Nestled between Banbury and Stratford upon Avon, in the picturesque village of Oxhill, you’ll find a pretty little 15th century pub called The Peacock. Cask marque beers and local home-cooked food are the order of the day in this cosy Cotswolds bolthole; think rich steak and red wine pies with creamy mash, braised lamb shoulders, autumnal wild mushroom risotto, and you are on the right lines. Located just off the A422, The Peacock is an ideal location to get out of the town this autumn and enjoy your very own country escape; which is exactly what Adam and I did last weekend when we were invited over to try their evening menu.
Arriving at the pub on a wet and miserable Saturday evening, we were given the warmest of welcomes by Mark Farrell and his lovely team. The pub is beautifully decorated and has just the right amount of stylish touches whilst retaining its cosy pub feel. I particularly loved the vibrant peacock wallpaper adorning several feature walls, and the exposed stone. There is a roaring fire too for those cold winter nights.
Starters at The Peacock
With our bellies rumbling, our attention quickly turned to the menus in front of us. There’s an excellent selection of dishes on offer, and I would defy even the fussiest of eaters (i.e. my mother) not to find something to their liking here. To start, I opted for the twice baked cheddar and parmesan souffle. As a complete cheese fiend, there was never going to be any other contender for me. The souffle was served with spinach in a cream sauce (so, so good) and was as light as a feather. Full marks from me. Adam went for the quail scotch egg with piccalilli, aioli, pork scratching and granny smith apple which he labelled as a winner – the egg was perfectly runny and the sausagemeat well seasoned. After stealing a forkful, we both agreed the homemade piccalilli and aioli really set off this dish.
The Main Course
On to the main course then. After hearing exceptionally good things about the pies from friends and the staff, I couldn’t resist ordering one myself. With the bar set high after my sumptuous starter, I worried that my main course expectations were a little too high. I needn’t have worried. The richest, flakiest pastry cracked to reveal a proper meaty pie filling; big chunks of melt in your mouth steak in a full bodied red wine jus. This hand raised pie held up well, served with the creamiest mashed potatoes and my favourite tenderstem broccoli; it was just the remedy for a cold and wet autumnal evening. My only criticism was that there was too much fat left on the steak for my liking, but this was not enough to detract from my overall enjoyment of the dish.
Adam went for a medium rare rib eye steak with peppercorn sauce, roasted vine tomatoes, mushroom and triple cooked chips. From the speed at which it was devoured, I knew it was cooked exactly to Adam’s liking. I managed to secure a few of the chips, which I dipped in the rich, spicy peppercorn sauce. They had the perfect combination of crispness on the outside and fluffiness in the middle- another thumbs up from us.
Sweet Treats
Those of you who know me will know that for me, dessert is where it’s at. Show me a menu with a sticky toffee pudding, that queen of Italian desserts, tiramisu or a chocolate fondant and I will struggle to contain my excitement. What to do then, when the menu contains all three of these heavenly creations? I wanted to cry. Part of me considered ordering all three, I won’t lie. Reason kicked in though, and the desire to avoid type 2 diabetes saw me order just one; the chocolate fondant. Oh. My. Goodness. It was gooey, velvety, and dark; a tart berry coulis prevented this from being too indulgent and a scoop of ice cream contrasted well against the warmth of the fondant. I would eat this dish again and again.
On the other end of the pudding spectrum, Adam is a fan of fruity desserts. He chose the black forest Eton mess – a delightfully purple glass of cream and meringue mixed with cherries and autumnal hedgerow berries. It was a large portion, and I was amazed he finished it – particularly as I had already set my greedy sights on trying some. No such luck so it must have been good!
Final Thoughts
As well as excellent food, The Peacock is also home to the most loveable labrador – Henry. You’ll notice a few signs asking guests not to give in to those puppy dog eyes and feed Henry; he’s on a strict diet after eagerly indulging in his younger years, and isn’t allowed in the restaurant. As a dog lover, I would have no issue with Henry roaming the restaurant. However I can understand why he’s not really allowed in – as much for his waistline as other customers preferences. The signs are cute though, and it’s things like this that highlight the warm atmosphere the team have cultivated at The Peacock. It really does feel inviting and homely. Particularly when Henry ends up with his head on your lap!
There’s no denying The Peacock is a bit of a journey for those of you who live near Cheltenham. It is certainly worth the drive though. With Moreton-in-Marsh, Chipping Norton and Chipping Campden all less than 30 minutes away, you could easily incorporate a visit to The Peacock into a day exploring the Cotswolds; particularly as the leaves fall and winter approaches. I hear they do a pretty special Sunday roast too, so we’ll be back to try it soon!