Dirty Bones at Oxford Westgate is a ‘decadent delight’

The American theme proved popular amongst London crowds, as did the cocktails and the Brooklyn-centric soundscape, and so the brand quickly grew.

This saw several other restaurants open, including in Oxford, which can be found on the top floor of the Westgate shopping centre.

Although part of a franchise, it does have an air of individuality that most establishments which might belong to a group struggle to bring to the table.

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The Cherry On Top and the Gentleman Ice-T cocktails. (Image: Newsquest)

I do believe wait-staff and management have a major impact on a restaurant’s image and the customer experience.

It’s difficult to find places to have a meal out as a treat – whether you’re solo dining, with your significant other, getting the kids out of the house or meeting friends – where not only the vibe is good, but the staff are everything you’d imagine when you think of the word hospitality.

We had the pleasure of being served by Raff, who not only has a very impressive hairstyle but also guided us through our evening expertly.

He gave fantastic recommendations, speedy service, attentiveness, and an easy-going yet also incredibly hard-working attitude.

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The cheeseburger gyozas. (Image: Newsquest)

The perfect mix of welcoming while not being overbearing, he made us feel like real people, and not just a task to tick off during a busy evening.

To kick off our evening, we began with cocktails.

I had the Gentleman Ice-T, which was a spin on a classic American peach iced tea, containing Gentleman Jack and Peach Liquor, Rooibos and orange tea syrup.

The best way to describe this drink is what I imagine to be a late afternoon on a Tennessee ranch, watching the sunset with your family- not too sweet and the perfect accompaniment to a warm summer’s day.

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The Jack Daniel’s BBQ chicken wings. (Image: Newsquest)

My boyfriend had the Cherry On Top, which was a perfect addition to the evening ahead, with JD No.7 shaken with banana, cherry amaretto, ice cream with whipped cream and of course, a cherry on top.

It wasn’t as sickly as we feared, which was a bit of a relief, but it added an extra spot of fun to the experience.

For starters, we had the Jack Daniel’s BBQ chicken wings, which were tender as well as sticky and sweet in perfect balance.

We felt it was more than enough to share between two, but we had also ordered the cheeseburger gyozas, which had a lot to boast about in their own way.

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The Wagyu-Tang double beef burger, with American-style cheese and truffle mayo on a brioche bun. (Image: Newsquest)

The beef was Wagyu, which certainly added an air of luxury, along with melted cheese, which added even more moisture to an already succulent dish.

These gyozas went well with the cheese and sriracha sauce, and the spring onions introduced a lovely lift to the indulgent starter.

For mains, I opted for the decadent Wagyu-Tang double beef burger, with American-style cheese and truffle mayo on a brioche bun.

I was very impressed with the portion size and (almost) regretted ordering crispy lamb loaded fries as a side.

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Koji Chicken and freshly baked waffles. (Image: Newsquest)

The beef was juicy and tender, and perfectly seasoned and well-respected by the chefs.

It was absolutely jam-packed full of flavour and felt like a one-million-pound bite.

The loaded fries were crispy, and garnished with perfectly braised lamb pieces, miso, jalapeno and chilli dressing, which balanced the richness of the meat out well.

My partner had the Koji Chicken and freshly baked waffles, served with maple syrup and cool ranch sauce.

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The loaded lamb fries. (Image: Newsquest)

The chicken was audibly crispy and was cooked well on the inside, making it both wonderfully tender and moist.

It worked well with the waffle, which soaked up the hot maple, allowing each bite to sing with a sweet and savoury flavour.

The meal was a melt-in-the-mouth experience and felt like a perfect blend of all good things in the world.

For dessert, we had the delightful chocolate and salted caramel doughnut, which again was a more than generous portion.

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The doughnuts with salted caramel ice cream and chocolate sauce. (Image: Newsquest)

It consisted of an airy and delicate doughnut, with a scoop of salted caramel ice cream and proper chocolate sauce.

The ice cream slowly melted into the middle of the freshly made ringed doughnut, which in itself carried memories of seaside stalls.

Thankfully, unlike Brighton or Scarborough, there were no insistent seagulls trying to pinch the food, so we got to enjoy every last bite.

This was the best meal I’ve had in a very long time, in an establishment that clearly takes great pride in all aspects.

Dirty Dones has taken the time to hire a fantastic team of staff who I say deserve all the credit for what was a wonderful midweek treat.