AN elaborate jumble of steeples and towers, Oxford’s skyline is instantly recognisable and justifiably famous throughout the world.
Enamoured by the view, the poet Matthew Arnold wrote of “that sweet city with her dreaming spires”. Incredibly, the scene that stirred him to verse more than 150 years ago is largely the same today.
A fine prospect it may well be, but until recently it was all but impossible to find a place to sit and enjoy it. Sure, you could climb Boars Hill and squint at it from afar, or trudge up a thigh-burning spiral staircase for a quick glimpse from one of the handful of towers open to the public, but there was nowhere to kick back and take in its beauty with, perhaps, a relaxed drink.
The opening of the Westgate changed all that with its rooftop offering sweeping views from New College to Christ Church.
Occupying the panoramic sweet spot up there is smart restaurant and bar Victors. And with it finally safe to consider drinks and dining outdoors – July showers notwithstanding – its patch of prime rooftop has been transformed into an elegant sky terrace with the best views in town.
To the uninitiated, Victors is a stylish spot (one of a small family of four venues) which manages to effortlessly combine its duties as classy bar and serious restaurant. Being stuck atop a shopping centre with its head in the clouds, I suspect many people forget it is there, instead packing less imaginative and more expensive venues at street level. And with summer here and the launch of a gorgeous new ‘Secret Rooftop’ sanctuary, they are seriously missing out.
It was a photographer friend, Ed, who told me about the new terrace – the ability to know a good view when he sees it obviously being part of the job. And with the sun finally making an appearance, we decided to join him and check out this fancy new outdoor room with a view.
So on a warm but breezy Sunday lunchtime we found ourselves under a gazebo adorned with wisteria and dripping with flowers gazing out at the graceful form of Christ Church’s Tom Tower and its pointy neighbours poking above the rooftops.
It feels elegant, but service is unstuffy and fun. And there was no waiting about. We were offered a choice of tables in either covered or un-roofed areas, confidently going for the latter.
From inside the restaurant came the sultry sound of a beautifully-voiced young singer working her way through her sophisticated songbook. A good start.
The al fresco ambience is Mediterranean but the menu also encompasses flavours from Asia and those closer to home including a comprehensive choice of Sunday roasts.
We started with a taste of the Far East though, in the shape of a sharing platter of sushi – surely the test of any good chef.
It was huge and served with a sprinkle of panache and theatre, Victors, it became apparent, is all about grand entrances – whether it be cocktails billowing vapour or eye-popping puds.
Beautifully presented on half a barrel of crushed ice, the sushi also happened to be very good indeed. Fresh, light and bursting with flavour with delicate rolls and melt-in-the-mouth tuna. Ed was particularly enamoured, so much so that he couldn’t manage a main course. No such dilemma for the rest of us though.
Being a traditional sort of soul, a foodie friend went straight for that most British of culinary delights – roast beef. It looked excellent and extremely generous, with generous juicy slices of tender 35-day dry aged sirloin and a lovely assortment of vegetables, including very fine roast spuds – crisp on the outside and gently fluffy within.
There was even a bit of mash – and a rich red wine jus taking the place of traditional gravy. It was great value too, at just over £20.
My enviably health-conscious friend Holly went lighter, with a satisfying dish of mussels basking in wild garlic butter (Sriracha butter sauce is also offered for a spicier kick). The plump, juicy rope-grown delights came with a wedge of toasted sourdough to soak up all that loveliness.
My head was turned by something more unusual – an extravagant sounding collision of comfort food and haute cuisine: Lobster mac & cheese. I was unsure what to expect of this concoction of macaroni cheese, lobster, prawns and bisque, which while sounding comforting could have turned into a colossal waste of lobster in the wrong hands.
In a meal big on razzmatazz, it looked relatively unassuming – very much like a standard mac and cheese. What lay within was a different story, though. The cheese was subtle, allowing the tender lobster to flex its flavours, while the pasta absorbed the complex lusciousness of the bisque.
It was wonderful. And it was rich enough to marry well with the Argentinian Malbec insisted on by our beef eating companion.
A perfectly executed pudding of raspberry baked Alaska provided a perfect sharp, cooling and enjoyably nostalgic finale. And while it looked fabulously fluffy it was positively dowdy compared to Holly’s alternative dessert – an adventurous pick from the cocktail list.
Her Kiss & Candy boasted a combination of Southern French Cîroc vodka, lychee juice, fresh lemon juice and vanilla syrup... oh, and a cumulus cloud of fairground-style candy floss. It was accompanied by sparkling Prosecco to bring it all under control, the addition of the fizz reducing the pink cotton candy to syrup.
It looked less like a cocktail than an eccentric experiment worthy of a Noble Prize for chemistry. Pure showbiz, it turned heads, raised smiles and even tasted pretty good – punchy, sharp and fruity.
Like everything else, it was all great fun, making for an afternoon as memorable for Victors’ chic charm, cheery service and cheeky playfulness as for the undeniable quality of its food.
And then, of course, there was the view of that inspiring horizon.
Matthew Arnold would have surely approved.
THE FACTS
- Victors Oxford, The Westgate, Oxford
- Book: Phone: 01865 689 064. Email: oxford@victors.co.uk
- Menus: victors.co.uk/bookings-oxford
- Times: Opens at 11am (10am on Sat and Sun). Closes at 11pm (1am on Fri and Sat)
- Prices: Very reasonable for good food: Sushi set – £44 or £80. Mains from £17. Roast from £21.50. Desserts from about £8. Cocktails about £12
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