Dinner at Brookhouse | Just Add Ginger

As soon as we made our first visit to Brookhouse last year, we instantly knew we had to return. Set in the picturesque, chocolate box village of Clapham in Yorkshire, the location is idyllic and one of those places that completely captures your heart. We had the most fantastic stay at Brookhouse last time, so the minute I could, I booked Ryan and I on a little mini-moon to whisk ourselves away on straight after the wedding.

What I thought was a fantastic touch the last time we stayed, was the Brookhouse does offer dinner several nights of the week. Perfect for if you have been out all day and just want to head back home in the evening and relax. Taking advantage of this previously, this time we dined in two nights out of our four night stay.

Food at Brookhouse is really reasonably priced, with several choices of all three courses on offer, plus a wine and drinks menu if you fancy a cheeky tipple to accompany your food. With quite a lot of things to choose from, selecting what to have was quite difficult. But because we were to be dining in on more than one occasion, I somehow managed to narrow my choices down, and split these up across two evenings.

I started out with the pork belly and black pudding. Black pudding is one of my biggest weaknesses, so as soon as I spot it on a menu, I'm in there! On this night, the pork belly cut was not available, with a substitute of cheek in its place. This did not phase me at all, and readily awaited my order. 

Juicy, succulent, and melt-in-the-mouth, my knife barely caressed the pork cheek before it fell apart. With the black pudding accompaniment the elements were a match made in heaven, with the apple, rhubarb and ginger chutney adding a subtly sweet element. The salad that came with the starter was delicious too, but I found myself gravitating more towards the meat, and then eating this separately. The dish size was perfect for a starter. Neither too small, or too overwhelming, it glided down and was a beautiful way to start our meal. (I loved this starter so much I ended up ordering it on both nights!)

After having a few sips from my glass of red, our main courses were placed in front of us. Opting for the steak, it came out perfectly cooked, cosily nestled under a layer of bacon, onion rings and tomatoes and served with boiled potatoes, a potato fondant, and a side of vegetables. Like with the pork, the meat was fabulously juicy, and I only needed a little help to cut it. The potato fondant was a lovely touch - crisp and crunchy on the outside, and fluffy in the middle. I wish I had got a better photo - mine doesn't do the dish justice - but I was itching to get eating! 

What would a romantic mini-moon dinner be without dessert? This was the only dish that from the get-go I knew I wanted to eat on both nights. Being the chocoholic that I am, the hot chocolate brownie ticked all the boxes. The sponge was soft, and really chocolatey, with the orange sauce acting as a zingy, sweet accompaniment that was so warming and comforting. With a choice of ice cream or cream to go with the dessert, I opted for ice cream, which, once I'd gobbled up the brownie, was lovely to eat with the remainder of the sauce. 

The only thing I would have wanted to change about eating at Brookhouse is that I wish we could have eaten there every night. But that's me just being really greedy! Host Alan does all the cooking, hosting, and running of Brookhouse so definitely deserves the break. Plus having only a few days of dining makes the experience that more special. 

Thinking of visiting Yorkshire? Definitely check out the Brookhouse. It's an amazing place to stay, with a warm and welcoming atmosphere, and the food....oh my goodness - it is simply delicious!