Lockdown Free For My Birthday and Wedding Anniversary COMPLETE- DAY SIX ADDED UPDATED 01/06

[princessnicki]

So for the first time since 2019, my birthday and our wedding anniversary wasnt spent under lockdown or restrictions. This is actually our first ever wedding anniversary in the post Covid world! With Bretts 40th on the horizon we just had a few little days out over the course of April and May to celebrate both occasions so i thought it would be fun to document them!

Unsurprisingly this is more of a food report than a proper trip report but hopefully we still took some good pics!
Apologies if you follow us on Instagram as this will all appear on there at some point!

DAY ONE- BIRTHDAY
We headed over to Manchester to celebrate my birthday. It was a beautiful if not very cold sunny day and we didnt get any rain thankfully! We got the train over which on the new route only takes 30 minutes direct from where we live!

My food of choice was the brand new bottomless brunch at the Italian restaurant Cibo. For £60 you get three courses and unlimited drinks from a choice of Prosecco, Mimosa and two cocktails for 90 minutes. The menu has 3 options for each course and include premium dishes such as Scallops and Salmon. The food we sampled was all delicious and very filling- the starters and desserts are on the lighter side and the main course portions are huge so it is the perfect combination. We wouldnt hesitate to enjoy this experience again

The staff here are fantastic but we were mainly looked after by Cynthia who was absolutely amazing. She was constantly checking if we needed more drinks and when our time was due to end she made sure we had another round if we wanted. I think 4 drinks is a fair amount when having bottomless brunch but we were given 6 as the staff were always watching for empty glasses.

I am posting this out of order but i have to start with the star of the show- the Penne Reggiano! This is penne pasta cooked table side in a large Parmesan wheel topped in Cream, Sage, Truffle Oil and Panchetta. The pasta is Flambeed with Cognac in front of you. I am not lying when i say this is heaven on a plate, it is quite possibly the richest dish we have ever tried but so worth it. It is coated in so much melted cheese and is really strong in truffle flavour. I definitely recommend adding the Panchetta topping as the salty meat cuts through the richness. I was gutted i barely made a dent in it but Brett happily finished it off

Capesante Gratinate (Seared King Scallops, Grated Parmigano)

Back to the starters and Scallops is one of my favourite, this was no exception as they were cooked perfectly. I have never tried them with cheese and a tomato based sauce but the combination worked really well. I am glad i picked a light option knowing that the main courses were going to be large!

Polpette (Beef Meatballs in Medium Spice Tomato Sauce, Toasted Bread)

Brett loves meatballs and this was a really nice version of the dish- the bread is a great idea to mop up the delicious sauce

Calzone (Folded Pizza filled with Chicken, Salami, Tomato, Mozarella, Ham, Mushroom)

This was our second choice of main course and it was absolutely delicious! The base was light and fluffy and filled with a rich sauce. It was a very decent sized Calzone packed with a variety of good quality ingredients and Brett enjoyed every last mouthful of it.

Creme Brulee (Homemade French Custard, Caramelised Sugar Top, Homemade Biscuits)

One of my favourite desserts of all time and this version was delicious. It was light and fluffy with a perfectly crispy sugar topping. I really enjoyed this and as with everything we tried here, it tasted fresh and delicious.

Tiramisu (Savoiardi Biscuits, Coffee Liquor, Mascarpone Mousse)

Brett loves a classic Tiramisu and this one was exceptional. It was full of a rich coffee flavour that wasnt too overpowering. The sponge was light and the Mascarpone mousse was to die for.

