Nothing sums up more how we felt in Folk Wine Kitchen, Cleethorpes at the weekend, than that title. Our board of cured meats and cheeses, reminded me of the exciting décor on a Christmas tree. Just in the way you’d find a gem of a walnut under a slice of salami like you would see a moving reindeer hiding between the branches, or giant green olives dancing among the brie and the parma ham. Not to mention the little ball-shaped red peppers stuffed with a soft cheese that reminded me of stunning Harrod’s baubles on a Christmas tree.
I’m not saying this lunch was Wintery – I’m not referring to the season, just the excitement it presented. In fact, this indulgence felt like a celebration of the Summer we are crawling in to. But rewind to entering the building before we even took our first bite… I was completely wowed at the vibe of the place. I hadn’t been here since last year for a cup of tea. But it’s completely changed and now gives off a very classy City atmosphere… a piano posing by the entrance for the live music they have some nights/days, and the vintage floral wallpaper, a theme that carries through to the cocktail menus.
If you could take a bit of Leeds or London and put it in Cleethorpes, this would be it. And… I’m not going to lie, at first when I realised there was no particular food ‘menu’ as such, just the boards of meats and cheeses… I was a bit baffled by this knock out of my comfort zone. For a long time, as someone with a long-term eating disorder, I’ve struggled with the idea of food you help yourself to, instead of having a set amount of food plated and presented to you when eating out… but for this anxiety I knew it was exactly the reason to embrace the new opportunity. The atmosphere of the place promised something special, anyway.
When the board was presented between the two of us (my best friend and I) we were awe-struck by the presentation. There may as well have been sparklers on top, as the pure effort and passion that had gone into that board of food was top class. Meats included freshly-sliced peppered parma ham, salami and chorizo. And I haven’t even yet mentioned the basket of bread that came with this banquet have I? If the board was the Christmas tree, then this was the stocking… because putting your hand in and pulling out a different flavoured bread each time, was enough to get us both giddy. There was a beautiful cheesey bread in there, along with one dotted with olives. I asked the talented barman where he ordered the bread from, and he said it was homemade from the local high street.
Spooning a little green pesto (in it’s own separate pot) onto a slice of bread was utter bliss, despite being hesitant to destroy the piece of food art before us. My personal favourite meat was the parma ham with a peppered edge, along with the taste explosion of a slice of chorizo, paired with a bit of brie.
There’s three words I’ve held back until now… Sticky. Toffee. Pudding. And again with my history of an eating disorder, I’ve never been brave enough to indulge in a chunk of cold hard cheese, in fact it used to be my biggest fear as a young teenager. (I’m sure someone dared me on a sleepover to eat a bit – yes, I was that scared) However, as soon as we found out a sticky toffee flavour would be on our edible Christmas tree, I was pounding with excitement. Perhaps it’s my taste for sweet and salty together, especially when it comes down to popcorn. This unique flavoured cheese was actually the first thing my friend and I tried… and it was honestly proper delightful. I am almost wrapped up the remainder in a napkin to sneak out with me, but the place, the atmosphere had put me in a more classy mood, I have to say!
If you’re looking to create a memorable, intimate experience with a good friend or family member, I’d highly recommend heading to Folk Wine Kitchen to have a cheeky splurge on some drinks, enjoyed over one of their first class meat and cheese boards. You’re in for a right treat, trust me.
They’re £18.50 which is absolutely decent for the amount of grub you get, and the exceptional presentation. “ Life begins at the end of your comfort zone!”
