The Big Bang
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Opening hours: Open daily 12-3pm and 5-11pm .
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124 Walton Street Useful links: Oxford Restaurants Oxford Hotels Oxford Pubs & Bars Oxford Concert venues Ads by Daily Info:
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Last week I went to The Big Bang for a meal with some friends from my university course as one of our group was shortly leaving Oxford and wanted to have some traditional British food before she left. There were 14 of us altogether, which is a large number admittedly, but my friend had reserved a table for us beforehand using the reservation service on the website. She received an email confirming the booking so we arrived the next day at the time the table was booked for. As the restaurant were having trouble with their computer system, they had no idea about our booking and we ended up waiting half an hour to be seated. Trouble next with the credit card machine meant no one could pay for their meal by card (many of our group could only pay this way) and then finally we were told (after being left to choose our meals) that we could only have plain mash with our sausages as we were a large number. I wouldn't have minded this if the person who had seated us had told us this before leaving us for a good ten minutes to look at the menu. Fed up of waiting and of all the restrictions eight of us went elsewhere. I don't think I will be trying The Big Bang again. I thought the prices were a little high for what was offered, but was willing to pay for some nice food and unusual combinations of sausages and mash. Our group wouldn't have got that if we had all stayed. My advice is don't go if there is a large group of you as they aren't very accommodating.
Rachel, student, 07/06/08 As a bit of a hidden gem to many tourists and residents of Oxford alike, I love it when there is an opportunity to bring new crowds to the Big Bang. Although, admittedly, I have encountered a fair few nights where order mix-ups have occurred, it has never seemed to be a problem for most diners. I have always found Max the owner and his staff to be tremendously welcoming, helpful and apologetic when necessary (myself and my dining companion were given another meal each free of charge on top of the ones we had just eaten!) The jazz nights are always a joy to attend, with the high quality and varied bands (from week to week) complementing the relaxed atmosphere. As for the food, speaking as one who doesn't generally care for the taste of bangers and mash, here I find the exception. The ingredients are fresh and locally sourced and the variety is more than enough to cover all tastes (including vegetarians as well as a gluten-free option). Although I have aimed to try every sausage they have to offer, I confess I always end up returning to the amazing lamb and mint choice. In the past couple of months the restaurant has made its jazz evenings more structured, serving a platter of olives, hummous, bread and cold meats to enjoy while waiing for the main course and taking in the live music. The mains are then served during the interval (where in many cases the band take an opportunity to tuck into bangers and mash themselves) and the remainder of the music set is played afterwards. I regret that I haven't so far been able to stay to the end of a jazz night yet, as I usually leave at 11:30 (perfect timing to get a legendary G&D's ice cream for the 40 minute walk home), but the room is always left bustling enough for the early birds to be forgiven. The Big Bang boasts its 'best bangers and mash in Britain' status as well as the impressive '3rd best place to eat for under £50' title, with its new lunch deals a ridiculously reasonable £4.50! So if you enjoy no-fuss, hearty, delicious food, a good atmosphere, and the charming enthusiasm of a small business then I urge you to pay them a visit! Tash, 08/01/08 I'm ashamed to say that last Tuesday was the first time I'd ever eaten at The Big Bang. Ashamed, because it looks like I've been missing out on something pretty special. As part of British Sausage Week (Sept. 15 - 21, now in its tenth year), BB owner Max Mason has launched a new dish combining two top favourites of British cuisine: bangers (5 million Brits eat sausage each day, according to The Sun - so it must be true) and curry. The new Goan sausage sounded well worth investigating (after confirming that the pork wasn't actually sourced from Goa – have you seen what pigs eat there?!), and Tuesday is jazz night, so off we went. Arriving at 9ish, the jazz was in full swing (ha), with occasional house band Blues For Pablo covering pop classics in a jazz style. BB has two smallish seating