Restaurant & Drinking Establishment
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'Country Pub & Fine Dining'. Popular, thatched 13th c. riverside-ish pub with a French twist (as of 2006). Large garden; accessible from Port Meadow as well as by road from west Oxford; very popular in summer. Wheelchair accessibility set to improve over the next few years as planning permission is granted. Non-smoking throughout. |
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Binsey Lane Useful links: Oxford Restaurants Oxford Hotels Oxford Pubs & Bars Oxford Gig venues Oxford Concert venues |
Have eaten here twice in the last 6 months with my wife and 2 young children. Can't make up my mind about the place. The first time was in the middle of summer and was a total disaster. Took 1 hour for our food to arrive - the staff gave every impression of having "lost control". Went again tonight and it was slightly better. Not so busy, which suits the slightly chaotic service. The menu is so so, but quite short. 5 starters and 6 main, no extras (unless you ask, when they admit that they do serve vegetables, or chips, or mash etc). Only 1 main course is fish, 1 is veggie, and 4 out of the 6 contained ham or sausage. No beef or chicken, which is a bit odd. Food was quite good, as was the dessert. If you ask, they'll do some kid's options (though no actual kid's menu). I would say not as good as the Trout or Anchor, but better than the Fishes. It is a lovely setting- I just wish they could get their act together a bit more.... Bigchiefmuffin, 13/02/10 I must admit that I do not understand the previous review, not one word is in French on the menu apart from veloute- which is a type of soup- and there aren't any flowers in the restaurant as it is all tastefully and romantically decorated with Valentine's hearts. Went for dinner there on the week-end and had an abolutely marvellous experience. The Perch has finally been restored to its full potential and it is lovely to see young people with such passion trying to keep such a place alive and thriving. Well done to The Perch team, keep up the good work! 12/02/10 Set in the idyllic surroundings of Port Meadow away from the hustle and bustle of Oxford, The Perch has certainly been restored to its former glory. Summer times in the garden are always a joy. During my last visit, however, I was greatly disappointed to see that the magic had disappeared. The staff seemed bored and perhaps not as attentive as one would expect them to be. I have always recieved good care from the staff, and extrememly good quality food in the past. Unfortunately this was not the case on my last visit. The menu has become more and more difficult to digest. I don't speak French, so it is extremely hard to know what each dish is, as the menu is written mostly in French! Generally I found the whole experience quite uncomfortable, perhaps made worse by managers that looked happy to float around. The waitress that was seeing to us did a good job in that she managed to put the plates on the table in the right places, however. I think that the new owner has done a great job in restoring the charming property to its original beauty. They certainly take pride in the appearence of the pub as is correct, but maybe too much attention is being paid to the arrangement of the flowers. All in all a very disapointing visit, and sad to say my last. amy, 05/02/10 Thank you to the Perch for a wonderful Boxing day lunch with our friends - the atmosphere was divine, the food was amazing and the service was excellent. We phoned in advance to say that we would be bring our dogs with us (2 Shi Tzu's) which was not a problem to the proprietors, in fact they even put a little bowl of doggie biscuits on the table for us. A wonderful welcoming place to eat or drink on any occasion. Yvone, 27/12/09 We chose The Perch to celebrate our Ruby Wedding last Sunday with 24 friends and family. Our guests all confirmed that we had made a brilliant choice. They praised the setting by Port Meadow, the blazing fire, the food (especially the chicken liver parfait and the lemon posset), the use of a separate room which made it easy to mingle, and above all the friendliness and efficiency of the staff. One guest whose medical condition made a special menu necessary was grateful that it was provided with no fuss. We ourselves would like to single out Francois' helpfulness in planning the event, and the unexpected extra touches of a magnificent ruby red flower arrangement and red roses and rose petals on the table. Ian and Elma S., 03/11/09 There are loads of good things about the Perch. It’s a beautiful setting: a lovely building in fantastic gardens, and, reached in the chill dusk after a walk along the canal and across Port Meadow, it looms like a storybook hostelry lit up in the half-light, promising