Reviewed
11/03

The Trout is one of those pubs that nearly everyone who has been in Oxford for more than one year has either visited, or will have heard of, and is well aware of its reputation.

Walking to The Trout across Port Meadow is a wonderful experience in the summer, and a lovely way to spend the day; setting out about mid morning and arriving in time to have a few refreshing drinks, sat by the river, and eating generously served portions of 'proper English Pub food', before ambling back across the meadows and home again. Alternatively, The Trout is an ideal place to convince the parents to take you. Being only a ten - fifteen minute drive from the city centre, it is quick and easy to get to, but once there, you feel like you are in the middle of the countryside and have been transported back in time by about 50 years. At this time of year, there is a roaring log fire inside, and the mellow atmosphere is highly conducive to spending a long winters afternoon sat around the old oak tables, drinking glasses of mulled wine and roasting your own chestnuts.

The Trout is most definitely renowned for its food; and this is well known so if you intend to eat at lunchtime, you really do need to be there by 12.30 if you hope to find a table and order your food within a reasonable amount of time. After this time, you may find yourselves queueing for at least 20 minutes to even order your food, though admittedly once ordered, it is generally served to the table in an impressively short time. This is, of course, assuming you managed to find a parking space to begin with in the small carpark.

The menu is fairly extensive; there are a number of starters and lighter snacks, a range of sandwiches and wraps which change daily, and large menu of proper main courses as well as specials at certain times of the year. When we went, we ordered the vegetarian lasagne, beef and ale pie, fish and chips and the Hunters Chicken. Main courses tend to come with a set side vegetable of mash, new potatoes or chips, and either fresh veg or side salad, though I have never had a problem to swap this if I prefer something different. The meals were brought to us amazingly quickly despite the number of people eating that day. Theportions were, as always, huge, piping hot, and delicious, and the veg and chips all freshly cooked. Despite being fairly stuffed at the end, we also all found space for one of their delicious puddings. The choice was impressive - three hot puddings, and a number of cold desserts also. I went for the fruit crumble with custard (apple and raspberry), which was absolutely divine; while others chose the profiteroles and the chocolate brownie with ice cream. All were presented nicely, were generous in size, and finished off our meal nicely.

Costs at The Trout aren't unreasonable, though at the same time are probably not aimed at the typical student budget for a pub meal; hence its popularity with students being offered a meal out by parents. Mains start at just under £7 for scampi or lasagne, and peak at £14 for steak. However, most float around the £7.50 mark, and all puddings are set at just under £4 each. Lighter snacks and the sandwiches are all about £4 each.

Basically, The Trout is a good recommendation for any family lunch out, or for a large group of friends to make their way towards during the summer months. It is full of character, and serves wonderful food, and is definitely a place that every Oxford student or resident should experience at least once while here.

Alison Hook