Ground floor restaurant open Mon–Sat 6.30pm–10.30pm, Sun 6.30pm–10pm; Sat and Sun also open for lunch midday–4pm
Upstairs open Mon–Fri 6pm–11pm, Sat 4.30pm–11pm, Sun 4.30pm–10.30pm
A large Georgian cube of a building, The Oak sits alone on the corner of Westbourne Park Road and Shrewsbury Avenue. Just five minutes from Westbourne Park tube and five minutes from Portobello, it rather resembles a pub. The cuisine is predominantly Mediterranean and French, and the menu is sophisticated and casual in equal proportion, split between the restaurant downstairs and the tapas and cocktail lounge upstairs.
I have fond memories of The Oak, having eaten there since I was a teenager. The food rarely disappoints, but when it’s good it is so good that it’s a horrible let-down when it’s below par. My boyfriend ordered the wood-fired Diavola pizza – normally The Oak’s finest. Unfortunately, despite requests for extra cheese, the mozzarella was measly and the base soggy. I opted for the seared tuna, normally another standout dish for me, but today’s was decidedly fishy. So much so that we abandoned most of it.
Although space was a struggle for my 6’4’’ guest – tables and chairs aren’t designed to accommodate Gulliverian proportions – the restaurant is lit almost exclusively by candlelight and is ideal for romantic suppers.
Upstairs at The Oak is wonderful, a perfect location for first dates, birthdays or just a chilled after-work cocktail. A cocktail bar and tapas lounge, deep opal tones, leather and velvet armchairs, double-height ceilings and turn-of-the-century artworks conspire to relax and charm even the harshest critic. It’s hard to praise the décor enough, along with the chilled jazz or trip-hop soundtracks and the peaceful Georgian proportions.
The tapas dishes were fantastic, although my favourite sautéed chorizo was less juicy than it could be. I’d also recommend the paprika deep-fried squid with aioli, the Padron peppers and the salami Felino. Cocktails aren’t bad either, although if you’re a connoisseur, I’d avoid the Old Fashioned. An Old Fashioned is an excellent barometer of a mixologist’s skill. It shouldn’t take a second shy of 12 minutes to mix and shake properly, and when it arrives sooner haste is always evident in its flavour.
The service is always friendly both upstairs and downstairs, and this night was no exception. Had the food been up to its usual standard The Oak is easily five stars, as it stands, it was an off night at an otherwise brilliant restaurant.