warmth, sustenance, and good cheer. Inside, the reality is much more modern, but the old world quality is maintained with exposed beams, a huge fireplace, and slightly cottage-y décor, including wall-mounted plates with mirrors set in their centres, charmingly mismatched milk jugs and a proper bone-handled butter knife. Service is definitely up-to-the-minute, though; staff are shyly welcoming, showing very distinct personalities, and very efficient. Our starters were both good, although proscuitto with celeriac remoulade edged ahead of the goat’s cheese salad with walnut and wafer-thin radish. The Perch strikes a good balance in terms of portion size; starters and desserts are small and delicious, and main courses reasonably substantial; some verging on the hearty in my view - which means you get to try different dishes without exploding, but that hopefully people with big appetites won’t be left feeling underfed as can sometimes happen in comparable establishments. The bread they give you while you wait to order is super; soft and quite salty and ever so slightly warm and doughy. They only give you a little, which is good because otherwise I would have eaten loads of it. Mains: It’s difficult to praise a steak – what do you say? This was a good steak, good quality, well cooked; though I could wish that a French restaurant would plump for a more flavourful French cut, instead of a safe but dull sirloin. The Duck Confit with a white bean cassoulet and spinach was a bit too much for me, although on reflection, as I ate pretty much all of it, maybe it wasn’t. Very rich, on the salty side for confit, and quite simple, this dish was tasty but overpowering. It needed the addition of the spinach to tone it down, and for my tastes, would have benefited from a contrasting flavour to break it up. But maybe I’m weak. There’s also a totally tempting wine list – much of it out of my price range. I wish they offered more by the glass, but I can understand why they don’t, and what they did offer was very good. Pudding was smashing. My companion, not always one for the gastronomic experience, was a little taken aback when presented with the tiniest cheesecake you’ve ever seen, but he very soon conceded that the portion size was devilishly well thought out, delivering a potent sugar and fat hit without over-facing the diner. I was still struggling happily with a lemon tart (sharp, nice bitter sauce) of more conventional dimensions a good ten minutes later. I liked the Perch a lot, and will certainly return. It’s definitely more restaurant than pub, so I imagine it’s better to plan to have lunch rather than just a drink in the garden, but the food and the location are both worth the walk out of town. £85 for two people, three courses with wine and coffee. Susie Cogan & Ian Threadgill, 21/10/09 The summer bbq The Perch does at the weekend is well worth going for. The gardens have been so well restored and the new owners really look after the place now. The Perch is back to the reliable summer place it always used to be. Oxfordian, 21/08/09 This evening I have had one of the best meals I have had since being in Oxford. The beef was cooked to perfection and my wife's dish of halibut was superb with a lovely horseradish mash. The service was good and with a smile, which is always nice! Added to the beautiful setting I would recommend The Perch to anyone looking for a dinner location outside the bustle of the city centre. SWB, 22/07/09 We visited (four of us) two weeks ago. Very disappointing as the person serving us was less than good at explaining items on the menu, with two items arriving with the wrong things on the plate, i.e. no ice-cream on one, that should have had, wrong vegetables on another course.The bread on the table was unusual and very hot, not eaten by three of the party. The food was only average, I am afraid, the bill much, much too high. 09/06/09 Very disappointing. With such a lovely setting I was hoping that the Perch would rise from the ashes - the Phoenix of French gastronomy so sorely lacking in Oxford - but I felt very let down. Our starters (confit of Beef Wellington and Moules Normandes) were both OK but no more and the chicken main course was lacking in flavour, was slightly dry and overcooked and the portion far too meagre to justify the price. However I must admit the "Toulouse Sausages" with Parsnip mash were first class, juicy, flavoursome and the rich onion jus was quite delicious. Still, one out of four is simply not good enough and we felt it was shame not to have a gastronomic haven in such perfect surroundings. I was left feeling as though I could have cooked better at home which is surely the opposite of what one expects when dining out. All in all, a below par experience. We might try it again at a later date if only to sample the bar food. Maybe