Recently, The Man and I had been invited along to dine at Brooks Deli and Wine Bar in Mickleover - and loved it – so we were overjoyed to be invited along to its sister site in Ockbrook village. As with the Mickleover venue, there is no on-site parking here, but there is (again) plenty of on-road parking to be found. We grabbed one such spot and had a leisurely stroll back to the venue.
Equally delightful, though a strikingly different setting to its sister in Mickleover, Brooks is located at the bottom left end of a courtyard to one side of ‘The Apple Tree’. Originally, The Apple Tree was a butcher’s shop; Brooks occupies the outbuilding/barn that was its slaughterhouse, though more recently it was used as garaging. The two businesses share the outdoor middle space: one uses it morning to mid-afternoon, then the other (Brooks) has it from mid-afternoon until close of business.
Manager Elly had popped us in a superb spot that afforded us a great view of inside and outside, and we soon got settled at the elevated table, perching on some low-back, raised chair/stool hybrid seating. At the Mickleover site, I’d had a rather splendid Viognier and the same one was available here, so we both opted for it. Returning with our tipples, Elly gave us a few minutes to look through the menu.
One of the biggest differences between the pair of Brooks’ sites is that Ockbrook doesn’t have a kitchen of its own, so the dishes are markedly different. It does, however, have a snazzy Pizza oven that gets put to good use, producing not only Pizzas and Flatbreads (from 5pm onwards), but also Toasties. The Steaks on the monthly Steak Nights are cooked outside in the courtyard. We were invited along to sample the Lebanese Flatbreads, as well as the ‘All-You-Can-Eat-Cheese-Buffet’, which is available on Sundays only at the incredible price of £12.99 per person – yes, you read that right: £12.99 each!!! All the food prep is done in a smallish room to the rear of the space, no mean feat when you actually see Elly and her team in action.
The format for the Cheese Buffet is that every person on the table must order it, and each person gets to choose a trio of cheese from the extensive selection, accompanied by their choice of Chutney. Even the most ardent Turophile (and I include myself in that club) is going to struggle to munch every one of the 32 cheeses on offer at Brooks Deli and Wine Bar. I had purposefully not eaten a thing that day, and His Nibs and I still only managed 10 between us! The Cheeses come with unlimited crackers as well; just pipe up when you need more. Once the initial cheeses have been finished, you can then order another pair of cheeses each; when you’ve polished those off you can order two more ad infinitum, until you pop!
Whilst Elly prepped our first board, I took in the décor a bit better. Under the dark roof tiles is a building full of character with warm red-brickwork exposed and wooden ceiling- and cross- beams. Spider lights and fairy lights provide light inside, with strings of spherical bulbs giving a lovely vibe to the outdoor courtyard. Faux foliage drapes across the timber beams, softening the effect of their straight lines. The dark wood of the floor is matched by the tables, and the chairs are upholstered in muted Tan and Green to enhance the rustic chic ambience. Brooks is one of those places where time seems to slow down or be temporarily suspended, making it the perfect place in which to relax, kick-back and chill whist dining and/or drinking.
Before we knew it, our first wooden board of Cheese was being placed down and we eagerly tucked in. Our strategy was to have as many different cheeses as we could, so the first half-dozen was: Wookey Hole Cave-aged Cheddar, French Comte, Montagnolo Affine, French Etorki, Wensleydale with Cranberries, and Delice de Cremiers, with Spicy Tomato and Sticky Onion Chutney and Beetroot Chutney. Green- and Red- Grapes were also on the wooden board, and the two types of Crackers (one herbed, one plain) came in a separate basket. We tried to encompass a range of types of cheese, as well as countries of origin, and flavour profiles - and I think we managed pretty well. This first crop consisted of offerings from England, France and Germany, soft and hard textures, pasteurised and unpasteurised milk, and from Cows and Sheep.
I do like a Blue Cheese, but was mindful of His Nibs, who isn’t quite so keen. The Montagnolo Affine from Germany gave us the best of both worlds: I got the tang from the blue veins, whilst The Man got an indulgent creaminess from the double cream-pimped, buttery ‘body’. If you’re looking for luxury in your cheese, this gem is your gal! Another softer textured cheese was the Delice de Cremiers from France and, as well as impressive amounts of creaminess in the mouth, this had a hint of mushroomy earthiness that I absolutely adored.
