Kings Head Inn & Restaurant, The

Jane Robinson (1 August 2004)

On a friend’s recommendation, I visited the Kings Head Inn for a meal in the early summer, with 5 friends. The Inn was built in the seventeenth century and can be found in the quiet village of Wootton, near Woodstock. First impressions are of an olde worlde pub, with very friendly and chatty owners, low-beamed ceilings, very comfortable sofas and magazines - it just cries out for a few hours spent nursing a glass of wine and putting the world to rights!

The dining area was small, but not overcrowded, with a really homely ambience - I felt as if I had been invited to a friends house for a rather special dinner party! I had been told that the food is all prepared to order, using fresh local produce, and our first glance at the menu just heightened our sense of expectation as there was a really good choice of starters and main courses, all beautifully described. I also have to say that the wine list is one of the most impressive I have seen in a country pub/restaurant for a long time, and gave us the opportunity to try a very well-thought out wine collection.

From a selection including Rosette of Muscavado and Lime cured Scottish Salomon, or Avocado Pear coated in Tarragon cream, I chose a starter of Warm Gressingham Duck Salad which was quite exceptional - the plentiful duck having been perfectly cooked, and then shredded - served with just the right amount of mixed leaf salad and with a spicy plum puree. The Main courses were just as tempting, with a reasonably wide choice including chargrilled pork medallions with a red onion marmalade, seared fillet of Scottish Salmon with Hollandaise, and the ubiquitous rib eye steak! I chose instead the Tower of Orkney Fillet Steak, served with a well-seasoned potato rosti, wild mushrooms and a smooth black pepper sauce. It was all was cooked perfectly, with a meltingly good fillet steak , although the black pepper was - for my personal tastes - a little over strong. To the Kings Head Inn's defence, my friends dis