areas, one up and one downstairs (both expanded psychologically by wall-size mirrors), and the amplified jazz raised the level of conversation at the full, café-style tables in the basement such that we were sometimes nearly shouting at each other - yet managed to be fitting rather than annoying, as we were surrounded by colourful portraits of jazz musicians, and it certainly kept the atmosphere lively (though I might turn off the flashing fairy lights if I had the choice). Upstairs the volume was conducive to quieter dining. BB makes a big deal of its music events, apparently to good effect, as it also hosts Oxjam fundraising gigs (the next one is tomorrow, Oct 23rd, with vocalist Katya Gorrie and guitarist Denny Illett - £15 including dinner and Oxfam donation). As for the food: after a plate of excellent entrees (chorizo, fresh bread, olives and the best home-made houmous I’ve ever eaten – and I’ve tried a few), we plumped after some deliberation for the Goan and the guineafowl and ginger. Not realising that you can mix and match your mash and your bangers (mash choices include rose, carrot and swede, Dijon mustard…), we both had the standard spud (plus the red cabbage and peas that accompany all dishes), and decided to be more imaginative next visit. The Goan was a real find, the pork sausage providing a perfect bedrock for the Indian spices to roll across. Not too hot but just hot enough – I imagine this will become a permanent menu fixture. The guineafowl and ginger was a nice idea, but a sausage made of bird is a tricky thing anyway, and the delicate fowl couldn’t quite compete with the ginger - perhaps a different spice (or herb?) might be better next time. Luckily Max can try as many different combinations as he likes, as he gets his sausages made round the corner by David Johns in the Covered Market, so presumably all he has to do is pop round and ask. The Haymaker pale ale and pint of Cotswold lager we washed our sausages down with were delicious, and what’s more, were from less than 20 miles away (cutting food miles to a minimum is part of BB’s local ethos, as is supporting all sorts of local activities -from fireworks and Luminox to feeding flood vicitims). The staff were friendly but not overbearing, and service was fast but not hasslesome. If you can’t make the very reasonable average spend of £15-£20 per head for shared starter, bangers, drinks (and dessert too if you can fit it in) there’s a budget banger option for £4.99; the separate wine list, available on request, is very good; and there are enough special events and seasonal dish variations to spice up the simple winning formula that (provided you like a good meaty sausage – as the veggie options are somewhat drear) you may well never get bored of eating here. This is high quality, fast, local food in an enjoyable setting. Next time I’m having the wild venison with carrot and swede. Liz Graham, 22/10/07 This was a big let down. We went to the advertised jazz night on Tuesday 9 October 2007. There was no choice of mash - the waitress said: "You know what chefs are like. He's being difficult tonight." The sausages were undercooked and tasteless, the service slow and eccentric. The jazz was not jazz at all but a series of ballards. It was not surprising that there were only eight people there. When it came time to pay the £90 bill (two bottles of red at £15 a throw which was the highlight of the evening) the waitress said the credit card machine had broken down. So we had a cash collection and they took £70 as full settlement. But they really ought to get the act together and at least supply the food advertised on their menu. We won't be going again. Steady Eddie, 11/10/07 Hi all you food loving creatures!! Have just returned from my friends 40th B'Day party. Held at the BIG BANG. Sorry folks this is the BIG SPLUT. There were menu's to choose from but the manager ignored these. Food was 1 and 1/2 hours late. Everyone was so hungry they claimed what ever dish was presented, no one had a chance to order or choose. Food was passible but not hot. The manager attempted to charge over the top at the end of an arranged price per person for the evening and when challenged said "what does he care, business is good there's plenty more" In future I shall buy my sausages from the covered market and make my own mash. What is the matter with Oxford restaurants? Come on you food lovers make a fuss when things just aren't good enough Speak to you all soon Eurochef, 01/04/07 The meals are definitely good here, it's a good place to take people who are visiting you in Oxford. The staff are very informative too. As a student I wouldn't regularly go there though, as you can get an equally good bangers and mash (admittedly only of