352. Loxleys, Stratford upon Avon.

 

  The string of bistros along Sheep Street which links Stratford’s town shops to the riverside location of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre are enormously popular and come evening time are bursting at the seams with happy diners. They generally have fairly long preprinted menus which give the impression that choice of dishes does not change very often and interestingly feature very little fish. In recent Blogs I have described visits to Lamb’s of Sheep Street and The Opposition and found them both to have their good points but some weaknesses and so, on my latest visit to Stratford with Lucy the Labrador to mark the closure of The Shakespeare Hotel where we have stayed happily many times, it seemed reasonable to visit their neighbour, Loxleys..

  The restaurant has the wood beamed, comfortably lit, Tudor atmosphere of the other Sheep Street bistros and, like the others, seems to have been able to recruit some very pleasant and capable young people to work front of house. Service is smooth and relaxed and perfectly pitched. I sat at a table not far from the bar and the phone was constantly ringing with hopeful diners hoping to make a reservation only to find that Loxleys was fully reserved that evening. You had to feel that those that managed the restaurant must be doing something right.

  For my starter I chose nicely seared scallops with chunks of confit pork belly, cooked very well to make them enjoyably crispy and served with spiced butternut squash purée, which was a little too medicinal in flavour, and crunchy candied hazelnuts which gave texture and a pleasing bursts of sweetness. This was a pleasurable start to the meal.

  For the main course I chose beautifully roasted lamb in sumac butter, very tender with the meat having a fine flavour served with a goats cheese croquette and sweet strips of well cooked red pepper alongside successfully crispy lamb belly and redcurrant sauce. Each element in the dish had been very well cooked but the combination, which I guess is an eastern Mediterranean one and well recognised, was not for me. The goats cheese intruded too much on the subtlety of the fine lamb. A pity for, as I say, this was piece of fine cooking on the part of the chef. I just longed for an acidic element that was going to balance the lamb rather than smother it 

  For dessert, nothing more complicated than an affogato with amaretto - dessert and after dinner coffee in one - what’s not to like?

  Some good cooking and pleasing service at Loxleys. Rating:- 🌛🌛🌛.