Sometimes (and I do mean SOMETIMES!) I can actually be quite nice to people; admittedly not often, and I definitely prefer animals to folks. Anyhow, an invitation came in to sample lunch at The Hive Lounge in Alfreton, and I’m sure I wouldn’t be the only one to say that owner Dominique is a fretter. To that end, I decided to go ‘secret squirrel’ with my friend Em for some well-earned, post-gym coffee and cake, and get the real skinny on how The Hive team operates when not stressed. The Hot Chocs, Blondie, and Brownie were all superb, FYI.
Fast-forward a couple of weeks and it was time for The Man and I to head over for a spot of lunch, having parked the jalopy in town. You can’t fail to notice the venue and its fantastic hand-painted window, featuring hexagonal honeycombs, Bees and [naturally] a hive – it looks amazing! Dom and the team have also zhuzhed the space with garlands of fabric pumpkins and foliage, as well as decorating each pale pine table with pumpkin candles and ornaments.
We normally associate [bee] hives with being busy, but The Hive Lounge is a lovely oasis of calm, and its neutral décor enhances this. What surprised us both, though, was the lack of traffic noise and vibration: you are literally located roadside, with maybe a metre separating you from the road, and yet you would never know it! In keeping with the other pale elements, the floor is a warm honey tone, and the recessed ceiling lights have their power diffused by swathes of sheer, pale fabric. As I say, the atmosphere is calming – though I’m sure the upstairs Reformer Pilates studios are livelier.
At The Hive Lounge you are offered what seems like every beverage known to man, especially when it comes to Matcha flavours. Coffee fiends (both hot and iced options) are well catered for, and there is a whole raft of flavoured syrups to choose from if that’s your bag. Frappés, Smoothies and Tea are also on the menu, but both of us opted for Hot Chocolates: regular/naked for The Man, Deluxe/all the trimmings for me, both £5.20.
Having ordered those at the counter, it was time to turn our attention to the food offering. Don’t get me wrong, I like me a bit of choice, but sometimes you can have too much to think about and, I don’t know about you, but it spins me out! Thankfully, The Hive Lounge have pitched it perfectly, in my opinion: they have Soup of the Day and a freshly made Scone, Pancake Stacks, filled Cobs, Bagels, large farmhouse-style Sausage Rolls, and Protein Cheesecakes on offer. The best thing is that all of these options are quick turnaround items, so you’re not waiting long before your choice is winging its way to you and your hungry tummy!
I love a stuffed Bagel, and the one with Pastrami Beef and Cream Cheese (£7.50) was singing to my soul. His Nibs was a bit miffed that I called dibs on it but it’s a case of ‘you snooze, you lose’ in our flock, buddy. Don’t feel sorry for him, though, he ordered a Pizza-base Bagel, topped with Pepperoni (also £7.50).
Literally within minutes, our morsels were carefully placed in front of us, and they looked blooming marvellous. I don’t think the kitchen team could’ve stuffed any more Pastrami, Cream Cheese or Baby Spinach between my sliced Bagel if they’d been held to ransom – it was bursting at the seams…as was His Nibs’ warm Pizza sort. We actually requested cutlery in an attempt to bring some sort of control to the situation! I love the chew time that Bagels have; their density makes you give them a bit of respect and stops you scarfing it down willy-nilly, something the pair of us certainly need.
The Pastrami was thinly sliced, maximising all its iconic properties: the melt-in-mouth texture, the super-rich savoury umami taste, and the spicy peppery crust. I love this Deli meat, falling in love with it at New Yorks’ iconic Katz’s Deli; the place where ‘Harry met Sally’ in the film. Instead of the Katz’s sliced Pickles and Green Tomatoes, The Hive Lounge serve their Pastrami temptation with a bowl of tasty ridged Crisps – yum! Partnering the lively meat was a velvety Cream Cheese, whose tangy edge was excellent against the depth of the Pastrami, and the addition of verdant Baby Spinach leaves added a nice crunch as well as colour.
When His Nibs had ordered the Pizza base Bagel, he had it described as having a Tomato Purée base with Mozzarella and Pepperoni on – and that is exactly what he got. The Tomato was intense and concentrated, providing that initial flavour hit that reels your palate in and grabs its attention. On top was melting Mozzarella that provided those luscious strings when bitten into and pulled apart; both of these elements were glorious as was, but the addition of thin rounds of Pepperoni was truly sublime. Contrasting brilliantly with the sweeter character of the Tomato and the creaminess of the cheese, the Pepperoni blew in like a cleansing breeze with its spicy smokiness.
Both of us sat back and sighed contentedly when we’d taken our last bites, much to the happiness of the serving team. Clearly, our rep precedes us, as we were offered a little sweet treat to finish our meal! I let The Man have first choice this time, and he went for the Salted Caramel Brownie (extremely good choice if my previous experience was anything to go by), and I chose the Pistachio Brownie.
One of the things I love about Brownies is the contrast between the gently crisp surface and the impossibly gooey inside, and the ones served at The Hive Lounge are en-pointe, let me tell ya! His Nibs was cooing like a baby at each and every bite of his Salted Caramel morsel, smiling as its unctuous centre stuck to his tongue and cheeks. Rich and chocolatey, this was superb, and the ribbons of Salted Caramel that decorated its surface had him licking his lips and fingers in desperation to get every last bit. Be warned: this is instantly addictive!
No less impressive was my stunning two-toned Pistachio and chocolate Brownie; this was a lovely sight to behold, all swirly and twirly. My palate was in a tizzy with the cocoa-overload – my brains’ pleasure centre was pinging like Tommy the Pinball Wizard was going for all-time top score! Tiny pieces of crushed Pistachio decorated the top, adding a nice pop of nuttiness to this beautiful sweet treat.
Whilst we’d been relaxing and munching in The Hive Lounge, the team had looked after us royally, and not just us, either; the other tables were also frequently checked back on to ensure they had everything they wanted or needed. Such attentive, personal service and the delicious food is exactly why Hot Wings are more than happily given to this fantastic Alfreton business - we need more of them, Dom!
The Hive Lounge takes table reservations, something recently introduced before they launch their exciting Afternoon Tea offering. The Hive Lounge is open Mon-Fri 8am-4pm, Sat 10am-2pm, Sun 9am-2pm. Keep an eye out for the Thursday ‘Chill Nights’, which feature extended opening times and give opportunity for you to pit-your-wits against others at board games whilst enjoying snacks and drinks.
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