In a city with such a vibrant and competitive food scene, few restaurants can boast a reputation quite like Oak Bistro.

From its inception in 2009, this restaurant has quickly become a Cambridge institution by consistently delivering a fine dining experience synonymous with excellence. 

With a romantic evening with my wife long overdue, I immediately thought of Oak Bistro, as it is a restaurant frequently celebrated within the Cambridge Foodies community. I was looking to impress and I knew this would be a safe bet for date night.

The Secret Al Fresco Garden

It was an unexpectedly warm spring evening that managed to hit a surprising 25 degrees (🥵). This made the prospect of their secret al-fresco garden an especially appealing draw for our visit.

The team at Oak Bistro have skillfully transformed their limited outdoor space into an atmospheric and intimate retreat. While technically an enclosed area with four glass walls and a canopy roof, there are gaps between the roof and the windows above, ensuring a refreshing circulation of air, making it perfect for all seasons.

The Menu

Being a bistro, the menu was streamlined and concise with a hand picked selection of starters, mains, and dessert, all inspired by British and European cuisine. I also noticed some strong seafood options, such as swordfish steak, sea bream, and scallops.

The dish I had come for, however, was the beef wellington, something I have heard from countless other foodies who have visited previously (and raved about).

Unsurprisingly for a bistro in central Cambridge, prices were firmly in the mid-high category, giving me a reassuring expectation of the quality to come.

Wine

Oak Bistro is celebrating its 15th birthday with two anniversary wines to mark the occasion. The wine comes in either red and white and were specially commissioned to compliment their menu.

I opted for their Bordeaux Supérieur 2014/16 (Chateau Lestrille Capmartin) that is described as “A rich, powerful wine with a beautiful balance between roasted aromas and black fruit flavours.Velvety tannins and well-integrated oak.”

Now, I am no expert on wines but “rich” is exactly how I would describe it. It complimented the lamb and beef with confidence while also being smooth enough to work with seafood.

Scallops

I succumbed to the temptation of the pan-fries scallops for my starters. I simply couldn’t resist!

It came beautifully presented with pea puree, micro salad, balsamic reduction & parsnip crisps. The parsnip crisps were a nice touch but didn’t offer anything substantial to the dish but the pea puree, micro salad, and balsamic reduction added colour and flavour while also making the plate look more vibrant and exciting.

The scallops themselves were big and meaty with a smooth buttery taste that simply blew me away. I couldn’t recommend these enough to anyone thinking of visiting, especially if you are a fan of seafood.

Top marks! 👍

King Prawns

The presentation of the king prawns was attractive and well suited for a highly regarded bistro but unfortunately that is where the excitement ended. Both my wife and I agreed that the prawns were small and inoffensive with very little flavour. I was genuinely surprised by this, as I felt that dining at Oak Bistro would be a sure thing for prawns but for over £15, I expected more. The salad was fresh and colourful and took up most of the plate which felt like padding.

Beef Wellington

If you speak to anyone who has visited Oak Bistro in the past, many will recommend their signature Beef Wellington. I have lost count of the amount of people that have recommended this popular dish and nothing was going to stop me from giving it a try this evening.

It is a stunning dish that comes with mashed potato and spinach, all swimming in a pool of red wine jus. The dish doesn’t come with vegetables which need to be ordered as an extra.

The shortcrust pastry was thin, crispy and gently flaked off as I cut into it with my knife. It had a delicate flavour that allowed the beef inside to stand centre stage. The beef was soft and tender with a gorgeous pink colour in the middle. It had a mouth-watering flavour that I will be thinking about for weeks and the mashed potato brought a creamy texture that proved to be the ideal canvas for the red wine jus to soak in.

The beef wellington was everything I was hoping for and more!

This is an absolute must! 😍

Chargrilled Rump of Lamb

The chargrilled lamb rump was served with Gratin potato, minted carrots & rosemary jus. Before ordering, my wife was asked how she would like the lamb cooked, in which she requested medium. Unfortunately, the dish came out well done but the staff were quick to rectify this honest mistake with grace and humility. A second dish was brought within minutes that was probably closer to medium rare but it looked absolutely incredible nonetheless. Even the very best restaurants make mistakes but it is how it’s handled that defines them from the rest and we simply couldn’t fault the service at the Oak Bistro.

The gratin potato was served in a tidy block that had a dry crispy texture that was complimented by the rosemary jus that soaked into it throughout the meal. I was lucky enough to try the lamb myself and thought the flavours were sublime, with a tenderness I haven’t had with lamb in a while. It is a simple dish that thrives on execution and quality sourcing that works in a way that reminds us of the importance of cooking purity.

Vegetables

I found it slightly grating that the vegetables needed to be ordered on top of a main course, especially at this price point. I accept that this is how some restaurants do it and the menu didn’t lead me on in any way but I was expecting slightly more than steamed veg with no seasoning or glaze. With that said, the bowl which consisted of carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and green beans were all well cooked, fresh, and clearly well sourced.

Strawberry Cheesecake

No romantic evening is complete without dessert. My wife opted for the strawberry cheesecake that turned out to be one of the highlights of the evening. Taking a bite myself I was invigorated by an explosion of fresh fruity flavour and the light creamy base that allowed the sweet crumbly biscuit  to jump out.

Absolutely delicious!

Sticky Toffee Pudding

My choice was the sticky toffee pudding with white chocolate ice cream that was also an exciting contender. It didn’t grab me like the strawberry cheese cake but it was still a delicious sign-off to the evening.

We were served a complimentary dessert wine that was specifically chosen to compliment our dessert. For the strawberry cheese cake my wife was given an ‘Elysium Californian Black Muscat’ and for my sticky toffee pudding I had a ‘Maculan Torcolato’ from Italy. Both pairings were superb and really captured the essence of our dish. I thoroughly enjoyed this attention to detail which firmly reminded me of what sets Oak Bistro apart from the rest.

Conclusion…

Oak Bistro confidently holds its own in Cambridge’s vibrant and competitive food scene, offering a memorable atmosphere and truly exceptional service. While certain dishes were genuinely impressive, a few didn’t quite meet the standard we’d expect for the considerably higher price tag. The curated wine list and thoughtful dessert pairings are noteworthy strengths, and the allure of other exciting dishes on the menu tempt me to return and explore the menu further.

For many, money is no object, and with that in mind, Oak Bistro is an undeniable choice. But for someone looking to stretch their budget for a rare treat, the decision hinges on how much they value the exceptional service and ambiance versus the potential unevenness in the culinary execution. While the highs were impressive, the overall cost might make it a less compelling option for a truly special, budget-conscious occasion.

Thanks for reading!