Why the Royal Oak in Stokenchurch is more than just a pub

As someone who is half Malaysian, I’m no stranger to trying out cuisines from other Asian countries such as China, India, Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia.

But never had I tried food from Nepal, so when I was told that the Royal Oak in Stokenchurch specialises in authentic Nepalese dishes, this piqued my interest.

I’m not from Stokenchurch so many people reading this may think that I am behind the times with what this traditional English pub serves. 

But if you know that the Royal Oak serves such delicious food but haven’t been in there while, then go back immediately. It was incredible.

The Royal Oak in Stokenchurch

I went there not knowing what to expect. 

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Owned by Navin Gurung since 2006, the traditional Church Street establishment has friendly staff - and a surprising array of authentic Nepalese options on their menu. 

Himalayan lamb curry, king prawn tawa masala and oriental chilli chicken feature on the expansive menu - and all of this is tucked away from the everyday hustle and bustle of village life.

When I entered the Royal Oak, I was greeted with a side of crackers and poppadoms before getting some homemade vegetable spring rolls.

Straight out of the oven, the pastry wasn’t too crispy and wasn’t too soft and the vegetables just melted in your mouth – it was a perfect blend.

Up next was the traditional Momo (dumpling), with the Royal Oak offering three fillings - chicken, pork or vegetables.

Crackers and poppadoms were offered as a starter

Again, the food was freshly prepared and for someone who hadn’t tried a dumpling before (for someone who is half Asian, this is just embarrassing), I was taken back and wondered why I hadn’t tried this before.

They are not filling so it is the perfect starter, and we were also offered a unique Momo which was breaded.

A fine range of delicacies to get my tastebuds warmed up for what was to come for the mains, in which we were spoiled for choice.

Up next was some Nepalese Saag Aloo, chicken Jalfrezi, a Gurkha Curry and pork belly sizzler. 

The food was very good

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The pork sizzler was lovely as it just melted on your tongue. The crispy meat was infused with Asian flavours.

The jalfrezi also hit the spot as the chicken was incredibly succulent and the Saag Aloo was again faultless.

Moving onto the Gurkha curry - it was incredibly light.

The vegetable spring rolls

Most of us love a curry but sometimes, due to the spices, our stomachs can become bloated.

That was not the case when visiting the Royal Oak - every meal was perfect.

The Gurkha curry

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And what made this a very unique affair was that Navin actually joined my guest and I for large parts of the meal for a friendly chat.

The pork sizzler was brilliant

We spoke for hours about anything and everything, ranging from his life and his charity work, to the current Covid situation and of course, the football.

It was like we had known him all our lives.

The Momo

I will certainly go back as the Royal Oak is more than just a pub/restaurant, it’s a place to learn about and enjoy delicious Nepalese cuisine.

Navin made us feel so welcome and the food was incredible. 

See royaloakstokenchurch.co.uk or call 01494 483437 to book. 

To find out more about what Navin's charity entails for Bucks and Nepal, visit www.supportnepaluk.org.