the cumberland variety most probably) from some of the vast pubs all around Oxford. Oxford Student, 01/04/07 Ventured to the Big Bang for the second time last night and was just as impressed as I was the first time! I wouldn't normally go out of my way to seek out 'sausages', being a vegetarian, but the Big Bang came highly recommended both for its food and reasonable prices and it certainly didn't disappoint! The Spicy Thai veggie sausages are lovely, as is the rose mash, and believe me you won't leave this restaurant feeling hungry! The 'crumble of the day' was very tempting when it came time for dessert but there simply wasn't an ounce of space left in my tummy to fit it in! Next time, perhaps. Highly recommended: great food, very friendly service and reasonable prices. J&N, 11/03/07 Went to Big Bang last night (31/1) for the jazz night. Got there slightly early, staff were very efficient and helpful. Absolutely brilliant jazz, the food was delicious, tried a good mix of sausages. I have been once before and thought the idea of bangers and mash is really nice. All food is local as well and so is the beer. Frank Harrison played piano for jazz with a cellist and drummer. They were absolutely brilliant. Great night out would definitely go again and thought food/jazz was good value. enthusiast, 01/02/07 I was looking forward to the Big Bang and some winter comfort food, yet, as many other reviewers found, this restaurant was a huge disappointment. There were four of us, and we all arrived quite early, so there was only one other party when we arrived. I was pleased that the sausages and beers were good quality and locally sourced, and the choice of sausage and mash looked tempting. I ordered the mustard mash, with Oxford sausages (prize winning, the waitress assured me) and a red wine jus. When the meals arrived, the waitress told one of my party that somehow the order got mixed up and hers would be along in five minutes. There wasn't an apology, just a statement of fact. My mash was cold and I suspect came from a giant vat of mash, while the sausages had obviously been turned only once, so had two black stripes and two grey stripes. We could see into the kitchen from the reflection in the mirror, and the shelves were lined with tubs and tubs of Bisto. Since when is Bisto a Jus?! It seemed such a shame to treat nice ingredients so terribly (the sausages I mean, not the Bisto). I was trying to eat slowly, so that we could eat together when our friend's meal arrived. After more than 15 minutes, her food finally arrived, with again, no apology for the delay. Three of us finished the meal, and the waitress tried to take the plates while my friend was still eating and looking uncomfortable. I thought that was really rude and insisted on keeping my empty plate until we all finished. I think this may actually be the worst restaurant I've been too in Oxford. It's a shame as it's a great idea, just very poorly executed. Oxford has so many nice places to eat though, I wouldn't waste your time or money going here. Jules, 07/12/06 Very disappointed. I anticipated some juicy home cooked venison sausages and flavoursome garlic/rosemary mash... and what I got were dry, overcooked sausages, and fairly flavourless mash. Great idea for a restaurant, and the prices aren't too bad; it's too bad the food didn't live up to my expectations. KJ, 01/05/06 We had a very nice meal here a few weeks ago. The food is simple and good and the ales are definitely recommended (soup was a very good starter), the salads looked bland, but apparently tasted great. The vegetarian in the party had the basil and vine tomato sausages and said they were good (without being overyly exciting). The main course sausages and mash were excellent, but then it's difficult to do sausages badly. The peas and red cabbage were, well, peas and red cabbage. The atmosphere is friendly, but definitely not right for romantic nights out. The only drawback is the value, while the sausages are good, I think value is questionable given the simplicity of the meals and availablity of sausages in the covered market. R. S., 30/04/06 The Big Bang on Walton Street has been trialling a new jazz night on Wednesdays (£15 for two sausage and mash dinners and jazz accompaniment). Due to its success it will now run for a further 8 weeks from 15th March 2006. This award-winning restaurant is very popular (the night we were there, all the tables were taken), so you are advised to book in advance. Jazz starts at 8pm and it’s a good idea to arrive 10-15 minutes early to get seated. We had a table downstairs directly opposite the band, and I expected it to be too loud, but luckily this wasn’t the case. The music itself is true ‘dinner jazz’: it doesn’t detract