After this we had to sit at the bar and enjoy the cocktail version of Tiramisu (Havana Special, Tia Maria, Vanilla, Cream) as well as a Lemon Cheesecake (Gin, Limoncello, Lemon, Vanilla, Lemon Curd) for me

Second stop of the day was the Opera House to see Joseph! This is one of my absolute favourites and over the years i have seen Jason Donovan, Darren Day, Philip Schofield and my all time number one Joseph- Joe Mcelderry! This time the honour went to Jac Yarrow and he did a fabulous job. The star of the show though was the narrator Alexandra Burke who absolutely smashed it singing and dancing her heart out despite being heavily pregnant! Pharoah was played by the one and only Jason Donovan, who also put on a good performance! The show has been modernised and the musical numbers were great. Brett really enjoyed his first experience of it!

We headed to the Stage Door in the hope of seeing Jason but sadly he didnt come out. Jac was lovely though and spent a lot of time with the kids taking pictures

We headed over to our favourite cocktail bar in Manchester- The Washhouse! This secret bar hidden behind the facade of a launderette is quite possibly one of the best cocktail bars there is. The cocktail menu is so inventive and the flavour combinations they put together with the unique theming is fantastic. This was our third visit here and we are not far off completing the whole menu now. There are some sweet options, some creamy options, some simple options and some off the scale crazy options. The cocktails i chose this time were probably the best ones that i have sampled here. The spirits and ingredients they use here are so different to any other bar. The staff are brilliant here, they know the menu inside out and fully explain each one as they serve it as well as recommending tailor made options perfect for you. Weekends are very busy and the two hour time limit is strict so if you want to try a few then it's a good idea to put your next order in when you are served your cocktail

I was given Flowers, Cake and Alcohol for my birthday

First up i started with Top Shelf Sour (El Gorbenador, Apricot, Ras El Hanout Syrup, Fig, Lemon, Pomegranate)

This was my favourite of the evening- i love Middle Eastern flavours and they shone through this cocktail. The Pomegranate Seeds, Figs and Turkish Delight on the side are meant to be enjoyed as you sip your drink to fully enhance all of the flavours. It was fruity, floral with a slight hint of spice. I absolutely loved it

Anime Was A Mistake (Mars Kasai, Sake, Yuzu, Cherry Blossom, Matcha, Citrus, Sesame Oil)

This was delicious- it had a hint of Parma Violet flavour running through it and was sweet and slightly tart as well- you could taste the Matcha and Sake. The cocktails are really well themed here and i loved the Japanese vibe of this one

Peace On Earth (Rum Punch, Pampelle Grapefruit, Coffee, Coconut Water, Pineapple, Passionfruit)

Brett loved this one- it initially tasted like a sweet fruit punch at first but had a bitter coffee aftertaste. It was really unusual and almost like two different cocktails in one.

Retrolicious (Mezcal, Mint Choc Chip Icecream, Cacao Blanc, Creme De Menthe, Butterscotch)

Now i love the retro minty classic Grasshopper cocktail and i love Mezcal, but i would never have dreamed of putting them together. Surprisingly the two complete opposite flavours work- it starts with a minty chocolatey milkshake with a smokey aftertaste. I would definitely order this again

Soft Brexfast (Coco Pop Vodka, Benedictine, Mozart Dark Chocolate Liquor)

A classic dessert cocktail for Brett combining two amazing things- alcohol and cereal! The bowl was Coco Pops and marshmallow with a bottle of alcoholic milk that you mix together! He loved how sweet and chocolatey this one was!

Strigoi (Calvados, Punt E Mes, Dill, Paprika)

Heading over to the crazy section of the menu, we sampled this inventive creation. This has a backstory involving vampires (hence the coffin and the goblet!). The lemon is wiped around the cup and the bright red cocktail poured in. This had a delicious spicy smokey herby flavour with a slight metallic aftertaste (so you can probably guess what it was supposed to represent!)

