When Billy Reid and his partner Julie Blay took over the running of Wiltshire restaurant 2XS in Marlborough in July people sat up and took notice. That's because Reid comes with a Michelin track record - until two years ago he was the executive head chef at Berkshire's one-star Vineyard at Stockcross, just a few miles down the road at Newbury. And it was a bit of a coup for local businessman Terence Martin, who owns the restaurant, to get him on board.
In fact, Reid and Blay aren't just on board, they're shareholders in the business, too. And they've been given free rein to run the eaterie as they want.
"I can actually cook what I like now, which is great," Reid says. "I've cooked haute cuisine for years, but now when I get the urge to cook, say, spaghetti bolognese I can put it on the menu as an extra."
There are two or three extras a day on the menu, depending on what Reid is offered by his suppliers, ranging from dishes that exercise his classical skills to those like Thai green chicken curry (£12), which are simple and tasty. He doesn't have a problem either with putting out fish and chips or burgers. But in general he and his two-strong kitchen team cook a mix of bistro and brasserie food.
It's not only extras that seasonal produce dictates. Reid constantly tweaks his menu according to what the seasons offer on a day-to-day basis. "I'm using suppliers I've dealt with for years," he explains. "A guy rang me the other day and said 'I've got some cracking wood pigeons' so I said 'thanks very much, we'll have them.'"
That translated into a dish of feuillet‚ of wood pigeon served with spring greens, woodland mushrooms and a red wine shallot jus. Like all mains Reid puts out in the 45-seat dining room, it's priced at £12. In fact, he operates flat charges at each course stage (£7 for starters, £12 for mains, £6 for puds and £7.50 for a selection of French cheeses) or gives diners an option of paying £17.50 for two courses or £22 for three courses at both lunch and dinner.
With half an eye on the approaching winter, Reid has introduced a hotpot on the menu as a hearty, comforting main choice. "I'm a Lancastrian so I've got to put it on the menu, but I do like braising, stewing and slow cooking things anyway," he says. The hotpot was an astute move as it's proved to be a hit with customers, as has a starter using another North Country staple, black pudding, accompanied by scallops, salad and shallot jus.
It clearly satisfies Reid to be able to put out traditional dishes like the hotpot, but as the wood pigeon feuillet‚ shows, he hasn't just discarded his years of acquiring chef skills, or abandoned his classic French culinary base. A potato and lettuce soup with oysters, and parfait of foie gras underline that point. The soup, for instance, has its roots in a potage made with lettuce and frogs' legs that he learnt years ago as a commis at Michel Roux's Waterside Inn at Bray.
Reid and Blay, who runs front of house with two other full-time staff, are certain they've hit on a winning formula. They're serving 40-plus covers at weekend sittings, and about 25 in midweek.
The aim is to turn 2XS into a destination restaurant, perhaps even to roll it out as a regional brand. They have a solid base from which to work.
2XS Bar & Restaurant, 7 Kingsbury Street, Marlborough, Wiltshire SN8 1H. Tel: 01672 514776 www.2xsbarandrestaurant.com
By Joanna Wood
What's On the Menu
- Filo-wrapped crottin de Chavignol, tomato, shallot and basil salad, £7
- Parfait of foie gras and chicken livers, salad crudités, wholemeal bread, £7
- Goujons of sole, tartare sauce, £7
- Fillet of gilthead bream, rissole potatoes, spring onions, sauce bouillabaisse, £12
- Braised lamb, casserole of white beans and Mediterranean vegetables, rosemary jus, £12
- Sirloin of beef, dauphinoise, beans, woodland mushrooms, peppercorn jus, £12
- Treacle tart, crème fraîche, £6
MENU OF THE QUARTER
The three winning menus for the May to July 2003 quarter are Le Pont de la Tour, London; Agaric, Ashburton, Devon, and Stoke Park Club, Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire. All three go through to the shortlist for the 2003 Menu of the Year Catey sponsored by Quorn.