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Sir Charles Napier, Chinnor.


For our wedding anniversary lunch this year we chose the Sir Charles Napier, near Chinnor in Oxfordshire.

This is a charming gastro-pub tucked away in the Chiltern hills along a long and winding road which has a first class collection of potholes.

It is run by a lady, Julie Griffiths, who has been there for decades and who is a welcoming and friendly host. She showed us to a comfortable sofa next to a log fire and took our drinks orders before bringing the menus. This felt unhurried and relaxed and that was appreciated especially as we arrived twenty minutes late, and it set the tone for the whole meal.

The menu was interesting and each option had some appealing ingredient combinations. The choice was not easy to make, as it all looked that it would be worth a try.

We made our choices and sat back with our gins and tonic until we were invited in to the dining room and shown to a table next to an impressive wine rack. Our first courses arrived. Both chose the white onion soup. This was thick, without being heavy, and was made in addition to the onions with croutons, slow-cooked egg yolk, dates and chives. There was also an onion brioche and a slice of warm brown sourdough bread.

After a reasonable and welcome pause our main. courses were delivered. One pork tenderloin with truffled bubble and squeak, sauted spinach and café au lait sauce, and one rump of beef with beer pickled onion, smoked ricotta and braised tongue. The latter also included a huge, white, puffed cracker.  We also shared a portion of four pomme anna chips. All wonderful, beautifully cooked, full of flavour and well-balanced. The add-on potatoes were not necessary, but very welcome and a candidate for the best potato dish known to man.

Another well-timed pause took us to dessert. One brown sugar financier with peanut butter ice cream and caramel sauce and one rhubarb sorbet with ginger custard and rhubarb sauce. Again, all very good.

To finish we were shown back to the fireplace for coffee, and that was a nice place to draw the lunch to a close.

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