Crepes and Croque-Monsieurs will be handled with a bit more dexterity and oomph and sitting in the delightful garden might make up for our previous let down... Pamplemousse, 11/05/09 I have been to the Perch last Sunday. It was just amazing. I ate outside even if the weather was not so nice. The garden is lovely! The food was excellent, and the staff were nice, friendly and very efficient. I recommend this place to anyone. Besides, if you walk around this area, you can see the well where Alice fell down from "Alice in Wonderland" [in Binsey village at St Margaret's Church - more info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binsey,_Oxfordshire - Ed]. Emilie, 12/04/09 We recently visited The Perch for the first time on the recommendation of a friend. The walk to the pub itself is stunning as you approach their beautiful garden filled with walkers, cyclists, children playing, and generally a very happy crowd. The building is amazing - so homely, warm and welcoming. The service was fantastic; the staff knew what they were talking about and offered a great recommendation. You simply must try the swordfish! Everything here feels considered and created with love... we'll be back again for certain! Gretchen, London, 08/04/09 Five of us celebrated my son's 31st birthday at The Perch on Saturday night. This is not a stuffy place - it is a seriously good restaurant in a beautifully rebuilt pub. Snow outside; warmth of a log fire and very friendly, welcoming and knowledgeable staff inside ensure you feel immediately comfortable in these surroundings. Good, if limited menu; good, if limited wine list. But every dish we had, including the vegetarian option, was judged to be superb, interesting, beautifully cooked and undeniably French. Big plates make portions appear small, but the quality of both ingredients and cooking compensate for what is, after all, only an impression. We could recommend any of the dishes we ate, but I was particularly impressed with the smoked salmon starter and the magret de canard cooked more rosé than the French do it at home but of a flavour that will remain engraved in my taste-buds for ever! We all agreed the home-made brown bread with rosemary, honey and mustard in the dough was a triumph! The wine, a Chateau de Bel Air Lussac St Emilion 2005 served at exactly the right temperature, having been opened to breath for about half an hour, was exquisite but expensive at just under £40 a bottle, but the over-all price for a top notch three-course dinner for the five of us at £193 seemed to us to offer good value for money. This was a truly pleasurable experience. Chris Bishop, 08/02/09 I recently had a wonderful meal at The Perch. I had duck breast followed by carpaccio of pineapple and must say that it was a very enjoyable meal. The duck was cooked to perfection - tasty and tender - and the pineapple dessert is one of the best I have had in a long time. I agree that some of the menu does seem a little steep but the quality of the meal that my wife and I had was fantastic and we enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere of the place as well, so all in all it was a very worthwhile trip across the meadow. Good luck to them! Bobby, 04/02/09 Just back from the Perch for Sunday lunch. I should have read the reviews here before. As mentioned there, we found the drink and food uninspired and for what it is, heavily overpriced. Will not go back! We had the Cauliflowers [sic] and stilton soup for £4 each. Creamy but much too strong on the stilton. For main the Roast Beef Sunday Special for £14. Rare meat (as ordered) but not crispy on the outside, huge batons (finger size) of undercooked swede and carrots, a broccoli floret, a single baked potato, a floppy Yorkshire pudding and some watery gravy. Bad value. michael, 25/01/09 The Perch is fab, had a great 2 course dinner there recently and the staff were really friendly. I don't know what it was like before the refurb but it's got heaps of charm. The dinners are on the pricey side of pub dining but are superb. I had lemon sea bass and a chocolate mousse. The sea bass was delicious although needed an extra side, and the chocolate mousse lovely. The owner has added some great touches, like offering roasted chestnuts when I went there at Christmas. The staff team are definitely friendly, but it's difficult to get the attention of the waiters and waitresses! This is a pub that does great food, not a restaurant that offers a great pub. The service reflects this kind of ethos. Great for dropping in to for some nosh after a cold walk but not somewhere to go for a fine dining experience. Dinner for one, 28/12/08 Sunday evening after a tiring weekend we were pleasantly surprised by the quiet interior of this pub and lovely woodsmoke aroma from the open fire. Just what we needed. The welcoming