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The Swan Inn

Oxfordshire, Islip - Modern British - Restaurant - £££

Overall Rating: Very Good

Uniqueness:Does the establishment stand out in the context of the local area? Very Good

Deliciousness:How delicious is the food? Very Good

Warmth:How warm is the service and the hospitality in general? Good

Strength of recommendation:How enthusiastically and widely would you recommend the establishment? Very Good

Following acclaim for his cooking at the Oxford Kitchen, Paul Welburn decamped in 2022 to team up with Islip villagers who had acquired this 17th-century Cotswold pub near the River Ray. An extensive refit has produced a modern, deceptively large interior incorporating an open kitchen, the ‘Majlis’ (Arabic for sitting room, where small plates such as whipped cod’s roe with malt vinegar scraps are served) and a little library-like area for parties. Pride of place, however, goes to the fine-dining Cygnet restaurant – a barn-like space decorated, like the rest of the venue, with works by local artists (for sale). At lunchtime, there’s a three-course set menu with three options per course, while in the evening there are regularly changing, no-choice four-course options for meat eaters and vegetarians (you can mix-and-match between the two). Proceedings begin with ‘bread and snacks’, including, perhaps, a tasting of tender ox cheek topped with ...

Following acclaim for his cooking at the Oxford Kitchen, Paul Welburn decamped in 2022 to team up with Islip villagers who had acquired this 17th-century Cotswold pub near the River Ray. An extensive refit has produced a modern, deceptively large interior incorporating an open kitchen, the ‘Majlis’ (Arabic for sitting room, where small plates such as whipped cod’s roe with malt vinegar scraps are served) and a little library-like area for parties. Pride of place, however, goes to the fine-dining Cygnet restaurant – a barn-like space decorated, like the rest of the venue, with works by local artists (for sale). At lunchtime, there’s a three-course set menu with three options per course, while in the evening there are regularly changing, no-choice four-course options for meat eaters and vegetarians (you can mix-and-match between the two). Proceedings begin with ‘bread and snacks’, including, perhaps, a tasting of tender ox cheek topped with beef-fat crumble. Great care is taken with textural contrast and overall balance, from a refreshing starter comprising cubes of baked celeriac, matched with tangy Granny Smith, crunchy pecans and creamy blobs of Cornish Yarg custard to a gloriously flavourful wild mushroom risotto, elevated by crispy puffed rice and a mound of grated Ticklemore goat's cheese. Roasted fillet of stone bass might figure in the fish course, with accompaniments including brown shrimps, creamy brown-bread velouté, bright-green pea purée, samphire, broccoli and lemon all deserving their place on the plate. Welburn's constructions may be complex but they never mask the outstanding ingredients – witness pink medallions and confit belly of lamb, given a slight Middle Eastern accent with lemon-cumin gravy and tangy aubergine ketchup or a memorable finale involving crunchy Yorkshire rhubarb diced with ginger atop a moist honey and ground-almond cake, alongside coconut sorbet and a whisky/honey gel – all crowned by a crisp squid-ink lattice. Much thought has also gone into the pithy wine list, where even the entry-level white (an Argentinian Torrontés) bursts with flavour. Staff may lack some fine-dining skills but they are a friendly, good-natured bunch; they even took the trouble to find out the bands playing on the 1980s soundtrack following our enquiry.

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VENUE DETAILS

1 Lower Street
Islip
Oxfordshire
OX5 2SBGB

01865 849959

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OTHER INFORMATION

Private dining room, Separate bar, Parking, Credit card required

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