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.
Fish and Chips
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’.
Homemade Vegetarian Chilli Jacket Potato
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
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