staff soon had us sat down at a cosy table for two with black napkins and maroon flowers (real ones!). But then the menu came. There were only 5 choices of main course, none of which sounded particularly inspiring, yet were decidedly on the expensive side. We asked and there were no specials. I've only once ever got up and left a restaurant after being seated due to the unappealing choice/price combination of the menu, and I was very close again on this occassion. The fish of the day dish at £18 consisted of half a sea bass on lemon herbed mash potatoes with a couple of small pieces of broccoli and sauce. It was well presented and reportedly tasted good but not worthy of that price. I had the Lamb Shank at £17 which was overly salty and not nearly tender enough. This was served with beans (like baked beans but firmer and tastier, and in a slightly spicy sauce). That was all I would have got had I not asked for some potato. They didn't charge extra for the portion of mash potato but then I should hope not! For dessert we both had a delicious crème brulée, but to be honest I've never had a bad crème brulée. It's a simple dish to make but cost £6 each. It's a pity. It's a nice pub with decent service and if it had a bigger choice of dishes at a lower average price then we might be tempted to give it another go. Spencer, 09/11/08 We booked for lunch on Saturday (25/10/08). Wonderful to see the place refurbished. Great job on the thatch. The interior is similar to what was there before the fire, but with more tables, as well as some comfy looking sofas near the fire. As a pub, it all looks good. But the food! Oh dear. We had a party of 6. The lamb shank neededmuch longer in the oven in order to get suitably tender and was terribly, terribly salty. The cabbage roll was tough. The risotto was adequate, but not terribly tasty. On the plus side, the soup was nice. And the side of vegetables excellent. But most of the prices were, we thought, 25-30% higher than what they should have been the quality of the food. We'd love to see the Perch become a real destination (it is such a nice spot) but, sadly, until they sort the kitchen out in a sharpish kind of way, it is likely to be a place that people visit once and then, like us, wait for the reviews to improve. J, 27/10/08 I had eagerly awaited the reopening of the Perch. Three dozen years ago I proposed to my lady friend in that pub and we have often been there together since. On a nice day with the kids in the garden it was a good place to be. About 18 months ago they had music on Wednesdays and we had a fairly regular dinner date. Then, of course, the fire! They reopened last weekend and last night we seized our first opportunity to see what it is like. The car park was almost deserted and very dark and the pub looked gloomy on a rather chilly evening, but we could see they were open as there were a few people inside. The sofas by the fire were as welcoming as ever and the reception from the staff was pretty good too. So we sat with a drink to peruse the menu which looked quite appropriate, nothing too fancy and just enough choice. Before I had finished my nice pint of Hookey we had decided what we would eat. Two waitresses and the manager were close at hand and not at all busy, but nobody came to ask us what we would like. I finished my pint and one of them came and took away the empty glass without asking if I would like a refill! My wife found the wine not to her liking. We were both disappointed – perhaps we had expected too much. We sat for half an hour before I handed back the menu and said we would eat elsewhere. The waitress said she hoped we would return as next week they expected to have “the full menu” available. George Woodward Mathews, 24/09/08 I went to the Perch for the fourth or fifth time recently for my Birthday and found it as usual very nice: the food was very tasty and the young lady who tended to us was very efficient. It is always nice to contribute to the local economy and a large portion of the menu hasn't travelled very far. The venue has got better and better everytime I visit and is now the finished article. Keep up the good work!! Adam M, 23/04/07 First visit under new management and what an improvement - very tasteful interior, warm atmosphere, friendly staff, beautiful garden, great French music and delicious food. We will definitely be going again! hannah, 22/04/07 I was introduced to The Perch by a friend as a place to meet for a meal and I was astounded. To find this level of quality and price in a genuinely rural setting this close to Oxford was completely unexpected. The French/English restaurant with locally supplied produce (you will probably travel further than the food does to get to the table) is excellent. Recommended without hesitation as one of the best places to eat or drink in