One of the establishments run by top-end Oxford leisure company Mogford, Gee's is the younger, trendier sister of Oxford's most luxurious hotel & restaurant, the Old Parsonage (a little further up the road). The menu and décor, though parallel, mark out the differences between the two. Whilst the Parsonage's walls are crammed with small, gilt-framed oils, Gee's' modest bar is adorned with the bright, abstract portraits of young artist Gary Hume. And, whilst you can pretty much eat the same food at Gee's as you can at the Parsonage, Gee's menu is more extensive, and the wine list longer (ok, so they don't do afternoon tea - but they do do brunch on the weekend). Gee's also has an appointed wine manager who makes monthly recommendations, and 'star dishes' are marked each week to assist those feeling confused by the luxury of being spoilt for choice.

At first glance, the menus of both the Parsonage & Gee's appear a little limited. The food has a healthy Italian bias (what counts for 'modern British food' these days), and is very much about keeping it simple, with fresh seafood (flown in from Jersey the same day), traditional meats (duck, steak, chicken) and very fresh vegetables, with the high quality of the ingredients clearly shining through. If this kind of cuisine isn't your bag, you might be a bit stuck. Vegetarians also have few choices. If however, you are an evil vegetarian on a day off, as I was, you can console yourself with the knowledge that Gee's pride themselves on their mostly UK-sourced, free range & organic produce from independent suppliers. If you just love this kind of fayre, you're likely to face the 'spoilt for choice' problem, and want to eat everything on the menu.

We did our best, aiding our mission by trying bits of each other's courses. We started with squid and king prawn salad with parsley, coriander, lemon garlic and spring onion, and the Jersey king scallops with pea puree and crisp pancetta, which were shared to mutual delight (though as a fan of standard prawns, I found the slightly sweetbreadesque flavour of the king prawns offputting, whilst being prepared to accept that that's how they should taste if fresh and properly cooked). Having just the night before eaten Marks & Spencers scallops, I conducted a taste test: Gee's won hands down, with the pea puree being a tried, tested and excellent garnish. The squid too was delicious.

At the point of moving on to our main courses, we had already made substantial inroads into our delicious Pinot Noir (Margaret River, Aus., personally recommended by the helpful wine manager as we boggled at the list for a lightish red to go with both poultry and fish), an easy-drinking number weighing in at a hefty £40 a bottle. Working extremely well with both the meaty scallops and the main course - the week's 'star dish' of duck breast, caramelised chicory, herby roast spuds and red wine jus - I was informed that it also worked very well with the wild Jersey sea bass (with marsh samphire, an old English vegetable also known as 'poor man's asparagus', green beans and tomato vinaigrette). The duck was ridiculously tender, and the side vegetables exquisitely cooked.

Too full to manage dessert, we adjourned from our banquette seating at the top end of the conservatory (there is outdoor seating, and it was a warm enough evening, but we felt we should go for the full Gee's conservatory experience) to the bar for a white Russian (small, but the most perfectly formed I've ever had) and Armagnac. Observing the flurry of activity between kitchen and restaurant, we realised that without our having noticed, the conservatory had filled entirely. The clientele at Gee's seems like a lively bunch, and that night comprised everything from an 18th birthday party to a business dinner and a young family with a toddler, and nothing seemed to be a problem for the (young) staff, who were attentive to just the right extent.

In conclusion: well done Gee's. You describe yourself as 'an Oxford institution', and you're right.

Our total bill for two dining, with 2 courses, a bottle of wine, mineral water and cocktails, came to approximately £100. Prices for individual items can all be found on the up-to-date website for Gee's, The Old Parsonage & The Old Bank Hotel/Quod.

Reviewed
24.6.00

Gee's is housed in a conservatory built in 1898. Originally used as a florist, it now functions as a light, spacious restaurant in which a good mix of tourists, students and locals can enjoy an interesting a-la-carte menu and a diverse wine list.

After sampling the excellent breads, offered by an obliging waitress, we considered the menu. There's a wide selection of starters, including a variety of fish and sea-food dishes priced between £3.95 (soup of the day) and £7.30 (seafood risotto). My companion plumped for the latter whilst I chose the king scallops, seared with asparagus, baby spinach and a mint gremolata (£6.95). Both came in generous portions. The scallops were large and succulent, although the overall effect was impaired by the mint dressing: it's bitterness somewhat overpowered the tender asparagus spears. The risotto, in contrast, had a deep and rounded flavour, the slightly al dente rice contributing to a complex texture.

From over a dozen main courses (£9.65 to £16.95), my companion chose the Scotch rump steak (£13.75), whilst I selected the roasted duck breast (£13.95). In anticipation of our main courses, we sampled an Australian Shiraz Cabernet (£16.00) that our helpful waiter had recommended from the wine list. Our dishes arrived soon after. My companion was slightly put off by the presentation: the steak atop mashed potato with a couple of large field mushrooms poking out. However, on tasting the rump her fears were assuaged. My duck was more traditionally presented, nestling alongside dauphinoise potatoes and caramelised chicory. The breast was welcomingly pink, perfectly complemented by a Madeira sauce.

In the interests of thoroughness, we felt obliged to consider the dessert menu. Again the selection was excellent including taleggio cheese, warm fig and mascarpone tart, and "chocolate" (sic). However, we adjourned to the bar to escape the no-smoking policy in the restaurant and drink our machiato coffees (£1.75 each). Including a bottle of sparkling water (£2.85), the bill came to £64.30.

Gee's dinner menu probably isn't the best value in town, but it's relaxed ambience, excellent service and generous portions combine to good effect. For those on tighter budgets, it maybe worth trying their lunch menu, £9.50 for two courses.

Mark Schofield