Meaty Treats at The Ox Cheltenham

As we hit the end of January - that month where you have to accept that you've spent way too much over Christmas, and that you've eaten your way into your baggiest clothes - The Chap and I thought we should treat ourselves a little. Weeks of crap TV on the sofa had clearly taken its toll, and seeing as we'd not been to The Ox Cheltenham (other than for drinks) since the opening party, we decided Friday Night Steak & Chips was exactly what was necessary.

Oddly enough, that same day we had a reservation, The Chap was announced the winner of their Burns Night competition. So this is the first of a tale of two visits to The Ox - one on Friday, one on Monday - bookending our weekend in the best way possible… with meat and booze!

As with most restaurants these days, The Ox on Cambray Place are all about "creating exceptional food using local, seasonal produce which has been cooked to perfection by our expert chefs." Whilst steak is the main game here, with a choice of cuts at different prices (up to £65 for the 30oz T-bone to share), there's a good selection of small plates and side dishes to tuck into too. And although it'd obviously not be a veggies idea of a dream restaurant, the winter vegetable salad with poached egg, black truffle, pistachio dressing and pecorino (£8) does sound pretty tasty. Oh, and their Sunday Roast is rumoured to be one of the best in Cheltenham!

The Ox take their drinks list very seriously too. Not surprising when you realise that the people behind it also run award winning bars and restaurants in Bristol such as Hyde & Co, Milk Thistle and Pata Negra. Being known in town as 'the place for steak and cocktails', it was only fair that we tried a couple of their cocktails out. Split up into pre-steak, with-steak, post-steak and non-alcoholic (pah!), I went for the 'pre' Silver Bullet (£7). Beefeater London Dry Gin shaken with Kummel liqueur, Teeling’s single grain whiskey, fresh lemon & a touch of paprika. Gin, whiskey, citrus and an intriguing savoury spice… Right up my street.

Battling with a cold, The Chap asked for a Hot Toddy in the hope it might help restore his senses, and with two generous measures of whisky in there, I'm pretty sure it did! William, the bar manager, is a cocktail pro, so even if you don't see anything you fancy on the menu (the Hot Toddy wasn't listed), he's more than capable of rustling something up. Just ask.

Moving to our table, we ordered ourselves some bread, which I believe comes from The Sandwich Box around the corner (don't quote me on that), and had a quick look at the menu. Everything sounded amazing, but we already had our hearts set on trying the Early Bird Deal - 6oz D Rump, fries, a choice of béarnaise or peppercorn sauce and a glass of house wine, all for £12.50. Served Tuesday - Saturday from 5pm - 7pm, how can you say no to that?

It's a rare occasion that The Chap and I have the same dish at a restaurant, it only ever happens with tasting menus or set lunches, so it felt like quite a novelty. Both rare and both with a glass of Barbera, our only difference was our choice of sauce. We added on a couple of sides to share too; charcoal roasted mushrooms, persillade (£4.50) and the leeks & greens (£4).

A 6oz steak doesn't sound like a lot, which is why we bumped it up with tasty extras, but to be honest, I'd have been more than satisfied with it as it was. The Ox's charcoal Josper grill ensures that all steaks are permeated with deep smoky flavours; crisp and caramelised on the outside, whilst beautifully pink and juicy in the middle. Our plump rumps felt as luxurious as a piece of fillet steak.

The béarnaise had just the right amount of acidity to counter its richness (it's basically just butter!), but it was the peppercorn sauce that really stood out. A far cry from the grey speckled gloop that you often find alongside of your steak, this was more like a pimped up gravy; fiery and full of meat juices.

Considering the 6oz D Rump costs £14 at any other time, the Early Bird deal seems like an absolute steal for £12.50 including a glass of wine. That said, steaks come accompanied with triple cooked chips instead of fries outside the offer, so I'd say the extra pennies for going later in the evening can totally be justified.

With two cocktails, two glasses of wine each, bread, two side dishes, and two steak and chips, our bill came to just over £50. Visiting The Ox Cheltenham early means you can have a classy dinner and a few drinks on a budget, without feeling like you've scrimped on quality. We'll definitely be doing this again!

Keep your eyes peeled for my post on The Ox's Burn's Night dinner & whisky pairing event...