Oxford. Richard, 02/04/07 I've been to the Perch two or three times since September when it changed hands. It has improved with each visit and is now one of the best (if not the best) place to eat in Oxford. The landlord has transformed the place from a dingy dark pub in to a characterful and tasteful venue with a wonderful, intimate atmosphere. When so many places are becoming increasingly corporate it is a real joy to see somewhere become a special place under independent management. G-bit, 16/03/07 In addition to the extraordinary setting, the Perch offers great food (nearly Michelin-star level), a charming and welcoming ambience, friendly and attentive staff. Truly a must if you wish to spend about £20 - £25 each. UP, 04/02/07 I'm a bit confused by the mixed reviews on this page. I've been to the Perch four or five times since the new owners have been in charge, eaten there twice, and it's always been fantastic. The food is excellent, the service extremely attentive, friendly and personal, and the attention to detail that the management is clearly putting in to everything from decoration to the range of drinks to events is truly impressive. I guess the complaints of bad service will have to be put down to teething problems from taking over the business in September, but as I say I've only had great experiences at this pub. Also, there's a back room (which you can eat in) where they're running exhibitions of photography from a different country each month. Highly recommended. Julia, 27/01/07 Went to The Perch recently and had an absolutely gorgeous meal, really friendly service by the owner and loved everything about the place really! Nice French music in the background, crackling fire and big plush Victorian leather sofas. Quality. Eucam4, 17/01/07 Three friends and I visited the Perch last Friday lunchtime. Never again! I'd previously telephoned to check they did sandwiches at lunchtime which they assured me 'would not be a problem'. It clearly was. On arrival at 1.45 I asked if we were too late and sincerely wish now we had been! We were offered 'sandwich of the day' which was BLT (nothing else on offer), and there seemed to be some difficulty with our request to have cheese in place of the bacon. After checking with the kitchen the barman said it would be possible. We then tried to order drinks at the bar but were told we couldn't order there, but had to sit at a table. 10 minutes later I had to almost trip up the one passing (and surprised) waiter to order drinks. They took another 10 minutes to arrive. We finally got our sandwiches (with unwanted chips and salad) nearly an hour after arrival, by which time we had long finished our drinks. There appeared to be only two staff attending. To add insult to injury, when we paid cash to the waiter (£40 for a £33 bill), he asked us if we would like change! I would never ever go there again, not even for a drink! Sandy, 06/11/06 We visited the Perch couple of years back and it had been in a sad state. Went there this evening (on a recommendation) and found it transformed. French restaurant (with French/African music in the background). Food and service excellent. We started with grilled goat's cheese with salad leaves and local honey. I had Boeuf Bourginion to follow, which came with potato cake and fresh baby carrots; excellent. My wife had moules which she was similarly very pleased with. The French staff were friendly and attentive, they explained they had been in business for around eight weeks, having taken over and cleaned up the operation. We had a 50cl pitcher of wine and I asked for (and they happily provided) a free jug of tap water with ice and lemon. Total bill around £40 before service. I'd recommend highly. It wasn't busy on the Friday night, though they reported they can be booked out over the weekends. So high praise, though it was a bit cool in the restaurant as it's at the other end of the room from the fire (it was sub-zero outside). You might take a jumper. Mark, 03/11/06 I recently went to the Perch for food and drinks and it was fantastic! The place looks so much better with the garden and the interior redecorated. I loved the atmosphere - the staff were very friendly and attentive and the food was great. We were very impressed with the overall experience and we will definitely go back. I'm so glad the Perch has finally been re-vamped from its neglected state and wish the new owners the best of luck. Suzanne C, 22/09/06 The Perch is in an amazing spot and it has been tidied up with some new decor, great outdoor umbrellas, and tidy bar inside. There is a slight problem with some of the prices: two slices of posh bread, a teaspoon of jam and some cheese - £5.00. The prices are not right! But the garden and pub look fab. country pub lover, 27/08/06
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