from the food or take centre stage, but adds to the atmosphere. The evening involves 40 minutes of jazz, followed by a short break and then a further 40 minutes of jazz. And of course the food. All the produce is sourced locally within 20 miles (the sausages for example coming from the Covered Market). A new addition is a local lager brewed just down the road in Chipping Norton, which has a sweet, smooth taste. With the meal, we had a bottle of Merlot, which was more than satisfactory. Since Daily Info first reviewed The Big Bang, the menu has been extended and there is now a choice of starters. I had the goat’s cheese salad which was a delight to the senses – the warm cheese contrasting with the cold salad. A sweet chutney accompanies the tartness of the goat’s cheese. My friend chose the soup, so that we could sample both options on offer. Unfortunately it was a little cold and served without bread. However the waiter was extremely apologetic and offered us complimentary wine. The main event is of course the bangers and mash. Eight different types of sausage are on offer, including two vegetarian options, plus specials. All meals are served with peas, red cabbage and fried onions. I opted for wild venison sausages over a garlic and rosemary mash with red wine jus. The robust gamey flavour of sausages was perfectly complimented by the caramelised cabbage. My friend’s spicy Thai veggie sausage (from the Specials menu) was full of flavour, but he thought it could have been spicier for his taste and heated through better. Portions were generous. If you have room for dessert after this hearty winter fayre, there is a choice of three ‘school-dinner’-style puddings. Not to be defeated, we tucked into the treacle roly-poly (a standard suet pudding) and the divine rhubarb and gooseberry crumble (recommended), delicate and full of flavour but not too sweet. A top evening’s entertainment. Go and catch the jazz night while it’s still running and stuff yourself silly with sausage. Smashing! Annabelle Skerritt, 13/03/06 We recently booked for the Big Bang's Jazz night - a set menu priced at £17 which included a three course meal accompanied by a Jazz band. However we were disappointed on arrival to hear that we were one of only a couple of tables who had booked for the event meaning that the Jazz band had been squeezed into the corner of the upstairs room (presumably instead of the larger downstairs room). In addition, customers coming in off the street were being ushered in and told they could come to the Jazz night for the regular menu price when we had clearly had to pay extra and leave a deposit in advance to secure the booking. As a vegetarian I was sorely disappointed by my meal. There was no vegetarian starter and my main course was undercooked. The meat eaters at our table had a good meal of sausage and mash however all felt it was rather overpriced for what was essentially a very basic meal. Never the less, the Jazz was good and we were promised a free scotch after the meal (in aid of Burns' night) so things looked as though they might pick up. Unfortunately however, the free scotch never arrived and the dessert was inedible. To make matters worse, the evening was topped off by the manager and his friends settling down with a bottle of scotch around the table next to us and him helping himself to a drink instead of us! The only good thing about the evening was the Jazz band who were very professional throughout - I would not recommend the Big Bang for any other reason. Gil, 26/01/06 This is a good idea but the execution needs to improve. Sausages a bit overcooked and hence dry, mash a bit stiff and not creamy enough for my taste. I'll go back because it's the kind of place I want to support but I can do better at home very easily. The pies looked excellent mind. Perhaps I'll try one of them next time. Adam, 06/01/06 In total agreement with 'sausage lover'. This restaurant was a real let-down (and we were only the four of us). Jules, 29/12/05 We went here for our works party and I was looking forward to some simple, good value nosh. Despite pre-ordering, our party of 15 were served slowly with half of the table having slurped down the average to small sized portions by the time they got round to bringing the rest of the table their food. I went for the venison sozzies which were unfortunately luke warm, as was the mash, however as half the party were looking to make a move having sat and waited patiently to be served I didnt want to wait so just wolfed it down. All in all, it wasnt a great experience, and I don;t think the excuse of "it was a large party" can really apply when you are serving up something as simple as sausages and mash which had been pre-ordered. This was something