Full Brazilian (Velho Barriero Cachaca, Toti White Rum, Cinnamon, Black Lime, Brazil Nut, Passionfruit, Pineapple)

This was their version of a Pornstar Martini but made with Rum and i ordered this purely because it sounded creative to look at. However i was pleasantly surprised as it was more of a Pineapple flavour and only had a slight hint of the Passionfruit that i am not a fan of. The wax pot was absolutely delicious- it tasted like the Milky Bar yoghurts

Fortune Flavours The Bold (Don Julio Tequila, Rinquinquin, Peach, Sesame, Lychee, Ricemilk, Jasmine and Oolong Tea)

This was the Chinese inspired one and was like a sweet tea with a hint of Tequila flavour running through. Brett loved this one and as with the others was perfectly themed

Time was soon up and we had a few ideas for dinner but we were still stuffed from our mammoth lunch so we headed over to the Northern Quarter for a drink. Our bar of choice was Chakalaka where we always seem to visit in Manchester as it is South African themed. It is always full of South Africans so it must be genuine and authentic to the food and drink from back home (Brett can confirm this is the case).

We enjoyed a Pomegranate Mojito (Spiced Rum, Pomegranate, Lime, Soda, Mint) and Rooibos Martini (Amarula, Vanilla Vodka, Rooibos Tea) which are two of our go-to cocktails here.

Despite not being hungry, the minute Brett smells and sees South African food he has to have some so he ordered the traditional Lamb Bunny Chow (Slow cooked Lamb with Potato, Tomato, Onion and Spices)

I really couldnt stomach any more food but i am always drawn to a portion of Droewors here as it is always fresh and soft

We ordered another Pomegranate Mojito for me and Peaches and Cream (Amarula, Peach Schnapps, Egg White, Bitters) for Brett

We got the train home around 9.30 after clocking up nearly 11000 steps. A fantastic birthday day out

[princessnicki]

DAY TWO BIRTHDAY
Not technically a trip as we were in our home town but still celebrating my birthday so i thought i would include our Easter weekend.

We headed into our local area in search of Easter cocktails. This was a difficult task as we dont really have a huge bar scene here. However the latest bar to open in the town centre saved the day with not one but three specials.

Carousel is a cool fun bar combining cocktails, street food and arcade games! It is a really amazing place for friends and couples to hang out. Every game is one token (£1) and there is a good amount of choice including a driving game, a jet ski, basketball, air hockey, foosball, dance machine, mario kart. We had a lot of fun playing in the arcade (even though Brett beat me at everything )

So the Easter cocktails we sampled were

Creme Egg Mojito

Carousel Caramel

We also tried Salted Caramel Amaretto Sours (Amaretto, Lemon Juice, Salted Caramel, Egg Whites) and Take the Bait (Pink Gin, Orange Liqueur, Lemonade)

The cocktails are 2 for £10 and we were pleasantly surprised by the Easter ones in particular as they had plenty of alcohol in (which we weren't expecting considering the price)

We had a great time and plan to go back again to sample the food and some more cocktails.


With hungry bellies we set off on the short 10 minute walk over to our favourite local restaurant The Scullery Bar and Kitchen. The weather was absolutely beautiful, the air was humid and not a raincloud in sight. That meant we could have our first alfresco dining experience of 2022

We usually sit out all day enjoying drinks and food so we started with the latest additions to the cocktail menu- Strawberry Fizz and Pineapple Fizz, as well as the original Rhubarb Fizz. They are made from fruit gin, fruit syrup and Prosecco. These are a must for summer- light, fruity, refreshing and sweet, absolutely loved them all!

We got a few small plates to share first which consisted of Crispy Coated Warm Brie Wedge, Grilled Pear, Fig and White Balsamic Coulis

Two hearty pieces of runny rich cheese paired with sweet pear, we love this dish.

