Powerhouse duo Neil and Louise Hitchen met in the 90s and spent 20 years travelling around the world, honing their career and getting a taste for new flavours, before venturing into their own business. Transforming charming village spots into something special, Neil and Louise have won several impressive awards, and firmly placed Hitchen’s Barn on the map in Oakham – on Burley Road.
The menus change daily with the seasons, so you’ll always find something new at Hitchen’s Barn, there to keep you coming back for more. Choose from the a la carte, or pop in for the extremely reasonably priced set menu. Barn nibbles include roasted chorizo with honey and mustard, a jar of pickled cockles and marinated olives. To start, dive into the celeriac and bramley apple soup with pickled apple, toasted walnuts and walnut oil, or the creamy mozzarella panna cotta with prosciutto, grilled peaches and aged balsamic. Cheese lovers should try the twice baked creamy red Leicester and Lincolnshire poacher cheese souffle, and for something equally indulgent, meat eaters will want to order the braised short rib beef croquette with a celeriac remoulade, pickled walnut ketchup and watercress.
Main courses include a pork fillet with potato gratin, choucroute, crackling and a rich prune and armagnac sauce, and a spinach and wild mushroom soul au vent with a poached local egg and parmesan sauce. Fancy a bit extra on the side? Order chargrilled tenderstem broccoli with a peanut satay sauce, hand cut chips or extra Hambleton bakery bread. If you're staying for dessert, try the dark chocolate truffle cake with popcorn ice cream, or a sweet and sticky apricot bakewell tart, served with honey poached apricots and a roasted almond ice cream.