Brooks Around The Corner, Oswestry

enjoys popping 'around the corner' for a good meal and catch up with friends.

From the outside Brooks around the Corner in Oswestry looks nothing special. Perched right on the corner of the town centre's main crossroads the building was once a drinking man's pub, known for its upstairs pool table.

But open the door and you walk into an atmosphere a world away from the damp, miserable summer evening outside.

Tardis-like, Brooks Around The Corner boasts tables both on the ground and the first floor, its centrepiece an iron spiral staircase that connects the two.

Amazingly for once we were early to meet our friends and we were shown to comfy leather sofas to chill.

Mel was pleased to discover he could enjoy his favourite local tipple, Stonehouse ale.

Looking around it was clear there was a real mix of diners of all ages.

Couples were enjoying a quiet meal together while there were two or three larger parties, one a 21st birthday, another a group of 40 somethings already cracking open the bubbly.

When our friends arrived we were struggling to choose from the many dishes both on the regular menu and on a specials board..

I had been told that Brooks had a reputation for fish and was a little disappointed not to see any of my favourite seafood on the menu although there were a selection of fish dishes.

However as it is ordered in fresh each Thursday I had also been warned that I should really try to dine on a Thursday or Friday night and this was Saturday.

After a while our friendly waiteress quietly suggested that we not take too long as a large party was about to arrive at any time.

The helpful hint made me choose the duck over the fish and our choices were complete.

It didn't seem long before our first courses arrived, we had hardly had time to enjoy the lovely warm bread rolls we were given, hand baked every day, we were told.

As ever Mel had chosen creamy garlic mushrooms, presented unusually in a tartlet with a stilton crumb seved on a bed of salad. (£5.95)

Deb, who is on a bit of a soup kick at the moment chose homemade soup of the day served with warm bread. (£5.45) and said her tomato and red pepper soup was delicious.

And Henry's and my salmon and pancetta fish cakes served with a dressed salad and Tartare sauce (£6.95) were really tasty and in a good, crispy breadcrumb.

I elected for one small glass of house red to accompany my main meal and have to say the Shiraz turned out to be one of the nicest house reds I have sampled.

Deb said much the same about her one glass of white – both of us designated drivers for the evening.

Meanwhile the men were enjoying the local ale a little too much!

The duck breast served with stir fried vegetables, homemade potato croquets & drizzled with a raspberry sauce. (£16.95) was excellent, just the right pinkness and not a hint of greasiness.

My stir fry veg was the perfect accompaniment with the duck and my only gripe, and it was purely my fault, was that I did not ask for a different potato accompaniment.

It may have been a trendy way to serve potato, but I'm ashamed to say croquettes still evoke memores of the frozen variety I had when I was a kid.

And it meant I had chosen something very similar in texture to my starter.

I am sure had I asked I could have had some new potatoes, or even the special recipe mash that Mel had with his chicken – the best mashed potato ever, he said, with tiny pieces of pancetta chopped into it. In fact if you order a steak then you can chose a wide variety of potatoes, even potato dauphinois.

Steaks are, like fish, a speciality of Brooks, and not just beef steak.

We could have chosen from ostrich or wild boar, and were told that the restaurant sometime has camel, kangaroo or even zebra on the menu.

Puddings were for once the highlight of my meal.

I had been struggling to choose until I saw the words homemade and ice cream.

Was it really homemade ice cream, I asked?

"Yes, the ice cream maker is downstairs and it is always churning," our waitress assured me.

I went for cherry and chocolate chip and something described as Brooks special mix.

That was the star turn. Really creamy vanilla ice cream bringing back memories of my once favourite Welsh ice cream, now sadly ruined by commercialism, with caramel and nuts swirled in. Scrumptious.

Mellow background music added to the perfect atmopshere at Brooks, perflect for a laid back evening of good food and reminising.

Brooks offers a value for money early bird menu and what really caught my eye was its pledge to offer not just vegetarian alternatives but dishes for vegans, halal meat and coeliac/wheat and gluten free upon request. It will even provide bread for coeliacs although the menu says booking in advance with dietary requirements is preferable.

ADDRESS

Brooks Around The Corner, 69 Church Street, Oswestry SY11 2SZ

Tel: 01691 654742

Web: www.brooksinoswestry.co.uk

MENU SAMPLE

STARTERS

Chicken goujons served with a garlic mayonnaise £5.95; Brooks chicken liver and pancetta pate served with warm toasts and tomato chutney and salad £6.50; Mini Full English breakfast . . . rosti, poached egg, pancetta, black pudding and oven-roasted tomato £5.95

MAINS

Pork loin steak stuffed with apricot & herb stuffing, served with dauphinois potatoes, mixed greens and a pork and apricot jus £16.95; Chicken breast stuffed with sundried tomatoes

and mozzarella, served with mixed green,and a wild mushroom rissoto, finished with a light jus £14.95; Roast vegetable, pesto and goat's cheese cannelloni served with a salad bowl & garlic bread £13.95

SIDE ORDERS

Potato croquets £3.30; hand cut chips £3.50

ATMOSPHERE

Mellow and very welcoming

SERVICE

Extremely friendly and helpful

DISABLED FACILITIES

Brooks has had a disabled loo installed on the ground floor