Duck Liver Parfait, Toasted Sourdough, Apple, Date and Tamarind Chutney
A classic done right, smooth, creamy and rich with perfectly toasted bread to smother the pate on

Scullery Ravioli, Goats Cheese, Sunblush Tomato, Walnut Butter
Our favourite starter on the menu, we have had this several times (they do change the filling seasonally), the best part is using the bread to mop up the hot butter

After chatting the afternoon away, we decided to order our main courses. With the gorgeous weather making an appearance, Helen (the head chef and owner) decided to do a special Caesar Salad (Lettuce, Parmesan, Grilled Chicken, Bacon, Anchovies, Garlic Roasted Croutons) which Brett ordered as he fancied a lighter option. It definitely was not a lighter option but it was absolutely delicious! The chicken was gorgeous and was a nice light fresh option to cut through the salty bacon and fish. They werent shy with the parmesan either so it had a lovely cheesy flavour too. Brett never orders salad and he would 100% order this again in summer

Market Fresh Cod, Bubble and Squeak Rosti, Prawn and Brandy Sauce

I also wanted a light dish and was craving a nice piece of fish, and that is exactly what i got! It was cooked perfectly, it was so juicy, not a single dry patch, it literally just fell to pieces as soon as i put my fork in! The sauce was very rich and decedent, probably one of the best they have made. The rosti reminded me of an onion bhaji, it was absolutely delicious!

It was the owner Steve's birthday so the girls made us some birthday milkshake shots to go with Bretts full size one (this was Salted Caramel with Frangelico)

Our other cocktails of choice included this amazing Espresso Martini.

We headed inside to sit at the bar when it got cooler later on and headed home as the restaurant closed. A lovely day out in our local town.

[princessnicki]

DAY THREE ANNIVERSARY
The first of our anniversary celebrations was an overnight stay in Leeds at our go-to hotel Radisson Blu. We headed straight over on the train after work and checked in- we requested room 552 as we love this room, its a huge corner room that is the price of a standard. I completely forgot to take pictures as we were in a rush!

We headed over to Below Stairs, which is an underground bar near to the hotel. The effort that this place puts into their cocktail menus is second to none and we always try catch the latest one if we are in town. This seasons menu comes with a book of 'Field Notes' that follow the story of Ms Cleophna Teece, a botanist and explorer, whose findings and experiences inspire each cocktail. Her story was told in 4 parts, starting in Summer 2021 and ending with the menu that we tried in Spring 2022. The menus used 10 core ingredients that took on their own story as the seasons changed.

OSTERIA (Gin Mare, Havana 3yr Old Rum, Clarified Cherry Tomato Juice, Pink Peppercorn, Grapefruit, Sherry, Orange Juice, Midori)

Brett chose this as it had so many different ingredients so he was curious as to how well they all worked together. It was a short drink so it was really bold in flavour and it tasted delicious- we could pick up most of the ingredients. The little savoury pate was a nice touch to represent the name of the cocktail (Osteria loosely means simple restaurant in Italy)

FLORENCE STRAWBERRY (Slane Irish Whisky, Aromatised Strawberry Beer, Campari)

Brett chose this as he was informed it was loosely based on a Negroni and he does enjoy these every now and again. This was on the stronger side but he really enjoyed it- it was bitter with a hint of strawberry sweetness running through

PINK PEACH TREE (Fords Gin, Peach Wine, Clare Valley Riesling, Pastis, Orange Flower Water, Malic Acid)

A surprising choice for Brett as he doesn’t drink wine but he wanted to try something different. This was based on Van Gogh’s famous painting of the fruit orchards in France so the flavours tried to mimic this with the fruity and floral ingredients. Brett really enjoyed this and was glad he chose it.

