After a day out of London in Oxford and then Bicester Village for a bit of shopping, my friends and I wandered into this adorable restaurant, Bistro Paprika, for a nice dinner to end the day.

The restaurant from the outside was very welcoming and felt equally cozy on the inside with it’s soft light and light decor.  It was quite a mix of styles that somehow worked together to create a comfortable environment.  White country styled bookshelves gave some tables a bit more privacy with chandlers dangling above them.   While another wall was lined with retro decor and another shelf was filled with different style decanters and glasses.

As the restaurant name suggest, all the dishes incorporated paprika into it.  We started with some warm bread and paprika butter that was smooth, creamy and delicious.

• Starter: Heritage beetroot, goat’s cheese, apple & basil
• Main Course: Monkfish, pancetta, smoked belly of pork, red pepper, saffron potato

The starter was so well done and beautifully plated that I almost didn’t want to eat it…almost.  All the ingredients were well balanced and was very refreshing start to the meal.  My main was all-in-all really good, but the star of the dish was definitely the pork belly with the red pepper.  (Also pictured below was the Rib-eye and Fregola dishes that my friends enjoyed.)

The servers were prompt and friendly, even laughed at me a little as I took pictures of everything (yes…even the butter).

If you are in the area, I’d highly suggest checking this place out.  The ambiance is cozy, the food delicious, and best of all the price (without alcohol) was under £30 per person!