Food

One thing that hits me about Oxford is the variety of food on offer.  It makes a change from walking around here on the North Coast of Ireland.  I know it's all relative and that where I live is not exactly a metropolis (thank goodness, eh?) but it's really very pleasant to have the choice of food that Oxford offers.  Gloucester Green market had a number of food stalls which looked (and smelt) amazing.  We didn't partake this time as we were getting too close to our early evening restaurant booking but lots of people were indulging.  We settled for a dander around some of the stalls, selling old maps, books, records and artefacts.  No old camera stalls, though that was probably a good thing...

French Onion Soup on offer at Gloucester Green market.  HP5+ in HC-110, on Ilford Cooltone RC paper.

But it's not all roses.  I'd forgotten how busy the city centre is - even on a cold Saturday afternoon in January.   Busy and noisy.  Every five minutes (or so it seems) there's a vehicle belonging to one of the emergency services trying to make it's way through the traffic - and that means full on sirens, which are loud.  Amplified of course by my hearing aids which are usually turned to a Spinal Tap 11 so when I get the first notice of an impending siren I instinctively reach to knock them off.  Ah the sound of silence - it's really rather lovely at times, although a little dangerous in a City environment where there are people, bicycles, scooters and vehicles - some of which don't always obey the rules.

This contraption was lurking round the back of the Colleges.  It looked pretty inviting and a crepe is hard to beat when you're in the mood, but there weren't many takers when we passed, about 5pm on Saturday evening.  I can only imagine what it's like working in there on a warm Summer's day with the griddles full on. 

We were en route to our favourite Indian Restaurant - a little gem of a place we discovered by accident on our last trip in November.  Amazingly, the owner Mohammad remembered us and even thanked us for the TripAdvisor review we left. “I knew it was you”, he said to my wife.  Even though it was Saturday evening and the place was buzzing he took time to chat to us and brought us a complimentary dish (which he also did the first time we visited).  That's the sort of experience that makes you want to return to a restaurant - and we will. Chutney's, on St Michael's Street, if you ever find yourself in the city craving for some authentic South Asian food.  You wouldn't think it from the decor (it is distinctively down-market compared to some Indian Restaurants) but with a claim to be Oxford's oldest surviving Indian Restaurant and with photographs on the wall of famous clientele including President Bill Clinton of the USA and President Asif Ali Zadarwi of Pakistan they must be doing something right. 

The food can be very spicy so care is required.  On our first visit my wife was visibly suffering so Mohammad brought her a large glass of iced mango juice, which he said he had found to be the best for mollifying the heat from the food.  And it was!  We've been converts ever since and now our fridge is always well stocked with mango juice for when we crave something with a bit of a kick at home.