominations here – it’s all full fat and full on. I have only good things to say about their espresso. There's no messing about, just simply and expertly made. Prices are good too. How coffee is meant to taste in case you have forgotten! The sitting is small and popular, so if you are lucky enough to get a seat you normally have to share a table. I am a total fan though and make a point of going regularly for my weekend morning coffee fix with a decadent croissant or one of their moth watering desserts and the morning papers - the perfect way to while away a few Sunday hours. The mega-chain coffee shops can't touch this for quality or attention to details; every cup is served with a tasty caramel & cinnamon biscuit and a smile. C Spencer, 13/12/07 Real good coffee with a real 'grown up' ambience - unlike the cloned chunk of Seattle a few doors down. This is where the people in the know go. Robin, 04/12/07 Café Noir is my local in Headington too. I think the level of service has gone down recently. I feel like I'm troubling the staff when I visit. And the menu still hasn't changed! A few changes are needed to service and the menu, to make Café Noir fresh again. Also they need to be a little more competitive now there's a Starbucks almost next door. CCN, 25/11/07 Café Noir is my favourite place in Headington, Oxford, for lunch, dinner and even just for wines and light bites . Although it’s possibly not the place to come if you want a quiet dinner, I guarantee that the fantastic and everlasting atmosphere is well worth the decibels. When you step into Café Noir for the first time, it feels like being in Paris in 1950s (not that I’ve ever been in Paris in 50s.) As soon as you are seated, being at the bar or table, you can not help but to start a conversation with the guests seated next to you. Every one seems so friendly and happy. For starter I had grilled goats' cheese & cranberry toast with a winter leaf salad which was quite good and followed by fillet of lamb with a béarnaise sauce again very good. The puddings are excellent. I’d recommend the signature warm bitter chocolate and orange pudding served with vanilla ice cream (especially if, like me, you are a chocoholic) which was out of this world, or the dessert my partner opted for: lemon cheese cake served with raspberry couli and fresh cream. I genuinely love Café Noir and have lots of happy memories of it, as, I am sure, do many other people. It is a place that will not only obligingly fill up rumbling tummies – and in the most delicious way possible – but it also has a serious element of style, character and fun. Can not wait to go back. Keith Davis, 13/11/07 Ah, at last a new and a great menu with a matching wine list that changes on a regular basis. Also much more affordable. Staff are very friendly as usual and very attentive. Showed up in a party of 4 and without a reservation, place was packed on Monday night but staff did their best to squeeze us in (apparently Café Noir is a hang out for John Radcliff Hospital staff). Book in advance if you are planning to go there to avoid disappointment. Their Fillet of Lamb with Béarnaise Sauce was devine. By the way, their desserts are out of this world too. Total bill for 4 of us including drinks under £65. Sarah Robertson, 08/02/06 Just to let everybody know that the cafe has had a revamp in decor but stil staying with the same atmosphere and the menu and the wine list has changed. Incuding a lowering in prices. The chef is still fantastic and is very funny, as well as the staff being as friendly as ever. Katherine Austen, 21/11/05 As I used to live on Osler Road, Café Noir was at one time my 'local' and visited on numerous occasions, from family meals and friends' birthdays to quiet lunches and suppers. I was therefore interested to re-visit the restaurant in late January '04, and delighted to see that it hadn't changed (although neither had the menu). We were shown to the pleasant table in the window which we had booked (advisable for Friday and Saturday nights, as it does tend to get busy). The restaurant is split into two parts, with the upstairs being dark wood, arty photos and a feeling of French sophistication. The downstairs (which feels like a different restaurant) is quite a contrast in décor - pastel in colour, with not quite the same ambience. I would recommend the upstairs every time. The menu has some excellent dishes, although is not overly extensive, the mains consisting of three pasta dishes, three savoury pancake dishes, and the remainder largely comprising brochettes, stroganoffs and steaks. As is typical of French restaurants it does not cater too well for vegetarians, although there are a few options available. We all went for starters, and myself and one other had the goats cheese and tomato salsa which was delicious. One chose the mussels which were also admirable, and the fourth chose the smoked salmon and prawns which would have been better had they included the smoked salmon (we were only informed that they had run out of this when the starter arrived at the table consisting only of prawns, which was the only disappointing part of the service). Our main courses consisted of one steak with peppercorn sauce, a chicken brochette with rice and salad, a pasta dish with a chicken and mushroom sauce, and my choice of the special - salmon with a white wine, asparagus and shallot sauce. All meals were divine and got good endorsements from all in our group. Mine would have been improved had they used fresh asparagus rather than tinned, but the standard of the rest of the meal made up for this. The meals were beautifully, and sometimes artistically, presented but not at the expense of the portion sizes, as all were ample. All of this was washed down with a couple of bottles of the Chenin Blanc which was lovely. We were too full for pudding but if past experience is anything to go by I can vouch that these will not disappoint. The prices are not out of the ordinary for Oxford, with starters being around £5 - £6 and mains ranging from £8 - £14. Our bill for four consisting of two courses each and two bottles of wine came to just under £100 which I think reasonable for the standard of food. All in all I would certainly recommend Café Noir for a meal out, both for lunch (their hot sandwiches served until 6pm are good value) and dinner, although frequent diners may find the menu a little limiting after a while. Nicki Sneath, 01/01/04
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