Review - Orwells, Shiplake, near Henley

It’s hard to review a restaurant when you’ve had to take the main course home in a doggy bag but that’s life in the fast lane.

Not that it was the fault of Orwell’s in Shiplake despite it’s South Oxfordshire location near Henley. No, this was purely down to the impossible traffic situation in this county where roadworks anywhere seem to bring the entire network to a standstill.

The road between the Heyford Hill roundabout and the Kennington roundabout off the A34 was reduced to one lane and nothing was moving. Cutting across via Headington, the A40 to Kidlington was also jammed as was Wolvercote and Peartree roundabouts, meaning I was horribly late for the school run, so late in fact that my children had been put in a special room at school for abandoned kids.

However, what I saw at Orwells made it all worthwhile, a tiny country pub in the middle of absolutely nowhere with views that soothed my jittery heart. It’s calming influence was astonishing as I was led out through the nice neat pub into the gardens where the peace and serenity was utterly hypnotic and, stretching out like a cat in the sun, I sipped at my orange and soda and waited happily for my friends.

Meeting at 12.30pm we had rather a lot to catch up on as it turned out and lots of menus to choose from, so by the time we actually got round to ordering it was a tad late. There was the daily menu, a regatta special for Henley and the a la carte. The lunch menu looked amazing (two courses £15, three for £18.50) so we ordered the smooth asparagus and wild garlic soup which came like a green pond, the croutons being a welcome surprise in the dense green but lightly flavoured potage. The wagu beef carpaccio with crispy capers, parmesan and a mustard dressing was similarly well received, and a small plate of very light calamari which made the recipient squeal in delight at its dainty dimensions and flavour.

But then came the rub, because while we chatted and nibbled and the yard arm crossed the pub garden like a foreboding shadow, I was suddenly filled with dread. What’s the time? I asked. ‘Two’ came back the dreaded answer just as the mains arrived. ‘I have to go,’ I replied jumping up, leaving the waiter holding a steaming plate of homemade tagliatelle with pinenuts, pesto, asparagus, parmesan and spinach tantalisingly beckoning me to sit and gobble it down.

My companions began cooing over their curried baked cod served with textures of cauliflower and marinated globe artichokes, which was delicately spiced and perfectly cooked, while the poor waiter returned my dish to the kitchen. No doubt head chef Ryan Simpson thought I was sending it back and instead had to unceremoniously shovel his beautiful dish into a takeaway carton and hand it to me like a relay baton as I fled.

Back at home I had time to appreciate the pasta dish properly, marvelling at the freshness of the ingredients, discovering later that not only does 75 per cent of the produce come from their smallholding in Lower Shiplake but Ryan also grows as much as possible in a greenhouse next to the kitchen, which we had noticed him bobbing in and out of during the lunch service.

Suffice to say we didn’t manage the three courses and had to spurn the choice of Sticky Toffee Pudding, Milk Ice Cream, Lemon Tart, Strawberry & Mint Compote or cheese, but I will. Oh yes, Orwell’s hasn’t seen the last of me. In fact, the roadworks may have even done them a favour because having tickled my tastebuds I now want to return for the full monty and fill my boots.

Orwells, Shiplake Row, Binfield Heath, Henley on Thames 0118 940 3673 or orwellsatshiplake.co.uk