North London - Kentish Town - The Oxford

You know the whole 'looks can be deceiving' thing? Yea, that's what I think of The Oxford.

From the outside it looks like your standard high street pub; picnic tables, a beer garden, standard 'pub' facade outdoors. From the inside, it's gotten a bit confused and calling itself a gastropub.

I don't trust places that coin themselves as 'gastropubs'

Looking at my notes from this meal, I'm struggling to find one positive word.  If I could make a wanky word cloud, things like 'pretentious' and 'overpriced' would dominate the space.

The interior is separated into two areas that can be described as a 'pub' but really a seating area for light dining, and a back dining room for what I can only assume houses something like a carvery.  The menu is like a child jumping up for attention hoping its parents will think it's a pretty pretty princess with 'aubergines' 'asparagus' 'corgettes' and £13 salmon salads.  FFS, if you're dressed like a pub, act like a pub. No one wants to walk out £10 lighter after ordering 2 simple ciders. I settled for a £10.50 fish and chips which were far too fancy for my liking.

Apparently they have comedy on Thursdays and a pub quiz on Tuesdays. I don't intend on heading back there to check them out - at least not on an empty stomach.  I'd recommend The Oxford as a nice place for a drink, but only a quick one as there isn't much atmosphere.

The Oxford can be found at:

256 Kentish Town Road
London
NW5 2AA
Nearest tube: Kentish Town