PATISSERIE (Seventails XO Brandy, Raspberry Jam Eau Du Vie, Bison Grass Vodka, Hazlenut Liqueur)

If you followed our London trip report, you will know how much we enjoyed Seven Tails Brandy when we sampled it in one of the bars, so we were really happy to see it finally popping up in Leeds! This cocktail was based on the famous French Patisseries where you can enjoy a glass of brandy with a homemade pastry while watching the world go by. This was really delicious- the brandy was strong and paired well with the other sweet flavours. The amoretti biscuit was a nice touch to enhance the hazelnut flavour in the cocktail

SODA FOUNTAIN (Cherry Eau Du Vie, Haymans Sloe Gin, Cherry Liqueur, Tonka Bean, Champagne Acid, Cream Soda)

This was my choice but I lost most of this drink to my husband and he is still talking about this cocktail now- I think he would happily walk over to Leeds to try it again. It was really sweet from the vanilla and cream soda with lots of bold Cherry flavours pouring through. If you love the idea of a Cherry Bakewell mixed with Cream Soda you will love this epic creation!

APPLE BLOSSOM (Apple Eau Du Vie, Bisongrass Vodka, Wildflower Honey, Jasmine Soda, Granny Smith Apple, Raw Cider Vinegar)

I love anything with Apple so had to try this as it had so many Apple components, it was really refreshing and easy to drink. It had a very slight bitter aftertaste to it (which I presume was from the Cider Vinegar) but I thought this worked really well as biting into a fresh apple can have the same flavour.

BRAMBLE & DALE (Fords Gin, Bramble Leaf Liqueur, Dry Vermouth, Benedictine, Citric Acid, Dandelion and Burdock Bitters, Soda Water)

The lovely lady behind the bar picked this for me as my final drink as I wanted something light and easy to drink but different- this ticked every box! I believe this was a quirky take on a traditional Bramble, fruity but had a slightly more herbal flavour. It isn’t often Soda water is used in a cocktail but I like it as it is so plain it allows all of the other flavours to shine through.

HOME COMING (Bobbys Gin, Bols Genever, Forced Rhubarb Cordial, Ginger Beer, Northern Monk Pale Ale)

This was my favourite cocktail of the evening- not only is the theming spot on as it looks just like a pint of beer but it tasted absolutely delicious. There were so many flavours going on, sweet and tart, with a hint of heat from the ginger and a subtle taste of beer. The icing on the cake was the pot of crisps, the absolute perfect snack to nibble on with a beer!

It was soon time for our evening meal and we booked an Uber over to Chapel Allerton to House Of Koko. This is an indie Leeds food scene favourite but tonight they were being taken over by two pop-ups Schnit Faced and Leng Libation making the food and cocktails. The supper club was a fish themed tasting menu with a few pairing cocktails to compliment the dishes. As you can imagine we were very excited about this as it is usually wine pairings that is on offer with tasting menus (and we love seafood!)

Well all i can say is the menu completely surpassed our expectations. We really struggled to pick a favourite course as the food was incredible, everything was fresh, the flavours were bold, the fish was such high quality. We loved the twist of making classic cocktails and replacing the key spirit with Gin, everything worked perfectly and the balance and choice of flavours was spot on- and this is coming from people who are not big lovers of Gin!

Oyster paired with Red Snapper

This was a Bloody Mary but replacing the Vodka with Gin. This was hands down the best Bloody Mary we have ever had, so smooth and easy to drink, so fragrant in flavour. It was packed with herbs and spices, you could taste garlic, you could smell oregano as you drank, it was literally like alcoholic pasta sauce in a glass. We love a spicy drink and this had the nicest spicy after taste.

The oyster was also pure indulgence, silky smooth and seasoned beautifully, the chive added such a good flavour to it

Tiger Milk Ceviche paired with Gimlet

The fish of choice here was Seabass, which we have never tried cold before but it totally worked. The sauce was really fragrant and enhanced the flavour of the soft flakey fish.

The cocktail was amazing- refreshing, fruity easy to drink with a hint of heat running through. The Gin had been mixed with a Fennel, pollen, lemon and ginger cordial that had been frozen in the freezer for days to let it infuse.

Bouillabaisse

I am going to call it- this one was my favourite course of the night! In basic terms this is a fish stew but done right it is an incredible dish! This version was extra fishy, it was absolutely packed with pieces of fresh fish including clams. There were so many flavours going on- the sauce was absolutely divine, it was so spicy which we love, we could have drunk the bowl to get every last drop out (we might have done this!). The samphire topping was the perfect hit of saltiness to cut through the fish and the heat.