England provided us with two hard cheeses, both of which had a superb tang to their taste. The Wookey Hole Cave-aged Cheddar had a richer, earthier edge to it, rather than the up-front zinginess of the crumbly Wensleydale. We both liked the ‘chew’ that the sweet Cranberries provided in the Wensleydale, appreciating the contrast between the fruit and cheese. The final pair [of this first board] came from France, and both were semi-hard/hard textured: one was a Sheeps’ milk cheese (Etorki), the other from unpasteurised Cows’ milk, from grass-fed, breed-specific herds in the Jura-Massif region of the country. Comte, the Cow milk offering, revealed a gorgeous buttery, gently sweet flavour that I thought paired with the Viognier wine seamlessly. The Etorki was initially sweet and nutty on the palate, blooming into something deeper and more complex as we savoured it. Both the Chutneys we’d selected paired nicely with this bunch of cheeses, as did the crackers; we used our judgement as to which condiments and herby/non-herby [crackers] would do each morsel justice.
Elly cleared away our empty board and asked if we’d like more, smiling when we said “yes, please”. The quartet of cheeses we chose for ‘round two’ were truly European: a Rindless Goats’ Log from France, Spanish Manchego, Cornish Brie from England, and Italian Taleggio. This selection represented Goats, Sheep and Cow’s milk cheeses and a 50:50 split between soft- and hard- cheese types. We grabbed some more crackers and Elly had got some Caramelised Onion Chutney that was surplus, so kindly popped that on our board too.
Many of you will be familiar with the buttery, nutty sweetness of Manchego, no doubt whilst enjoying Tapas! At Brooks Deli and Wine Bar in Ockbrook, it is a popular choice thanks to its versatility with other cheeses, charcuterie and its downright tastiness. We certainly enjoyed its firm texture and the way it then revealed its softer character on the palate. The other hard cheese, Taleggio, gave us a bit of a mind-spin: smelling distinctly pungent and earthy, it actually has a beautifully mild, fruity flavour that you don’t expect from first impressions. Cornwall is not only beautiful, it’s skilled in producing creamy, luscious Brie that also has a mushroom hint via the edible rind. Keeping it real, though, The Man and I preferred the Delice de Cremiers [from the first board] in terms of luxuriance. It's no secret that I am partial to Goats’ Cheese and, again, His Nibs is a little reticent to dive into this type…probably because I normally go for a musky one. However, Brooks serve a marvellously accessible one whose bright, tangy notes are not at all stinky; instead, a superb creaminess creeps over your tongue and taste buds. Honestly, give this one a whirl.
Mindful that we still needed to try the Lebanese Flatbread (we opted for the Chicken Skewer one, though the Halloumi was tempting!), we had gone easier on the cracker consumption than we ordinarily would’ve – turns out that this was the perfect strategy! Elly herself has a Lebanese father; a Chef, no less, which is obviously where she gets her culinary flair from. The circular bread was soft and chewy in the mouth and had been topped with a colourful medley of house-made Red Cabbage, Tabbouleh Salad, shredded Lettuce, and an extraordinary Cool Chilli-Mint Dressing. Honestly, how much flavour can you pack into one dish??!!!
The generous skewers of Chicken breast-meat were delicious; gently charred on the outside, and mild and juicy inside, the poultry paired marvellously with the tasty salad. Yet more mind-boggling came our way, thanks to the curiously good fusion of Chilli and Mint that comprised the drizzled over dressing; seriously, it shouldn’t work, but really did!! This Flatbread was a seriously tasty little rascal – not a fat one, that’s something entirely different.
Brooks Deli and Wine Bar in Ockbrook may not have a ‘formal’ kitchen, but it’s proof that scrumptious food can still be savoured here. Hot Wings very happily given to this great village venue; Elly, you and your team are incredible! To book a table, call 01332 952738 or visit www.brooksderby.com and hit the ‘book a table’ tab on the right-hand side of the page, then select Ockbrook, and off you go. Brooks Deli and Wine Bar in Ockbrook is closed Mon-Weds, open Thurs 10.30am-10pm, Fri 10.30am-11pm, Sat 9.30am-11pm, and Sun 10.30am-9pm.
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