mentioned again by my housemate who also went there on a works do just recently with a party of ten. They too waited for quite a while to get served, some had finished before the rest were eating, and all felt the portions to be a bit tight for £7 - £8, particularly the veggie options. Nice idea, but the old adage of do something simple and do it well isnt quite working. I think I'll just get a whole load of sausages from the covered market for half the price, a nice bottle of vino and cook at home next time. Sausage lover, 20/12/05 The Big Bang exists as a conscious reaction against pseudo-gourmet frippery. Only one dessert and one starter - apple crumble and cheese hula-hoops respectively - are on offer, and the main attraction is bangers and mash. Having said that, anyone who actually cares about good food should be delighted by this recent addition to Walton Street. Nearly all the ingredients are sourced locally, and the individual dishes are designed with a great sensitivity to complementary tastes and textures. The main menu consists of a diverse range of bangers-and-mashes and pies, priced between £4.99 and £8.99. For your money you get two fat sausages on a mound of mashed potato, with fried onion, a dollop of red cabbage, green peas and gravy. Chances are, if you are an Oxford-based sausage-lover, you will already be familiar with the kind of high-quality sausage available in the Covered Market. It is the careful combination of well-cooked components (I was particularly impressed by the unanointed peas, balancing the richness of the other flavours with their green freshness) that makes this better than anything most of us are likely to get at home. My venison bangers came with a gorgeous, garlicky, rosemary-scented mash – just enough garlic to accentuate everything else, but not reek-level. One of my companions went for Lincolnshire pork and tomato sausages, which were accompanied by a mustard mash and an excellent stilton gravy. Her bangers went particularly well with the sweetcorn relish, one of three sauces provided. The other two, a wholegrain mustard and a tomato salsa, we felt were comparatively unremarkable. As of next week, however, a new range of mustards is being brought in from the local company Shaken Oak ( http://www.shakenoak.co.uk/ ). The third of us opted for the steak and ale pie. The filling was delightfully tender and rich, but we thought the pastry topping was less satisfactory – it had a disappointingly doughy texture. It was, on the other hand, accompanied by some of the best chips I have ever eaten. These aren't actually offered on the menu as a side dish, but if no one in your party is having one of the pies with which they are served, it's worth asking. The beer-drinking member of my party was pleased by the range of Hook Norton ales (£2.85 - £3.35), and would particularly recommend the Twelve Days ale (while stocks last!). The wine-drinker and I started with whisky-and-ginger (£2.50) and went on to sample the house red and house white and the Deakin Australian Sauvignon. The owner, in his Navy days, was in charge of buying the wine for the ships on which he served, and six of the best of his repertoire make up the wine list. The Deakin Sauvignon is especially successful in combination with pork. The one we both particularly liked, however, was the house red. It's good value, French, incredibly easy to drink, rich, soft, cuddly and fractionally sweet. Only one strictly vegetarian dish was currently on offer: Basil & Vine Tomato Sausages with the house speciality: rose mash. We had the opportunity to sample this mash, which is pretty special and rather strange: mashed potato of a deep and intense pink. The colour comes from beetroot and red cabbage, and the overall effect is peppery, vinegary, moist, hot and extremely moreish. The mixture is apparently stirred twice overnight at 3am and again at 6am by a long-suffering chef. The apple crumble with which we finished was, like so much here, unusual but sensitively designed for its context, i.e. after large portions of filling, savoury food. A strangely light and munchable version, with tender apples and a low-key topping; not too sweet either. Although – or perhaps because – this is a small operation and a first-time venture for the owner, it is very professionally run – the premises are spotless, everything arrives at the right temperature (this matters for mashed potato) and the service is rapid and friendly. It even offers a takeaway option. There is a further reason to visit this January if you are in a sausage mood – until the end of the month, the company is dedicating 10% of the takings and all tips to the tsunami appeal. M. R., 13/01/05
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