Wild Rabbit

Good to be back

Wild Rabbit

Last September was both of my happiest and saddest moment in my restaurant adventure  in 2015. I had one of the most memorable meal in my life at the Michelin starred Launceston Place, headed up by my favorite chef, Tim Allen. The 10 course tasting menu was exquisite and truly spectacular. But he was also leaving to become the new head chef at Wild Rabbit, a classy and upscale pub with rooms in Oxfordshire. 8 months later, I made a special trip down to his restaurant and looking to relive some of those wonderful moment I have had from his cooking over the last few years. I was also expecting something different, with use of fresh, top notch ingredients from local farms and suppliers.

Bread

Vegetables garden

One of Tim's signature dish, the vegetables garden was given a new revamp, but it was just as good, if not better to the older version. The beetroot and cauliflower particularly stood out and it worked wonders with the wonderful truffle goats curd and honey. It was simply vegetable cooking at its finest. The black pudding was another mouth-watering dish, it was rich and bold without being challenging to the palate, the roasted hand-dive scallop offered another type of meaty texture while the apple and mustard offered balance, it was a perfectly executed dish and it really shows how much knowledge the chefs has in British ingredients. The moist roasted turbot with black truffle was cooked to perfection, as was the seasoning, the freshness and sweetness of the asparagus and pea matched the fish in harmony. This is why I love Tim's cooking so much, not a single average plate of cooking, it would be either be very good or exceptional, nothing less.

Black pudding, scallop, apple, maple and mustard

Roasted turbot, asparagus with black truffle

Custard, strawberries and meringue

I was really delighted with my lunch experience at Wild Rabbit, the sophistication and refinement elements remained if I was to compare to the days at Launceston Place while it felt more natural at the same time. I might have spoken too soon but I seriously think Wild Rabbit is a worthy winner of a Michelin star for the next 2017 edition. I was also a big fan of the decor of the place, the dining room is well spread out with plenty of natural sunlight, service was magnificent where Tim recruited some of the very bests from Launceston Place. To sum it up, it was easily the best meal I have had in 2016 so far. While I was on my way back to London on the train, I was already thinking when I should return for another visit. 

Food 4.5/5

What I paid: 
£61 per head with a glass of wine

Average cost without drinks and services:
£45

Church St, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, UK OX7 6YA

www.thewildrabbit.co.uk/