Bistro at The Boathouse — Restaurant in South Oxfordshire

The basics are done well, but the chef needs to expand his horizons.

First of all, the big positive. The centerpiece meat or veg for each dish of the tasting menu were all cooked perfectly, and each dish was plated beautifully with an eye for the platter as well as the cuisine. The chef also had a good style of pickling, ending up with less intense vinegar and sweet flavours than you find in Asian cuisines, so as not to overpower each dish's staples.

The first negative, food-wise, was that the tasting menu began to feel repetitive. There were too many dishes with pickles, at least four dishes with quenelles/rochers, a similar number with flat shards/tuiles/etc., and three where the maître d' came to pour a jug of sauce over your plate at the table. This is less likely to be a barrier to enjoyment for an à la carte experience that has less dishes to sample, however.

The second negative, was that whilst often the taste blends were joyful, if erring on the natural rather than the piquant, relates to the occasional under-or-over use of the rare provocative flavours in the complementary purées & sauces. Two different dishes that came with cumin or horseradish creams, you would have been hard-pressed to detect the promoted flavour with a spectrometer; whilst in the other-direction, one of the otherwise best-dishes, a salad of mooli and squash, was swamped at the table (via maître d' jug-pouring) by a creamy brown sauce that may even have had a hint of mushroom flavours, but actually just drowned the dish with the flavour of tarragon.

Three things not to my personal taste: I didn't think that flavour-wise, the marjoram topping the deconstructed apricot melba worked; the passion-fruit ice-cream that accompanied the chocolate dessert tasted mostly like grapefruit, and was too bitter an accompaniment to the rich chocolate delicacies; and the compressed cucumber served with the lamb was amply presented as the main vegetable, and in my opinion, the wrong one. However, for such a large number of dishes, three personal-taste compilation issues is good, and no barrier to returning for more.

Another negative is the venue - a strange mix of styles and doesn't carry anything off. The melamine wood-effect tables didn't suit either modern or traditional. The chairs could have been from a 1980's function room (although, they were comfy enough). The common-or-garden stainless steel wine-bucket and stand per table were so last-century, especially given the waiting staff were more than attentive enough to follow the modern fashion of keeping your bottle at the correct temperature elsewhere and returning as the glasses empty. The aging ceiling tiles were littered with old light and fire-safety fixtures; and worst of all, two hours of the Manic Street Preachers, with the occasional splash of Ed Sheeran thrown in, just didn't suit - but at least the volume wasn't obnoxious. An ambience makeover to match the chef's vision for the food would be a one-off investment well spent.

The service staff were attentive and efficient and had been taught how to announce each dish, but I didn't get the impression they actually knew what the food was - impression only however, I didn't dig.

Anyway, the thing that tipped this review into four stars rather than three was that, for what the restaurant achieved, it wasn't over-priced - and I do object when restaurants charge thinking they are better then they are. The Taster menu for two, a reasonable bottle of wine, a glass of desert wine and a generous tip didn't break £200 - so I've paid more for less in the area.

I'd certainly recommend you eat here - you will have a good meal.

However, you may find that after the slightly repetitive nature of the taster menu in particular, you leave thinking you might want to wait a year before a return visit - and hopefully, in the meantime, the chef will have spent a little time eating in a range of both high-cuisine and, preferably, back-street ethnic eateries, to expand both his sense for flavours and also, to find a wider variety of component...

Myself and my dining companion were welcomed warmly and shown to the deck area of the restaurant for pre-dinner drinks while perusing the menu and wine list. The maître d' was friendly and well-informed, talking us through the dishes as requested. This wasn't particularly taxing for him, as the menu is very short. Just four starters and four mains, plus three desserts. There was also the option of a six course taster menu.

Having given our orders, we finished our very palatable gin and elderflower tonics and were taken into the dining room to be seated. The dining room was a rather odd design, with stark black tables devoid of table cloths or any hint of finery. In truth, the feel was more budget hotel breakfast area than fine dining location. The wine and tap water that we'd asked for were duly delivered, together with very nice complimentary bread and butter. The tap water was served in a carafe, with no ice or lemon to cool it down and make it more presentable.

Our three courses each arrived in good time. The food was beautifully presented and great care had obviously been taken, but the eating experience as a whole was rather underwhelming. This was partly due to the portion sizes, which were tiny in the extreme. No one goes to a fine dining restaurant expecting plates piled high with hearty fare, but there is a limit.

Looking into this further, it seemed that dishes on the à la carte menu were simply taken from the tasting menu, with no attempt to increase portion sizes for those having a standard three course meal. If a diner is only given three courses from a six course tasting menu, it's no surprise that they may feel rather unfulfilled. There were no amuse bouche, pre-desserts or petit fours either, which is somewhat unusual for a fine dining restaurant.

And the cost of these three miserly courses? Just under £50 per head. The bill came to £138 in total, including gin and tonics at £9 each and a very smooth botte of Biferno Rosso Riserva at £25. We also gave a discretionary tip for the faultless service, making a grand total of £160.

In summary, the utilitarian dining room and parsimonious portions made for a rather joyless dining experience, mitigated only by the excellent maître d' and...

Wonderfully situated by the River Thames, we sat on the Terrace, with our beverages - one person had a lemon drink, another Assam Tea and I experienced a very tasty very hot chocolate (unfortunately, I cannot remember the item name or which manufacturer), but it was as if a bar of extremely thick dark chocolate had been melted into the mug!! We just sat lazily watching the 'World Passing by,' in addition to the colourful ducks, a couple of black, but mainly white swans swimming around the different water transport, such as 'The New Orleans' (paddle steamer?), rowing boats, luxury houseboats, pleasure boats etc etc. They were in the foreground of the last of the summer sun shining on an amazing display of assorted autumn coloured and various shaped trees. All making such a glorious picturesque scene. Before we left, I had occasion to walk through the actual Restaurant (witnessing the tables, beautifully laid with wine glasses, cutlery etc, giving a most 'welcome inviting atmosphere.' Regretfully, I am unable to comment on the menu available, as we had to return to London. Who knows, perhaps, sometime in the future, I SHALL have occasion to revisit and write a review!) However, I AM able to comment on the pleasure it was to utilise the very comfortably sized Ladies' Rest Room, with a modern tap plumbed into a good user friendly wash basin. Nearby were bottles of liquid hand soap & cream! All the above making the visit to Henley-on-Thames...