• Added: 25th of August 2008
• Area: Oxford
• Category: Restaurants

Oxford OX1 1AY
01865 791715

jazs_angelface said
Not as good as it was...
Tootsies is an American style restaurant situated in the trendy castle complex in Oxford. It specialises in burgers but also serves a variety of salads and other dishes. The interior has a bright and airy feel and you have the choice of either sitting in the centre of the restaurant or in one of the booths. The service is acceptable although there have been occasions when we have waited a long time to be served whilst clearly there are staff available. The quality of the food has taken a bit of a nose dive over the past few months (a change of chef?) and the burgers are now nothing out of the ordinary. This is a real shame as they used to be exceptional.

• Added: 25th of August 2008
• Area: Oxford
• Category: Bars and Pubs

Oxford OX2 0NA

jazs_angelface said
A good choice for a classy meal out
The Fishes is a large pub with an extensive garden boasting a varied but seasonal menu. You have two options when visiting The Fishes; eat in the restaurant choosing from the normal menu or enjoy a freshly prepared picnic hamper in the garden. One of the unique features of the extensive restaurant menu is the “deli board” option. This means that you can choose from a list of ingredients, including cheeses, meats, salads fish etc to create your own Moroccan style feast. These dishes arrive, beautifully presented, on a wooden board and make an ideal sharing starter or light lunch. The rest of the menu is carefully thought out and cooked perfectly using top-end ingredients. I would recommend The Fishes as a sophisticated and tasty place to eat.

• Added: 25th of August 2008
• Area: Oxford
• Category: Restaurants

Oxford OX4 1UH
01865 725688

jazs_angelface said
A great Chinese
Chopsticks Chinese is one of two such restaurants in Oxfordshire, one on the Cowley Road and the other in Didcot. If you are able to get there, I would recommend the Didcot branch as it is far more spacious. Both restaurants do, however, offer the same food. When visiting Chopsticks, we usually opt for the all you can eat menu. Unlike many similar offers, the food is not precooked and organised as a buffet. Instead, you can order dishes from an extensive menu and they are brought to you fresh from the kitchen. The standard of food is excellent (especially the curry chicken dumplings) and would rival any Chinese takeaway. The staff are always friendly and accommodating, a trait that does not change, no matter what size the party.

• Added: 25th of August 2008
• Area: Oxford
• Category: Restaurants

Oxford OX2 7JL
01865 514141

jazs_angelface said
A fab little Italian
The other day, I went out for a meal with family for my sister's birthday. Our destination of choice was Mamma Mia which I had not been to before. I approached the pretty facade with a mixture of anticipation and dread, wondering what my extremely hard to please parents were going to make of it all. We entered the small restaurant and were immediately pleased that we had booked a table as the place was packed. Despite the large number of people, we were served promptly and in a polite and helpful manner. We ordered from a large selection of pizza, pasta and salads (including a gluten-free pasta option) and waited, watching the chefs as they made the pizzas from scratch. The food arrived quickly and tasted authentically Italian - bellissimo! And, as for my parents...they were raving about the delights of Mamma Mia for weeks.

• Added: 25th of August 2008
• Area: Oxford
• Category: Cafes and Coffee Shops

Oxford OX1 2DU
01865 203222

jazs_angelface said
A friendly little cafe
The Nose Bag is one of the more traditional cafés in Oxford with its large wooden tables and chairs and small vases of flowers. This description is deceptive, however, as The Nosebag is far from ordinary. The food is what really sets this popular café apart as it is all home-made and very, very tasty. This café is an ideal destination if you fancy a cup of tea and a slice of cake (and what a selection there is to choose from) or if you would like something more substantial. As well as a varied array of salads, hot meals (for example lasagne, cottage pie etc) are offered.

• Added: 25th of August 2008
• Area: Oxford
• Category: Cafes and Coffee Shops

Oxford OX1 3DY
01865 249527

jazs_angelface said
Vibrant and popular cafe
Georgina’s Café is my preferred destination when lunching in Oxford. Often, however, I am disappointed as the tiny café is usually packed. This eatery is extremely popular with students and, as the worst kept secret in Oxford, tourists too. If you can get a table though, it is definitely worth it. The food offered is healthy, fresh and substantial and most dishes are made to order. A personal favourite is the roasted vegetable wrap although there are many non-vegetarian dishes offered. The staff are young, friendly and lively, a feeling reflected in the trendy décor of film posters pasted onto the walls. The atmosphere in Georgina’s has been vastly improved by the smoking ban as smoking used to be permitted in the café. Now, it remains vibrant and cosmopolitan whilst also being smoke free.

• Added: 25th of August 2008
• Area: Oxford
• Category: Bars and Pubs

Oxford OX2 8PN
01865 302071

jazs_angelface said
A beautiful pub/restaurant
A place like The Trout Inn is hard to find...a stunning setting combined with excellent food. The pub is situated on the river at Wolvercote and the garden looks out onto the water. The building itself is picturesque and extremely well presented inside and out. For those of you that remember the dark and crowded days of a few years ago, never fear, The Trout has been redecorated in a modern yet rustic way. This atmospheric and cosmopolitan feel is complimented by the exceptional standard of the food. Despite the gastronomic taste of the dishes, portions are still generous. And if you like seafood, the scallops of the day are an absolute must.

• Added: 25th of August 2008
• Area: Oxford
• Category: Cafes and Coffee Shops

Oxford OX1 3DX
01865 247407

jazs_angelface said
The best cookies in Oxford
Ben’s cookies can be found in Oxford’s Covered Market (you may need to walk round this maze a few times before you find it!) and sells the best cookies in Oxford. They bake all of the cookies fresh on the premises from a top secret recipe and produce a variety of flavours. The cookies themselves are sometimes more like cakes, really thick and warm and gooey inside. They are quite pricy at around £1 per cookie (depending on the weight) but due to the rich taste, you probably couldn’t eat much more that one at a time anyway. This Oxford gem is well worth a visit.

• Added: 23rd of August 2008
• Area: Oxford
• Category: Restaurants

Oxford OX2 7AR
01865 510071

jazs_angelface said
Bhaji-tastic
The Spice Lounge is my first choice when it comes to ordering an Indian takeaway. I must confess that I have not yet eaten in but will definitely do so soon. The food is of an excellent quality, (the onion bhajis are not to be missed) and tastes vibrant and fresh. The menu offers a large number of dishes suitable for all tastes and the staff are able to offer sensible advice on the level of spiciness! Extras are delivered with your meal as standard (free poppadoms and sauces) and the food always arrives hot. The delivery time is usually between thirty and forty-five minutes and represents good value for money.

• Added: 23rd of August 2008
• Area: Oxford
• Category: Restaurants

Oxford OX1 1AY
01865 246464

jazs_angelface said
Tapas for a Tenner!
La Tasca is Spanish style restaurant which does exactly what it says on the tin. The interior is decorated in the way that English people imagine Spain should look, brightly coloured and busy. The staff are genuine, however, and provide a good level of service. The food, particularly the extensive Tapas menu, is excellent and always very tasty. There are a huge variety of dishes and many would be suitable for vegetarian visitors. La Tasca is great value in terms of quality and quantity 24/7 but really comes into its own with the “Tapas for a Tenner” menu – definitely check this out!