I always hesitate when someone suggests a pub lunch because I know what’s coming, and it’s usually from a packet. I’m sat there with a somewhat cattish arrogance, turning my nose up at what is obviously a microwaved meal fresh from the back of a truck. Since such encounters I’ve found myself cooking more and dining out less. But there are game changers. On one of our Ocelot team days out, we headed to Oxford and such excursions build up a rather lavish appetite - you know, when in Oxford and all. Luckily, having spent much time in the area, Ben and I followed our editor Jamie who was making a beeline for the Magdalen Arms. Now there’s a pub lunch, and then there’s a gastropub pub lunch - I assure you, they’re two very different things. At a pub lunch you find a table, peruse the menus plastered with day-by-day deals, head to the bar, order, and enjoy a relatively average meal. It’s good, because now you’re full. But a gastropub lunch is a well orchestrated fine-dining experience made casual, with incredibly high quality and fresh food. You can also be sure that the menu will change throughout the day, depending on what the chef has or wants to conjure up. Walking into the Magdalen Arms is unapologetically disconcerting. It may feel a little dim, and a little dark at first, but it’s not oppressive. On the cusp of autumn we were welcomed by a quaint kind of cosiness complete with homey wooden furniture, and the kind of lamps which are equal to gold in vintage shops. Why do I think I have been here before? Judge me all you will but it took me from our basket of focaccia, a couple of sips of Simonds cider and a few mouthfuls of melt-in-your-mouth hake to realise why this was all too familiar. The Magdalen Arms is related to London’s Anchor & Hope, Great Queen Street and Canton Arms. Now in the gastropub circuit, this is finding gold. Unfortunately as we were on a bit of a tight schedule we bypassed starters and dived into the mains, which was an erratically indecisive process across the board so it was probably for the best. Tag teaming as we do, we spread out across three different mains to cover as much ground as possible. I went for the roast hake (£17), laid on a bed of of lentils with garden spinach vinaigrette and aioli. The last time I had fish this good and of this quality was actually at the Anchor & Hope, which was just over two years ago. Crispy on top and so delicate throughout, this dish reminded why I’m happy to stretch the purse strings: for a bloody exquisite meal. 
Our pasta fiend editor, Jamie, went for the tagliatelle (£14). With a face about to combust with sheer satisfaction he said: “this is proper homemade pasta, which was succulent in every bite. The girolles, peas, garlic butter and parmesan were the perfect combination. 
“I have to say that this has to be the best tagliatelle I have ever eaten, and I have eaten a lot of tagliatelle! Having travelled through Italy and sampled many traditional dishes, the Magdalen Arms has really captured the essence of Italian cuisine and put their own touch on top.” Staring sadly at the now vanished rose veal schnitzel (£16), deputy editor Ben explained: “a quick bit of ‘net research revealed that rose veal means that the calves have not had to endure a low iron diet that is traditionally used to produce very white veal meat. I’m pleased about that. 
“My slab of tenderised meat was melt in the mouth scrummy - covered with golden breadcrumbs. Sure, it didn’t really match the sophisticated taste of my classy dining companions, but it had all the guilty childish pleasure of tucking into a plateful of dinosaur shapes - totally amazing. “My schnitzel frisbee was teamed up with a generous fistfull of Nana’s white cabbage salad - a crunchy health bomb to counteract the protein fest going on elsewhere on my plate. I also thought I detected a hint of fennel in there - which was fine by me.” The overall experience was a fabulous balance between relaxed and professional. The staff circulated without making a fuss of diners, but should you have a question or request they were very hospitable. As a result, the Ocelot will be eagerly returning to the Magdalen Arms.
