We last visited Osip at the end of January 2020.
Back then this farm-to-table restaurant, which is owned by the ridiculously talented Merlin Labron-Johnson, was based in the heart of the Somerset town of Bruton.
We had a brilliant meal of fiercely seasonal and technically accomplished cooking in their stylish yet understated dining room.
However, as with most fancy restaurants, we hadn’t returned.
Then Osip 2.0 launched last year, and its update brought plenty of shiny new features to draw me back.
Now located in a beautifully refurbished pub in the countryside near Bruton, it’s one of the most stylish restaurants I’ve ever visited. Its standout feature, a dramatic glass-walled open kitchen that offers a constant reminder of the restaurant’s proximity to the land where its produce comes from.
In recognition of Osip's upgrade, they've been named Good Food Guide's restaurant of the year 2025, regained their Michelin star, won a Green Michelin star, and been named in Conde Nast’s best new restaurants in the World 2025. Not bad going.
The food and service have most certainly kicked up a gear since our last visit with more intricate plating and a flurry of enthusiastic front of house staff keeping a good pace to our meal.
At dinner there are ten-course non-vegetarian (£125) and vegetarian tasting menus (£125) on offer and we both opted for the former.
Our first appetiser arrived with pre-dinner drinks in the beautiful earthy-toned bar area. A selection of crudités from Osip's farm set the tone for the meal. Radishes, kohlrabi and sweet mangetout were accompanied by nutty sesame cream and herb oil.
As the inevitable designated driver, I appreciated Osip's interesting alcohol-free drink selection. Whilst Mrs G knocked back a glass of Moussé Fils Champagne (£21), I had a vivid green apple and sorrel juice (£6) that cleverly balanced fruit and herb and sweet and savoury.
A few more appetisers followed in the dining room.
A vibrantly herbal lovage broth tasted both healthy and luxurious simultaneously.
It was served alongside an excellent sharing loaf of warm fermented potato brioche with a crisp golden crust and the softest of crumbs. It was delicious on its own but even butter smothered with creamy and lightly tangy kefir cream topped with a savoury leek tapenade and fried nettles.
We were easily upsold the drinks pairings. However, it’s hard to judge their value for money with five 75ml pours of wine costing £75 and five 75ml pours of soft drink costing £45.
The first two white wines were on the natural barnyardy cider end of the spectrum. Things got a lot more exciting with an Alsace grape we hadn’t encountered before, a Pinot d'Auxerrois. A Prieuré St Christophe Savoie red with plenty of fresh fruit and a light Jurançon dessert wine with bright acidity were also both excellent.
My non-alcoholic pairing was even more impressive. Highlights included a beetroot, black garlic and long pepper juice that accompanied the meat course and a pine, verjus and Malawian white tea that was served with dessert. Clearly a lot of consideration and effort had gone into every pairing.
Anyway, back to the food and a comforting spring taco continued the green theme of the previous courses. A soft corn tortilla was topped with a vibrant mole verde, smoked creme fraiche, nuggets of green asparagus and crunchy braised pumpkin seeds.
A cold assembly of meaty chalk stream trout pieces, runny quail eggs, crunchy piedmont hazelnuts and sweet young leeks looked pretty as a picture with its modesty hidden beneath sorrel leaves. It was very tasty but felt quite traditional compared to the rest of the meal.
A rolled courgette dish wasn't quite at the same level as the other things we ate. Whilst its garnish of compellingly smoky whey sauce, crunchy buckwheat and intense preserved lemon were all excellent, the vegetable centrepiece was slightly bland and a little too firm in the centre.
Things really took off with the fish course. A plump Orkney scallop was dressed in a luxuriously fragrant elderflower sabayon and topped with charred white asparagus.
Osip slaughters a pig a week and serves different cuts each night. We had the privilege of eating its loin and belly with a well-caramelised exterior, deep flavour and melting fat. It was served with a slice of superb Toulouse sausage, Tokyo turnip, and homemade mustard.
On the side, a rich pig’s head croquette was given freshness by wrapping it in lettuce and shiso leaf and garnishing it with a dice of fresh and acidic cucumber and hay baked apple.
We shared an optional cheese course and what a blinder it was - toasted malt loaf soaked in cider brandy was topped with a slice of funky and oozy Bath soft cheese. Based on the success of this dish I’m planning to toast some Soreen and serve it with Camembert.
The transition between sweet and savoury was deftly handled with a peppery and verdant rocket sorbet bathed in sharp gooseberry juice and distinctive pistachio oil.
Dessert, a showcase of honey from Osip’s own hives, was bloody brilliant. A warm honey tart, which combined burnt sugar, floral custard and the thinnest of pastry cases, was a wicked hybrid between a pastel de nata and a creme brûlée.
It was served alongside a scoop of cleansing crème fraiche ice cream, Italian meringue made with honey, and a drizzle of honey cut with the acidity of verjus.
After a reassuringly lengthy wait in the lounge, petit fours arrived. A warm madeleine with toasty sesame seeds (a birthday extra), zingy bergamot and earl grey pate de fruit, and a remarkably good Pump Street chocolate and blackcurrant jam macaron rounded off the meal.
We had a fabulous meal at Osip and its great to see its evolution to become a top tier destination restaurant whilst still retaining what made its original incarnation so special. I certainly wouldn’t be surprised if they get a second Michelin star to match their second version.
The Details:
Telephone - 01749 987277
How much did it set you back?
ReplyDeletePrices are all in the blog post. We paid £125 a head for the tasting menu, £75 for the wine pairing and £45 for the soft drink pairing.
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