The Magdalen Arms
Oxford, Oxfordshire
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Even on a Tuesday evening, an exuberant buzz pulsates through this big old hostelry on the studenty outskirts of Oxford. Yes, the 'dining pub' recipe has been followed with dedication – bare boards, mismatched furniture and all, both in the capacious bar and back restaurant – but there’s a vim and rhythm to proceedings that keeps the crowds coming back. Fair pricing and a daily changing menu of appealing modern pub food helps too. Start, perhaps, with a light goat's cheese soufflé, well-matched with a crunchy walnut and apple salad. Or look to the brief specials menu, where a consommé-like Provençal fish soup with heart-warming flavours comes with cheese-loaded rouille (pity about the slightly chewy croûtons). Next could be a hearty portion of fresh hake served on proper thick mash, with zip provided by a modest helping of peperonata. Meat dishes, too, come in satisfying proportions – for instance a plate of thin but tender venison slices, boosted by mouth-wateringly garlicky, creamy dauphinoise and purple sprouting broccoli. 'Party' dishes might include slow-cooked lamb shoulder for four or five people. High-quality ice cream makes a suitable ending – we recommend the almond praline version. Alert young waiting staff maintain the tempo throughout, and real ale provides an alternative to the keenly priced, chalked-up wine list (bottles from £21.50). The Magdalen Arms also runs its own 'pub shop emporium' and hosts a monthly flea market too.
