The Goose, Oxfordshire.
I see the Good Food Guide2010 has picked out chef Ryan Simpson of The Goose at Britwell Salome as one to watch this year, as I infrequently travel to the Cotswolds and live quite a treck away was wondering if anyone has been there and can share their meal experience with us?
As an aside we did eat at former Goose chef Mike Norths place a handful of months back.
Also in Oxfordshire and Michelin starred its called The Nut Tree in Murcot.
Jolly good it was too. We had the tasting menu which was terrific value for money, especially for the quality
Thanks in anticipation.
fat boy slim
Oct 19, 2009 02:54AM
I eat at The Goose fairly regularly (once every couple of months) and it is definitely worth a trip. Service is brilliant and the food is of an exceptionally high quality - unusual combinations without being try-hard. Even the simple dishes are done well - grilled fish is cooked to perfection etc. Dishes are seasonal and there are often specials - last time we went Ryan had just received a large sea bass and was serving it that evening. Serving sizes are great - including with dessert. My favourite dish so far is a dessert - sorrel sorbet with pink hazelnut tart. Eye-wateringly good.
Wine selection is good and there are also house cocktails - subtle and definitely worth trying before the meal.
He's recently introduced a tasting menu, but I haven't tried that yet. We have sat with him to design a tasting menu for a private function though - the thought process behind the dishes is just incredible!
I'd suggest going soon in case he gets a Michelin star in January and prices go up/it gets hard to book in.
Hope this helps!
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Thanks for that response. I was sort of giving up hope of a reply.
Although I know there are plenty of happy eaters in Oxfordshire, I was tending to think that perhaps you wanted to keep this place to yourselves.
Just been on their website, to look at the tasting menu, however its not on there yet.
I notice they have a Champagne gourmet dinner this evening.
Are you going?
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No, we didn't make it to the champagne gourmet dinner. Odd about the tasting menu - I'm sure if you send them an email, they'll talk you through it (usually they have a very quick response time!)...
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FBS
Slight aside - The Nut Tree looks as though it's easy to get to from the M40. Would you agree? Always on the lookout for good lunch spots off the motorway on my infrequent schleps down south.
J
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John, its not easy at all. There is no junction even close.
I sat navved it, and of course it let me down, big time. Still it happens some time.
Next time that we go I shall study the route a little closer, instead of what seems to be to take the easy option.
The quality and stonking value are well worth a bit of a detour, non the less.(especially the tasting menu, £45 when we visited).
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Ta. Back to 5minutesaway.com then for my trips (although see my post in the "other place" about the winners of The Restaurant's restaurant).
Know what you mean about sat nav. Got taken down some farm track when we were going to a restaurant in the hills above Rochdale. Food was bloody awful when we got there, as well.
J
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Now that DH has a lovely Iphone, I intend to use your 5minutes away.com more often. We lucked out last Friday on a trip to deep East Sussex. I go sometimes by how many cars are in front of a nicely kept pub. It usually works as we don't eat much for lunch. The place last week had heavenly carrot soup which reminded me it's time to make some.
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John, do you mean last year's winners... that opened in Marlow?
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June
Yes, only spotted the mention the other day. It's on my list to try next time on going to Kew.
BTW, you need to exercise caution with 5minutesaway. I'm not sure how places get onto the site (presumably paying) but it is only a guarantee that it si within a couple of miles of a motorway junction. No guarantee of any quality. My normal motorway lunch needs are either off the M40 or the M1 (between the M6 and M25). I keep a list of possible places for each junction in the car - some have proved better than others. I update the list annually starting with 5minutes and then search for each place. If I get a Google hit and looks OK for food it goes on the list. No hit or no food mention, it doesnt. I then add in places I come across - there's two or three in the 2010 Good Food Guide. Simples!
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Good plan re 5 minutesaway.
We used to head near Marlow quite often but haven't been that way for awhile. I'm going to remember there's a good pub there. It's only about an hour's drive from here... sometimes. :-)
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