Eight at the Thatch: Restaurant Review

Vic and I were lucky enough to bag a free two course lunch at the newly opened Eight at the Thatch restaurant in Thame, and we cashed it in yesterday for a leisurely Saturday lunch time treat. Jeremy and Jane clearly have a headstart with the business, effectively having had a lengthy, demanding and high profile interview/training schedule with Raymond Blanc broadcast on BBC2 -- I have to say that the rigours of those intense weeks have paid off, as our experience was extremely enjoyable and satisfying.

We were immediately greeted on arrival by one of the senior staff, who was sat with Raymond at a table in the bar. It was all very professional and we were given the option of either a drink in the bar area or going straight to our table. We opted for the second option, got a polite nod from a very casual Raymond, and headed to a table for two in the old part of the restaurant. I was thrilled to see that Jane was going to be managing our table, and in my excitement, I walked into one of the low ceiling beams.

Jane was warm, relaxed, friendly and attentive throughout our meal and you quickly realised why Raymond had selected her and Jeremy over the fancied twins. She was great and very professional.

Previously visitors to the building, during it's time as Thatchers or The Old Trout, wouldn't believe the transformation of the interior: a dark and rather drab building has been converted to a light and airy dining space, which retains much of the listed charms -- such as those dangerously low beams, old tiled flooring and a few nooks and crannies -- but also now has a modern extension, an open bar area and considerable outside eating areas. A sympathic and functional conversion, helped by some good music at a right volume level.

Vic ordered a glass of Merlot, whilst I went for Pino Grigio. With hindsight we should have just ordered a bottle of the house Merlot, as we ended up ordering one after our starters anyhow: it was well priced at £13.

You can find the Autumn menu on the blog link above. Vic ordered the mussels to start, I fancied the roquefort souffle. With my shellfish allergy I couldn't try the mussels, but Vic was impressed. A good sized portion. My souffle was top drawer: light, fluffy and the roquefort wasn't over done. It was served with plenty of mixed leaves, balsamic dressing, walnut pieces and a sliced half of pear. The only minor criticism was that the pear was a little firm -- it could have been a bit riper -- but it did offer a good contrast to the soft souffle. THe souffle wasn't cheap at £6.80, and with that and the firm pear in mind, I rated it a 8/10.

For main course Vic selected the beef filet medallions, served with horseradish mash and French beans, I went for the pork belly with savoy cabbage and half a baked apple. Jane suggested that I might need a side portion of potatoes and she was right. Vic asked for the beef rare and it came cooked exactly as requested -- she was very pleased. My pork belly was sublime: the cracking was like a thin layer of brittle toffee, which complemented the soft fat perfectly, and the meat itself was moist and full of taste. The apple side was unusual, as it was a sweet dessert apple that had been cooked with the pork, so that it took up the meat flavours. It was delicious and worked brilliantly with the rest of the dish. The meat portion was perfect, and I rated the dish a 10/10, although there could have been more cabbage and potatoes if I was nit-picking. I think Vic rated her beef as a 10/10 too. For £12, I'd eat the pork belly every day of the week if I could!

As we'd enjoyed our free starters and mains so much, and had wine left in the bottle, we ordered a dessert to share. A Mont Blanc meringue served with chestnut & rum puree and chantily cream. Vic thought it was really good, but I was a bit disappointed. I think it came down to personal taste, but the meringue was just a little to dry and sticky for me, and the puree didn't quite have enough power to cut into the meringue and cream's sweetness. I rated it a harsh 6/10, but Vic upped that to an eight or nine.

We really enjoyed our lunch at Eight at the Thatch, and we will be going back very soon. There were a few minor criticisms -- tiny paper napkins that Jane was already aware of and a couple of my courses drifting by the table (which suggested some communication issues) -- but that was the whole point of the free 'practice sessions' lunches. I made a pin of taking a quick wander around the restaurant and picking up the bar menu. What was good to see was the variety in dishes and prices -- Raymond was plugging their simple omelettes to a couple who had come in from the street -- and that the meat seems to have been locally sourced from the award-winning Newitts butchers. One of the bar menu options is a platter of eight (on theme) tapas style snacks, such as olives, which should be great in the summer sitting out on their terrace with a cold beer or glass of wine.

I'd whole-heartedly recommend a visit and wish Jane & Jeremy good luck with the venture, as it seems to fit a hole in the market in Thame: good quality food, served with some class, in a relaxed but upmarket venue. We left as delighted customers.