Crab and Crumpets paired with Gin Sour

We love a good crumpet and this one was toasted to perfection and coated in butter that melted and soaked through. The crab meat was fresh and only slightly seasoned so you could really appreciate the flavour of the fish. We loved the samphire topping as well- this is the perfect greenery to pair with any fish dish! Another amazing course.

The pairing cocktail was basically a gin based take on an Amaretto Sour (one of Bretts favourite cocktails). This was gorgeous- sour, tart, fresh, fruity and smooth. One thing we have to mention is that we were expecting sample size cocktails to pair with the dishes but we actually received full sized ones which made the whole experience even more great value.

Lobster Roll and Truffle Fries paired with a Corpse Reviver Spritz

As a huge fan of all things Boston, Lobster Rolls are one of my favourite food inventions ever! Pair it with Truffle Fries and i am in pure foodie heaven! This was an amazing course- the lobster was fresh, plentiful and properly seasoned, packed into a decedent buttery brioche roll. The homemade Fries were so rich and coated in so much delicious truffle flavours. Brett is declaring this course his favourite of the evening!

Of course you cant enjoy Lobster without something fizzy. The cocktail was indulgent, tart and fruity and an excellent choice to compliment the lobster and fries.

This was hands down one of the best food and cocktail experiences that we have had the honour of trying. Every course was faultless, the flavours were well thought out, the cocktails were amazing. We will definitely keep an eye out for their next event!

The evening lasted 3 hours and everything was served at a slow pace, which was a good idea seeing as though you had 4 cocktails to work through. We got an Uber back to the hotel around 10.30 and soon fell asleep.

[ClaireNJ]

Originally Posted by princessnicki

So for the first time since 2019, my birthday and our wedding anniversary wasnt spent under lockdown or restrictions. This is actually our first ever wedding anniversary in the post Covid world! With Bretts 40th on the horizon we just had a few little days out over the course of April and May to celebrate both occasions so i thought it would be fun to document them!

Unsurprisingly this is more of a food report than a proper trip report but hopefully we still took some good pics!
Apologies if you follow us on Instagram as this will all appear on there at some point!

DAY ONE- BIRTHDAY
We headed over to Manchester to celebrate my birthday. It was a beautiful if not very cold sunny day and we didnt get any rain thankfully! We got the train over which on the new route only takes 30 minutes direct from where we live!

My food of choice was the brand new bottomless brunch at the Italian restaurant Cibo. For £60 you get three courses and unlimited drinks from a choice of Prosecco, Mimosa and two cocktails for 90 minutes. The menu has 3 options for each course and include premium dishes such as Scallops and Salmon. The food we sampled was all delicious and very filling- the starters and desserts are on the lighter side and the main course portions are huge so it is the perfect combination. We wouldnt hesitate to enjoy this experience again

The staff here are fantastic but we were mainly looked after by Cynthia who was absolutely amazing. She was constantly checking if we needed more drinks and when our time was due to end she made sure we had another round if we wanted. I think 4 drinks is a fair amount when having bottomless brunch but we were given 6 as the staff were always watching for empty glasses.

I am posting this out of order but i have to start with the star of the show- the Penne Reggiano! This is penne pasta cooked table side in a large Parmesan wheel topped in Cream, Sage, Truffle Oil and Panchetta. The pasta is Flambeed with Cognac in front of you. I am not lying when i say this is heaven on a plate, it is quite possibly the richest dish we have ever tried but so worth it. It is coated in so much melted cheese and is really strong in truffle flavour. I definitely recommend adding the Panchetta topping as the salty meat cuts through the richness. I was gutted i barely made a dent in it but Brett happily finished it off

Capesante Gratinate (Seared King Scallops, Grated Parmigano)

Back to the starters and Scallops is one of my favourite, this was no exception as they were cooked perfectly. I have never tried them with cheese and a tomato based sauce but the combination worked really well. I am glad i picked a light option knowing that the main courses were going to be large!

