Quod is one of those places that just oozes sophistication. I remember coming up to Oxford a year a go and thinking that, thanks to the uplighters on the outside of the building, the soft lighting inside and the (largely) well turned out clientele, that the restaurant must be ridiculously overpriced: suitable only for overpaid North Oxford types or financially overendowed Brookes students. How wrong I was. Quod is, in fact, perfectly affordable. True, you couldn’t ‘do lunch’ there everyday, but there’s no reason why you can’t treat yourself (or get your parents or partner to do the same) every once in a while. It’s Fifth Week, after all. So wash away those blues with a good bottle of moderately priced wine and a steak which will make the idea of writing your fifth (or tenth) essay of the term sail away into a medium rare haze of hedonism.On the whole, the food is very good and the menu is nicely varied. The average main course will only set you back ten to fifteen pounds, and the portions are large enough to warrant the fact that you don’t usually get a side portion of vegetables. Among the best things on the menu are the steak (arguably the best in Oxford), the sea bass, the fishcakes and their confit du canard. All top quality ingredients, all very tasty and filling. Nevertheless, if you do have space for pudding – sample their cheesecake. It’s probably the best I’ve ever had.Moreover, even if their current attire makes them look like pirates, the waiting staff achieve that balance between being too attentive, and ignoring you completely. But if there’s anything wrong about Quod, it’s that their coffee isn’t strong enough, particuarly if you’ve just had a bottle of wine and full plate of food. But this is a minor detail. All in all, Quod deserves its reputation as one of the nicer restaurants in Oxford. So, go on: push the boat out this week and indulge yourself. And definitely choose the cheesecake.
By Daniel Rolle
Quod
