I have reviewed Victors before, but after my recent visit I knew I had to come back on the blog and give everyone an update! My eagle eyes spotted they were offering 50% off their Autumn and Winter menu during September/October, and I was pleasantly surprised to see a number of differences in their offering for vegans compared to previously. For starters, on my last visit, we had the clunky allergen menu to deal with, with no clear labelling on the regular menu. For the most part, you had to order the vegetarian option, with adaptations to make it vegan. They were perfectly obliging, but it felt awkward. And then, if you didn’t like avocado, you were more or less out of luck! The menu was very avo heavy, and presumably due to the season, avocado is now gone from the menu, replaced with a variety of much more interesting sounding and – hooray – labelled vegan options.
I will start by saying that without a doubt, I wouldn’t be having a meal at Victors without the 50% off voucher. My meal came to just over £20, for which I got three small plates, a pudding, and a drink, on which I didn’t feel over-full. I think the price I paid on the night was perfectly reasonable for what I had, but had I been paying full price, I don’t think it would’ve been great value. I can think of a number of restaurants on the rooftop terrace where I can get a good quality meal for two for less. Even on a special occasion, I don’t think I could bring myself to pay full price. Yes, you’re paying for the atmosphere, and the experience, but it’s just not that good. So that’s the cost over and done with – now, on to the food.
There really is a lot more on offer than they had previously, enough so that I actually had to deliberate between a number of things, which is always a challenge for me! From the ‘Victors Rolls’ sushi section of the menu, there is a vegan option, and I knew I had to try it. Charred asparagus wrapped in rice and even featuring a white truffle mayonnaise. Although honestly I’m not a huge fan of this type of sushi (I just don’t like the overpowering fishy taste of nori), I actually really liked this dish. I ate the whole plate to myself and it was very enjoyable. The texture was good, it tasted fresh, the mild flavours somehow weren’t overpowered by a little fiery ginger. It was beautifully presented, as you’d expect. Just to go back on what I’ve said about the cost, I would’ve been prepared to pay full price for this one. Sushi rolls are always expensive and there was a reasonable number of them.
On to my next dish, and I was pleased to see you could get a decent amount of protein in a vegan meal here, as I chose the crisp silken tofu. This was genuinely one of the nicest things I’ve eaten in a long time. It was so good. That crispy fried outer coating was seasoned well, and even better once dunked in the chilli dipping sauce. Biting into the exterior then having the silken tofu melt away was the most wonderful eating experience. The only downside to this dish was that it was five small cubes of tofu and I could’ve eaten bowls of the stuff. Probably wouldn’t be very good for me but it’d be totally worth it!
The last thing I ordered was for a bit of greenery, some broccolini on the side. There’s not really a lot to report on this one, it was tenderstem broccoli. It was cooked fine, it was a bit underseasoned though the level of garlic was right for me. It was a bit lacklustre compared to the other things I’d eaten. Still, it felt only right that I have some vegetables.
One of the things I’d spied on the menu before coming that got me super excited was the addition of a vegan pudding to the menu. I’d made sure to save space for the yummy sounding caramel banana cake. I made the right call, it didn’t disappoint. It was basically like a banana-y sticky toffee pudding. The spongy texture was so inviting, each mouthful being super comforting. It had crumbled banana chips on the side for a bit of crunch, and then a creamy coconut ice cream on the side which helped everything go down a treat. This dessert was executed so wonderfully, considering it’s their first vegan dessert they’ve had on the menu, I am super impressed – other restaurants seriously need to take note! I would go back for the dessert alone.
Looking back on the food I ate, it was all great quality, presented prettily on the plate, and we did have a lovely evening. The service was fine, though as a personal preference it makes me feel a bit uncomfortable with their level of attentiveness. I’d much rather a jug in the middle of the table that we could help ourselves to than have my thimble-sized glass of water topped up by some poor waitress every time I take a sip. I know others will like it this way though, so each to their own! Perhaps I sounded unfair at the start of the review, but I just couldn’t justify the price on my own budget. However, if budget is less of an issue for you, or you want to treat yourself to an evening that feels special, I feel like Victors will give you that experience.
Have you been to Victors for food yet? I hear their cocktails are also wonderful 😉
Let me know what you think in the comments!
Vegan Eats Oxford 
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