A return to Paddyfields

Paddyfields
39-40 Hythe Bridge Street
Oxford
OX1 2EP



Having been to Paddyfield's only moments (it seemed) earlier, we return with an eclectic group of friends for a long-overdue meet up, and some greasy, greasy duck.



Tuesday night is buffet night. Everything is prepared when ordered - no troughs here - but the selection is fairly euro-centric, and the majority is deep fried.



First up - three ducks were sacrificed to the team of around 17. Deep fried into a crispy caramelised nugget and ceremonially shredded at the table betwixt fork and spoon, the duck turned out to be a surprisingly good rendition of a dish unknown in China. The skin was crisp and the fat was rendered. The duck itself had retained moisture and was totally delicious. Greasy - but of course, it was deep fried! - even though a fried dish, it didn't overwhelm. Wrapped in thin pancakes and doused in sweet sauce, this could certainly be healthy if consumed in moderation. Did we consume in moderation? Ha!



Next came the assorted entrees. Not my favourite under any circumstances, and not my favourite here. The satay skewers were edible, but salt and pepper chicken wings were over salted, greasy and tough. The ribs were coated in some impenetrable good, and the spring rolls lacked filling. Boo.



Mains were devoured with gusto, so the photoset is incomplete. My favourite dish, and it often is at Chinese restaurants, is the 'monks vegetables': a collection of whatever greens are hanging around the back of the fridge. Crisp, refreshing, and totally what I needed after the earlier grease fest.



A passable fried noodles in soy sauce. But this is a buffet! Don't get bogged down by the gratuitous starch!



Beef in black bean sauce. Where would westernised Chinese cookery be without this stalwart offering?



Ahhhh, sweet and sour pork. I spoke too soon. This is truly the keystone to Chinese food.



Mongolian lamb. This confused me, somewhat, as outside of Britain I had never come across deep fried lamb belly served on fried rice vermicelli. It was actually rather good, and on a day when I hadn't previously consumed my monthly allowance of grease, it would have been excellent. Flavoured with cumin and soy, it was crisp and crunchy - utterly delicious, but far too rich given the preceding dishes.

A short aside: Mongolian food is often marked by quick-fried meats and veges (probably true), as a nomadic lifestyle meant scarce fuel, leading to quick, hot applications to cooking, such as flash stir frying. Large vats of boiling fat was probably not available to them (imagine trekking across Asia with vats of grease in tow), putting a lie to this dish being remotely Mongolian.



Mystery meat and vegetables. I think it was pork with selection of vegetables in a black pepper sauce, or something. Ho hum.

The damage: at £12 for all you can eat grease, this was a fairly good offering. The food is not as good as Pink Giraffe's £16 deal, but if you're looking to stock up on three day's worth of calories for as cheaply as possible (which is exactly what some of us wanted), while retaining some dignity (which none of us managed), this is the way forward.