To take the humble vegetable and turn it into a superstar without any accompanying protein, but celebrating the particular vegetable in itself is an art, a delicious art. Entering the beautiful ancient city of Bath in the United Kingdom, I did not expect to find myself eating a meal of a lifetime. Oak Restaurant is located in the same N parade passage as Sally Lunn's historic eating house, so it is not difficult to find. Its entrance is simple, the first thing you notice is their board outside which states that the Times rated it as the best vegetarian restaurant in the UK. The restaurant is rustic and beautifully decorated and the tables are tiny with shaky chairs. It's like you have entered a field where the produce, freshly harvested is just going to be brought to you at your table. It is a vegetarian restaurant where small plates made with seasonal ingredients are served in one of Bath's oldest buildings.
What we ate:-
Homemade Bread with Olive Oil
Freshly baked bread, full of flavour when dipped in good quality olive oil is heaven. It was an excellent start to our meal.
Radish, Sunflower Seed Butter, Wild Garlic Oil
Such fresh crisp radishes, dipped in that indulgent garlicky sunflower seed butter was really something unique, hadn't tasted this flavour combination before.
Roasted Jersey Royal Potatoes, Red Pepper and Miso Pesto, Zhoug
Jersey royals are genuine new potatoes with a nutty flavour and a firm texture, they were smashed and fried crispy, combine that with the vibrant red pepper and miso pesto and the spicy cilantro sauce (zhoug) was perfection!
Asparagus, Ajoblanco, Wild Garlic Oil, Almond, Braised Leeks, Whipped Ricotta and Sweet Mustard
The asparagus was so beautifully charred, combined with the creamy ajoblanco and the crunch of the almonds, this was the second-best dish of the meal. The best dish, however, was the indulgent braised leaks, they burst with flavour from the liquid they had been braised in, the whipped ricotta was a nice balance and the mustard gave a tart edge.
Each dish highlighted one vegetable in all its glory, the freshness and care with which each dish was made, these small plates were packed with mighty flavour and just so full of surprise. I was so happy to have experienced this in a setting which was not too heavy on the pocket. This was nothing short of a fine dining experience and the memories I have of these dishes will last me a lifetime.
This post is based on my personal experience, thank you for reading ❤️
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