Located in the Somerset village of Bruton, Osip is a tiny restaurant owned and run by ex-head chef of London favourites Portland and Clipstone, Merlin Labron-Johnson. The 30-cover restaurant is housed in a charming stone house which used to be the village ironmonger and brings top-quality cooking to this idyllic rural spot.
The interior is as typically understated as Labron-Johnson’s restaurants tend to be: tiled walls, a flash of exposed brickwork and muted blue and white tones strike a bright and airy pose that makes the most of the small dimensions.
Serving a refined line-up of farm-to-table food, the 30-cover restaurant works closely with local suppliers to source its ingredients and features a predominantly vegetarian menu with the odd meat dish. A five-course set menu is available during both lunch and dinner services for just under £50 and features dishes such as carpaccio of mushrooms served with grains, Westcombe cheddar and hazelnut oil, and brassicas, wild duck, honey and baked apple.
At lunchtime, an à la carte menu is also offered and includes small dishes such as leeks served with a duck egg vinaigrette, chervil and tarragon, or pumpkin soup with brown butter and roasted chestnuts. Larger plates might include a classic roasted bird served with apple, cabbage and bread sauce. Puddings can vary from a crème caramel with Somerset cider brandy to a hazelnut praline éclair, with Somerset cheese also on offer. Most dishes fall below the £20 mark.
Additionally, on Sundays Osip offers a full three-course roast lunch for £39. Alongside a starter and pudding, the menu features a traditional roasted main course such as roasted chicken served with bread sauce, rosehip jelly, Pommes anna, greens and chicken gravy.
Wash it all down with a varied drinks menu which sees a number of West Country ciders and craft beers on offer as well as a selection of wines and cocktails.