That was when my parents went out to dinner and I stayed home to watch Doctor Who. While “The Power of Three” was well-done (if a bit cheesey – does anyone else dislike Amy’s voice-overs?), I apparently missed out on the best. Dinner. Ever.
SO, when it came time to decide on a restaurant for tonight, there really wasn’t any question.
Oxford’s Grill it was.
When we got there, we quickly decided that the two-course special for £9.95 would result in too much food, as my parents had come home stuffed to the gills last night. We decided on two appetizers each (plus a seventh to be split). This, as it turns out, was the perfect balance.
We’ll start with dad’s choices.
The sucuk – Turkish sausage – was beyond phenomenal. It was heavily spiced but not spicy; the impression I got was a very light, delicate flavor that built and built to a dense, flavorful crescendo.
He also ordered the Inegol Kofte, a minced spiced lamb. While I’ve had kofte at Greek restaurants, this was just a little more special: small meatballs with a subtle, full flavor.
Next, mom.
Mom ordered the calamari. While the calamari itself was good but not special, the tartar sauce it was served with was a delight. I’m not sure what made it different from a more typical tartar sauce, but it was. (Sorry I can’t be more specific; I’m a food fan, not a food expert!).
Now, the Sigara Borek. Mom ordered these filo rolls stuffed with feta, spinach, and parsley, based on her positive experience last night with the goat cheese and vegetable appetizer.
I have never heard her speak more highly of a dish.
She said things like “I could die right now and I’d go to heaven” and “I would order this for my last meal.”
She also used the word “nirvana” a lot.
Third, my orders.
I ordered the Cop Lamb; tender, marinated cubes of lamb grilled to perfection. Now, I adore lamb, even though I don’t get to eat it very often, and this lamb was potentially the best I’ve ever had. It was flavorful and tender while still giving the impression of being very basic and home-cooked.
I have to admit that I feel bad for the Borek that I ordered. These filo triangles filled with roasted vegetables and lentils, and served with a Cacik sauce (similar to a tzatziki), were definitely the underdogs of the evening. The tragedy is that had I ordered them by themselves, they would have been wonderful; compared to all of the lovely meat dishes that I ordered, they were simply fine. However, do not write them off; they paled only in comparison.
Finally, we ordered a Beef Carpaccio to share. According to dad, it was the best he’d ever have. I’m inclined to agree. It literally melts in your mouth (and I do not use the word “literally” lightly!). Oh my god. When I move to my dorm room on the other side of town, I will still venture to this side of Magdalen Bridge specifically for that dish.
When we finished, we were full but not stuffed, so we ventured to the dessert menu, deciding on the baklava (dad’s favorite) and the crème brulee (to be shared by me and mom). Well, “shared” ended up being a strong word, as I finished the majority of the dish myself. It was beautifully caramelized, subtly sweet, and served with a sauce that I believe was currant but cannot remember, but was delicious as well.
I did not try the baklava, as I was too busy making sure I got my fair share of the crème brulee, but I hear it was delicious.
The bottle of La Linda Malbec was lovely.
The service was warm, attentive, and unobtrusive.
We spent most of the meal rhapsodizing over the food; I have to imagine that this is a good sign. We also agreed that it was in the top ten we’d each ever had; that is a bold statement that we do not make lightly.
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