OX Belfast — Restaurant in Belfast

Our party of five had a beautiful meal at Ox last night.

I often find wine pairings delicious but light on quantity-- our server confirmed the 6-course pairing would be the equivalent of 2 glasses of wine, so we opted to drink by the glass, using the menu's apt descriptions and our server's knowledge to find something suitable. We were not disappointed with the wine list all night, and often delighted by our server's suggestions.

Dinner started with an amuse: a crunchy, fresh bite and cheese-filled gougeres. The chefs moved through each course with subtlety and art, from an aromatic fish course to a vegetable and cheese dish, on to a creamy lobster plate, rounding out with a deeply earthy cote du boef. A light, sweet sorbet and a bracingly tart cherry dessert wrapped the meal nicely, and the small plate of sweets at the end sent us out the door smiling.

Highlights: the lobster buerre blanc, endlessly creamy with a hint of sweetness; a perfectly executed roasted beet and cheese dish with a mustard sauce that was just sharp enough to complement both; the deeply flavored cube of fat accompanying the chantrelles and black garlic sauce of the beef course; a sharp yet floral pink peppercorn dark chocolate.

Portions are small, but each bite is perfectly executed. We were not hungry or full when we left, simply satisfied.

Service was knowledgeable, friendly, and attentive.

Weeks out, the earliest reservation on our only day in Belfast was at 9PM. We did not leave the restaurant until close to midnight-- there were a few lulls between courses that could have been tightened, especially the twenty minutes between our last savory course and dessert. After we mentioned that we were about to fall asleep at the table, things picked up and we left feeling content.

Definitely worth a meal when you are on Belfast, and still...

We visited Ox to celebrate our 34th Wedding Anniversary on 17 Aug 2024.

I find myself struggling to describe the restaurant, it is neither plain nor rustic in its appearance, but it isn’t what I expected for my first Michelin Star restaurant. I certainly don’t mean that in a bad way, but I guess I was imagining all white linen tablecloths and plush seating. What it was, was bright and airy, and the tables were generously spaced apart. The kitchen was open-plan (spotlessly clean of course) and on our arrival we could see the staff being briefed on the evening’s proceedings. We were warmly welcomed and shown to our table, before having the menu explained to us. We opted for the Discovery Wine Pairing to accompany the Summer Tasting Menu.

Our evening at Ox from that point on was amazing. Each bite of the food was sensational, each mouthful bursting with freshness, and the flavour combinations were mind blowing. Each wine was presented and described and matched the dishes perfectly. The service throughout the evening was excellent, and without doubt the best I have ever experienced.

This was a special treat for us, and the evening was magical. This wasn’t just a meal, and I don’t think I am being dramatic when I say it was more like going to a show. The service was perfectly choreographed, attentive, but not over-bearing or in any way false. The staff seemed genuinely happy to pass time chatting with the guests, which was lovely. The food was like an art exhibition, not only in taste, but also in colour and texture and of course in presentation. All in all, worth every penny, and highly recommended.

I would like to personally thank everyone who worked to make our evening so special that evening, and an extra special thank you to James, Ozkan, Grace, Agnes, Tara...

To be frankly honest, this place is just okay. It definitely didn’t feel like a 1 star Michelin star restaurant.

We arrived at the time of our reservation, but we were told that our table wasn’t ready and that we had to wait next door in their wine bar. We ended up waiting nearly 20 minutes. When looking at other table it seems to be their strategy to make you order from their wine bar as most tables were asked to wait. For the price of the restaurant and the length of the experience, you definitely don’t want to be waiting next door for an extra 20 minutes.

The staff was extremely kind and attentive. They took great care of us. But the whole service is very very slow. You often have to wait 15 minutes between two courses. Often they fill your glass with the wine from the wine experience but then only bring the dish 10/15 minutes after, so it’s generally very slow. The whole experience lasted around 2h30 for just a six courses menu.

Then when it comes to the food, it wasn’t the quality and complex you would expect from a one star restaurant. The courses are not very refined or researched and are quite basic. One of the course was literally a piece of Brie cheese rolled into a slice of beetroot, that’s it, it really felt like a bit of a joke. Generally the food is good, but not exceptional and not worth 80£. It lacked the excitement of having many flavours together and the curiosity of trying to figure out what you are eating. The bread was cold. The dishes were simple and not complex. Finally for a tasting menu, the portions were way too small, we came out still hungry out of the restaurant.

The matching wines tasted amazing but the glasses were quite small.

The place definitely has a great potential but it needs more to be worthy of a one star...