April 29, 2007
I’d heard great things about Xian: that the food was excellent and the service beyond compare, so I was pleased to finally get around to making the long trek to Summertown. The restaurant promises well at first glance, with a mock-oriental frontispiece that sets it apart from its surroundings without being overdone. Inside, the atmosphere is tranquil and the staff polished and welcoming, though we felt that the décor left a little to be desired under the slightly bright lighting (I wouldn’t normally care, but I’d heard this praised elsewhere). The other diners seemed, well, very much on the respectable side – it’s not a place to take a college rugby team. The only smokers in the smoking section, we decided to give it a miss as it didn't seem polite.
The service was, as promised, truly attentive; at one point we were brought our individual drinks by individual waiters – lucky there were only two of us – and in general the staff were prompt but not pushy, quiet, friendly and discreet. Curiously though, when we arrived we were given a basket of prawn crackers hastily snatched from another empty table – surprising given the attention to detail in other respects. We cheerfully over-ordered; a set menu which was supposed to be for two people, but which included starters, crispy duck, 3 main dishes and rice. The mixed starter (seaweed, chicken satay, spring rolls, spare ribs and chicken wings) was fantastic – light, delicious and not too overwhelmingly generous, and the duck properly crispy with fresh and appealing accompaniments. To be fair, after all this we perhaps weren’t in quite the state to do justice to the main course, but we did find it a little disappointing. The chicken in black bean sauce was very good, but we found the stir fried seafood and the battered vegetables on the bland side.
All this, with restrained drinking (not wanting to monopolize all the waiters) and two coffees came in at just over £60, and this for an altogether pleasant if not perfect meal. I think that the slight downsides we experienced are unlikely to be permanent problems – this is a restaurant where they have the right idea and which clearly has a loyal and discerning following.
The service was, as promised, truly attentive; at one point we were brought our individual drinks by individual waiters – lucky there were only two of us – and in general the staff were prompt but not pushy, quiet, friendly and discreet. Curiously though, when we arrived we were given a basket of prawn crackers hastily snatched from another empty table – surprising given the attention to detail in other respects. We cheerfully over-ordered; a set menu which was supposed to be for two people, but which included starters, crispy duck, 3 main dishes and rice. The mixed starter (seaweed, chicken satay, spring rolls, spare ribs and chicken wings) was fantastic – light, delicious and not too overwhelmingly generous, and the duck properly crispy with fresh and appealing accompaniments. To be fair, after all this we perhaps weren’t in quite the state to do justice to the main course, but we did find it a little disappointing. The chicken in black bean sauce was very good, but we found the stir fried seafood and the battered vegetables on the bland side.
All this, with restrained drinking (not wanting to monopolize all the waiters) and two coffees came in at just over £60, and this for an altogether pleasant if not perfect meal. I think that the slight downsides we experienced are unlikely to be permanent problems – this is a restaurant where they have the right idea and which clearly has a loyal and discerning following.