Oxford's biggest student newspaper, produced by and for members of the University of Oxford, since 1991.
For most of us, Summertown has unshakeable connotations of exam stress, be it feverishly cramming in the sub fusc-packed Starbucks or walking through the marquee of doom to face another three-hour paper. But as you leave the infernal clutches of Ewert House amidst the revelry, take a glance across the road for a real post-exam […]
Continue ReadingExactly what sort of restaurant is Bill’s? It’s a question I asked myself as we stepped through the door, and even now I can’t quite pin it down. The décor is an odd mixture: warehouse chic, rustic diner, part-kitchen, part-allotment, with industrial-looking high ceilings surrounded by art deco-esque cracked mirrors and wooden booths, all adorned […]
Continue ReadingFrench food in Oxford is, whilst perhaps not the most prolific cuisine around (as that somewhat dubious honour goes to Italian), still common enough to require evaluation on a sliding scale. Towards the bottom, we have a handful of chains, including the perennially disappointing Brasserie Blanc which, despite bearing the legendary name of the Besançon […]
Continue ReadingLittle Clarendon Street is perhaps the perfect location for a restaurant; not too far from the centre, just on the verge of Jericho, and equidistant from basically every college. However, what this means is that competition is tough, and so a small, unassuming tapas bar like Al-Andalus can easily be overlooked by hungry passers-by. But […]
Continue ReadingModernisation seems to be an unrelenting force in the businesses of today, with each restaurant and café rolling out the brushed steel and edgy, experimental ingredients in the hope of captivating an ever more demanding public. Gino’s, however, is comfortably settled in an untouched pocket of Gloucester Green, and could conceivably have been the sort […]
Continue ReadingOne cannot help but observe that eating is an innately social practice; student life aside, in polite society, one would be given slightly bemused – and even pitying – looks by the maître d’ upon asking for a table for one. It’s just not done: a table for two is the standard. But consider that […]
Continue ReadingWhen people ask me about my religion, about what I really believe in beyond all other things, I often need a moment’s pause to ponder the subject. Do I believe in something all-pervading and universal, something sacred and life-giving, something that brings nations, families and friends together in communal ecstasy? Of course I do. I […]
Continue ReadingTucked away in the residential backstreets of Jericho, away from the bright lights and cocktail bars that line Walton Street, lies an unassuming watering hole surrounded by equally unassuming houses. But to judge the Old Bookbinders by its environs would be a gross error, as stepping through the small green door, one is greeted […]
Continue ReadingMany Northerners bemoan the dearth of good Indian eateries in Oxford, but this is a claim that’s certainly unfounded: one need only sally forth down Walton Street to find The Standard, an understated and perhaps undervalued establishment opposite the Phoenix Picturehouse. Greeted by the place’s enthusiastic manager, Kawsar, we are shown to a cosy […]
Continue ReadingAs any self-respecting epicure knows, Saturday is Treat Day. But what of up this harsh, unforgiving week? Well, as the Bible tells us, Jesus came down to Earth and saw that the people were depressed following the inevitable disappointment of Monday, and so he invented … Shrove Tuesday. Shrove Tuesday – or Pancake Day, […]
Continue ReadingHello? Yes, is that Student Finance? Good, I’d like to – you what? What do you mean you’re not giving me any money?! Yes, I filled in that form! And that one! My tax return?! I DON”T EARN ANYTHING! Jesus fucking Christ. So, the unutterable dicks at Student Finance have left you in the […]
Continue ReadingAh, January; the season of regret, false promises and an inbox clogged with offers from those smarmy bastards at LA Fitness. As your hulking, dishevelled mass drearily lumbers through the avarice incarnate of the post-Christmas sales, you look around and think to yourself: “People…what a bunch of disgusting bastards.” But the realisation soon creeps […]
Continue ReadingAs the gnashing teeth of Jack Frost begin to bite you in the arse (and other extremities), the desire to leave your cocoon of duvets and optimistic stacks of books dramatically wanes. You bargain with yourself and come to realise that the only real reason to leave your room is your weekly tute; some succeed […]
Continue Reading“You boy, what day is this?” cries a finestral voice. If the urge to retort: “Why it’s Christmas Day, sir!” is insuppressible and instantaneous, you may just be the sort who takes the festive season seriously enough to warrant the creation of a Christmas feast without equal. Luckily for you, the Gourmand is just as […]
Continue ReadingCountless people say to me, “Oh, Gourmand, all this rich food and over-indulgence must surely take its toll on you. How ever do you manage to stay healthy, you veritable Adonis?” The answer, gentle readers, is simple: I follow the sage, not at all arbitrarily made-up, advice of our dear government’s highly qualified team of […]
Continue ReadingWalton Street’s Mamma Mia stands out even amongst the blinding mélange of cultures to be sampled in Jericho, though it is neither achingly hip nor as meretricious as some other establishments. The mood it seeks to evoke is reflected in the homely yet novel décor of nearly-cliché chequered tablecloths and Campari-and-soda-bottle light fittings: this is […]
Continue ReadingSometimes the life of an Oxford student is just not challenging enough. Yes, perhaps you think that the 3000-worder you just spent four days cracking out is impressive and yes, maybe it is, but it’s ephemeral. Your tutor will nod sagely, he’ll scribble “Yes, interesting.” in the margin and by the end of your hour-long […]
Continue ReadingBooks. Books, books, books. Here at Oxford we spend far too long staring into the occasionally overwhelming abyss of black on white, especially those of us whose arts degrees rely upon it. But every so often they surprise you, breaking the uniformity for just long enough to deliver a sumptuous morsel of wisdom from […]
Continue Reading“Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” So said old Magdalenite Oscar Wilde and so trundles the Gourmand through his life of luxurious overindulgence. Nowhere is this maxim more valuable, however, than regarding the use of that ever-evolving, multi-flavoured libation – we speak, of course, of alcohol – in the primary pleasure of […]
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