The Milk Shed - Cherwell

We visited today for breakfast. We’d been before during the weekend, which was absolutely rammed (good for business, but not so much for us , but we thought it would be quieter during the week, and it was. So bear this in mind when visiting. We sat outside in the sunshine, which was lovely! My partner went for scrambled egg on sourdough toast, I went for the club sandwich (a favourite of mine! . It did not disappoint. We enjoyed some ice cream after, which was also delicious.

Arrived on a Friday for brunch and the pace was busy. Nice mix of ages and genders. Good food and prompt service. The portions are too large for one person which goes some way to justify the cost I suppose but would like better value for money. A portion of toast and honey included 3 large slices of bread. I saw other people having to offload some of their meal as it was too large for one. When its full or indeed when there are a few people around it can get a bit noisy, and difficult to hear normal conversion. Children are loud and can be banging their toys on the hard wooden tables. There are hard services all around with metal chairs, stone floors wooden tables. Could benefit from acoustic mitigation measures.

Went for Saturday breakfast. Loved everything about it. Great menu, great quality, brilliant service, lovely atmosphere. We’ll be back.

Flavour mostly great, but felt short changed. Been before, money wasn’t an issue, ordered food tasted great. Went today on the way back from something, but feel a bit disappointed. Couldn’t choose between the club sarnie, the chorizo and red pepper crostini and the dhal, so opted for all 3. The club sandwich offers maximum flavour, but lacks on substance for me. If I’m paying £13,50 for a club sandwich I want to be remotely full at the end attached is a picture of one of the 2 same sized pieces of chicken not good enough. The basil Mayo is to die for, I will add. The crostini, again, isn’t anywhere near filling enough to warrant the price. You can’t deny the flavour, but one slice of sourdough with a few cooked peppers, some aioli and 3 slithers or chorizo isn’t just cause for charging £14 it’s not on. What’s frustrating is again, the flavour is superb, but it’s here’s just not enough there to warrant the hefty price. Then we get on to the Dhal, which to be frank was an utter disgrace. Sour, watery, lacked seasoning and overall depth. Undercooked root veg on top and just an out and out disappointment, especially when the other 2 dishes we’d ordered weren’t sizeable enough to quell any hunger pains. A decent sized portion, just a shame it was such a poor dish. Also, £6.25 for a milkshake is an utter disgrace and you should be ashamed of yourselves. Perplexed the place is as busy as it is. Staff seem attentive and friendly, can’t quarrel that but the portion sizes are hugely substandard, given the astronomical prices. Won’t be rushing back, which is a shame. Not much around those parts with the ideas and flavour (aside from the watery dhal), but the portions are 50% too small. I will add, my wife and I are slight, modest eaters far from greedy pigs.

As always the menu was great and the food amazing. The staff are always helpful and friendly and we will visit again when back in the area.