A friend of mine recently mentioned that The Royal Blenheim pub in Oxford has a menu which is approximately 50% vegetarian. I don’t tend to eat in pubs often because the choices are usually poor or totally predictable. I checked their menu online, and since I was seeing a gig at Modern Art Oxford, which is conveniently next door to the pub, hubs and I gave it a try.
I like the look of this pub. It’s light and spacious and always friendly. I’ve been before, but just for drinks. We arrived at 6.30pm on a Saturday and had no problem finding a table. The menu was as I hoped from viewing it online – there were plenty of choices!
Some of the choices on offer for vegetarians/pescetarians:
Sandwiches (£3.95 with salad garnish): Veggie Sausage with wholegrain mustard mayo; Fishfinger with homemade tartare sauce; Hummus, roast pepper, olive and spinach; Vegetable pakora with mango chutney and salad wrap; Sweet chilli tuna.
Jacket potatoes with choice of Cheddar & Beans; Tuna, red onion and cheddar; Homemade veggie chilli and sour cream; Hummus, sweet corn and Pepper (£4.65 each).
Salads (£6.95): Hummus and olives on mixed leaves with grated carrot, balsamic dressing, topped with pumpkin seeds; Vegetable and mozzarella (Flat mushroom and aubergine topped with salsa and mozzarella on a bed of mixed leaves); Tuna, boiled egg and black olives on a bed of mixed leaves.
Main Meals: Fish and chips (£8.25); Homemade veggie chilli (£7.25); Veggie sausages & mash (£6.95).
Many of the above meals are vegan, or can be made so with the exclusion of the sour cream. There are plenty of choices for meat eaters too.
I went for the jacket potato with homemade veggie chilli, and hubs had the fish and chips. My meal was very good. The chilli had a tiny bit of spice to it, but not much. It had kidney beans and corn and some other chopped vegetables. It could have used a little more substance and been less tomato-y if there was soya protein or bulger wheat, but it was good and it was very filling. It came with a lovely undressed salad on the side, and I felt like it was a healthy, guilt-free meal. Hubs’ fish and chips looked amazing! The fish was nicely beer battered and was cooked to perfection with a crispy outside and tender flaky fish inside. The chips were also cooked perfectly. I barely managed to steal a bite off his plate before it was gone. We washed everything down with delicious White Horse Brewery’s ‘Village Idiot’.
I learned that the chef is the owner’s wife, and she’s a vegan! No wonder the menu is friendly to vegetarians, vegans, and even those who eat gluten free.
The food was served so quickly that we had time to play a game of Jenga – one of the many games available at the pub.
I’m pretty sure we’ll be back to The Royal Blenheim soon. There are more things on the menu I want to try. I definitely recommend a visit.
The Royal Blenheim
13 St Ebbes, Oxford, OX1 1PT
01865 242 355
Website