Eat My Words: We review Hitchen’s Barn in Oakham

Plenty of people must regard food as a means to stay alive, rather than a source of pleasure in its own right.

And being in that number it takes a pretty special restaurant to get me talking - or writing - about it.

But I can’t seem to stop telling people how good Hitchen’s Barn is.

True, I’m not ‘discovering’ this gem of a restaurant - Michelin, the AA, The Good Food Guide and most of Rutland got there first.

But there’s something about this place, set back from Oakham’s High Street, that makes it more welcoming and agreeable than most.

First, both outside and in, Hitchen’s Barn looks tasteful. None of the flash decor that can appear naff in daylight, it’s all honey-colour stone, white walls and wooden beams. The atmosphere is ‘country pub’ not ‘fancy restaurant’, with tables arranged so conversations can be heard and other parties eyeballed, but without being a squeeze.

Then there’s the ‘front of house’ experience. On the busy Saturday lunchtime we had booked, this couldn’t have been better. Lousie Hitchen greeted our little group with smiles and good humour, while the two young waitresses consistently matched drinks and meal orders to everyone around the table without having to ask ‘Who’s having the double gin?’.

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Speaking of which, there was an excellent choice that included Rutland’s Multum Gin Parvo and Cap & Copper, while Round Corner Brewing in Melton Mowbray supplied the beers (if you’ve not yet visited the taproom, get yourself a train timetable and get over there). Wine and cider are also available and, much as I felt I should review them all, a relatively sober path was steered.

Menus change daily at Hitchen’s Barn, and on this occasion it was the ‘lunch for even less’ offer that had tempted us to book - two courses for £23 and a third for £4 more.

For starters, we all plumped for the goats’ cheese panna cotta with apple, watercress and caramelised walnuts, the alternative being cauliflower soup, which was probably delicious but when even Heinz doesn’t sell it by the tin, its marketability has to be questioned. There is no doubt, cheese blended with cream is a hit, and anyone repelled by the ‘chalky’ texture of some goats’ cheese needn’t have feared. Having looked lovely on the plate for all of five seconds, this starter slid right down.

Up next was fillet of Cornish seabass, crab cakes, samphire, fennel puree and crab mayonnaise, which again won hands down against the opposition: roasted chicken breast with wild garlic mash, wild mushrooms and chicken sauce.

The fish was incredibly good. Crispy skin, juicy meat, and just the right level of salty to put you by the seaside without bringing on a stroke in the over 40s.

The three mini crab cakes that kept it company also made it into the top ten of mouth-watering flavours, and the samphire did a good job of looking healthy without ruining the coastal vibe.

For dessert, the apricot Bakewell tart with vanilla custard made it to the table, managing to look and taste delightfully homemade without letting the side down on the presentation front.

A selection of Rennet and Rind cheese was tracked down on the regular menu, served nicely with grapes, apple and fruity breads.

Hitchen’s Barn in Burley Road, Oakham takes bookings by phone on 01572 722255.

Out of five:

Food: Couldn’t be better *****

Drinks: Great to see lots of local drinks available. Beers weren’t on draught but big cans made the measures look like pints *****

Decor: Tasteful *****

Staff: Professional and put us at ease *****

Price: Two courses for £25 and add a third for £5. These aren’t huge portions but it still seems good value for very good quality. ****

Have you had a great meal? Share your own Eat My Words reviews or tell us where to try by emailing: news@lincsonline.co.uk