Antrim: Ox serves up treats

Ox Belfast, 1 Oxford St, Belfast; [phone]; oxbelfast.com

WHEN a restaurant has momentum, boy can it move. Take Ox, an apparently inconspicuous bistro on Belfast’s Oxford Street. Since it opened in March, the place has been the talk of the town. Its balancing act of artistry, ambition and produce has almost single-handedly catapulted Northern Ireland back into the foodie conversation.

Reviews have been off the charts. But crucially, Ox has refused to get giddy. Its food is slow and seasonal, and it knows how to manage expectations.