It may have only opened its doors in Bicester Village a few months ago, but restaurant and deli group Ottolenghi have already expanded its catering services.
Ottolenghi began in a small shop in Notting Hill in 2002 with chefs Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi at the helm, developing a style of food which is rooted in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean traditions.
It opened its doors at Bicester Village in March, the only Ottolenghi restaurant outside London, and has now launched an outside catering service so residents across Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds can enjoy its food for weddings, birthdays, private dining and corporate events.
Ahead of the launch we were invited to taste-test some of the menu which included a range of canapés, some of the restaurant’s main dishes and a selection of desserts. We arrived at the Bicester Village restaurant on a rainy Thursday evening and were greeted with a much-needed aperitif – the Bicester spritz (a mix of 58 and Co. apple & hibiscus gin, Amalfi lemon, strawberries, St Germain, sparkling wine).
As we enjoyed our drinks, we were offered a range of canapés to sample including spiced potato samosa with apricot chamoy; herby feta and walnut dip with pomegranate and chicory leaves; cured-crusted salmon with peanut and gochujang; ricotta and beef meatball with tomato sauce and Beetroot pkhali filo cups with olive salsa. A favourite was the beetroot filo cups which had been adapted from a large salad by the two chefs who’d been drafted in from the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen in London.
We took our seats in the restaurant and were served six main meals in a family-sharing style, basically we all dug in to the smaller plates which included a range of meat and vegetarian dishes from the restaurant’s main menu. We had seabass fillet with caponata and green peppercorns; herby leek, hispi cabbage and feta borek with caraway seeds; lamb kofta with bulgur and caramelised onion; lentil and pickled shallot with berbere spiced croutons; roasted cauliflower with pumpkin seeds and barberries; and roasted aubergine with saffron yoghurt and pine nuts.
Among our favourites were (for my companion) the seabass which was “expertly seared with a nice crust and a flaky centre, and the caponata was perfectly cooked to melt in the mouth”. For me, the roasted cauliflower was delicious, the aubergine tasty, but the leek and feta borek was by far my favourite.
Dessert was a mix of mini versions of cakes and tarts – passion fruit meringue tart; flourless pistachio, lemon and polenta cake with orange blossom; and raspberry and white chocolate pavlova, served with coffee of our choice.
This restaurant is a lovely venue – it’s light and airy and there’s plenty of space between tables. A deli and shop forms part of the restaurant and in there you can buy food to takeaway, tableware, cookbooks and other products.
Overall, for us, the food was delicious and we certainly want to return and try a full-sized main course and a full sized slice of that passion fruit meringue tart. Starters are priced from £5.50 and mains from £16.50. We really enjoyed the family sharing option because it’s was great opportunity to sample a wider range of the food on offer (and feel just as full).
Final mention really must go to the restaurant staff who were helpful and attentive and gave us a great dining experience. This restaurant should be on the must-try list for anyone living in Oxfordshire and across its borders.
The sample catering menus, available here, feature a wide selection of dishes, including canapés, salads, mains, and cakes, ensuring there’s something for everyone.
For more information or to book view https://ottolenghi.co.uk/pages/locations/bicester-village