Polpette (Beef Meatballs in Medium Spice Tomato Sauce, Toasted Bread)

Brett loves meatballs and this was a really nice version of the dish- the bread is a great idea to mop up the delicious sauce

Calzone (Folded Pizza filled with Chicken, Salami, Tomato, Mozarella, Ham, Mushroom)

This was our second choice of main course and it was absolutely delicious! The base was light and fluffy and filled with a rich sauce. It was a very decent sized Calzone packed with a variety of good quality ingredients and Brett enjoyed every last mouthful of it.

Creme Brulee (Homemade French Custard, Caramelised Sugar Top, Homemade Biscuits)

One of my favourite desserts of all time and this version was delicious. It was light and fluffy with a perfectly crispy sugar topping. I really enjoyed this and as with everything we tried here, it tasted fresh and delicious.

Tiramisu (Savoiardi Biscuits, Coffee Liquor, Mascarpone Mousse)

Brett loves a classic Tiramisu and this one was exceptional. It was full of a rich coffee flavour that wasnt too overpowering. The sponge was light and the Mascarpone mousse was to die for.

After this we had to sit at the bar and enjoy the cocktail version of Tiramisu (Havana Special, Tia Maria, Vanilla, Cream) as well as a Lemon Cheesecake (Gin, Limoncello, Lemon, Vanilla, Lemon Curd) for me

Second stop of the day was the Opera House to see Joseph! This is one of my absolute favourites and over the years i have seen Jason Donovan, Darren Day, Philip Schofield and my all time number one Joseph- Joe Mcelderry! This time the honour went to Jac Yarrow and he did a fabulous job. The star of the show though was the narrator Alexandra Burke who absolutely smashed it singing and dancing her heart out despite being heavily pregnant! Pharoah was played by the one and only Jason Donovan, who also put on a good performance! The show has been modernised and the musical numbers were great. Brett really enjoyed his first experience of it!

We headed to the Stage Door in the hope of seeing Jason but sadly he didnt come out. Jac was lovely though and spent a lot of time with the kids taking pictures

We headed over to our favourite cocktail bar in Manchester- The Washhouse! This secret bar hidden behind the facade of a launderette is quite possibly one of the best cocktail bars there is. The cocktail menu is so inventive and the flavour combinations they put together with the unique theming is fantastic. This was our third visit here and we are not far off completing the whole menu now. There are some sweet options, some creamy options, some simple options and some off the scale crazy options. The cocktails i chose this time were probably the best ones that i have sampled here. The spirits and ingredients they use here are so different to any other bar. The staff are brilliant here, they know the menu inside out and fully explain each one as they serve it as well as recommending tailor made options perfect for you. Weekends are very busy and the two hour time limit is strict so if you want to try a few then it's a good idea to put your next order in when you are served your cocktail

I was given Flowers, Cake and Alcohol for my birthday

First up i started with Top Shelf Sour (El Gorbenador, Apricot, Ras El Hanout Syrup, Fig, Lemon, Pomegranate)

This was my favourite of the evening- i love Middle Eastern flavours and they shone through this cocktail. The Pomegranate Seeds, Figs and Turkish Delight on the side are meant to be enjoyed as you sip your drink to fully enhance all of the flavours. It was fruity, floral with a slight hint of spice. I absolutely loved it

Anime Was A Mistake (Mars Kasai, Sake, Yuzu, Cherry Blossom, Matcha, Citrus, Sesame Oil)

This was delicious- it had a hint of Parma Violet flavour running through it and was sweet and slightly tart as well- you could taste the Matcha and Sake. The cocktails are really well themed here and i loved the Japanese vibe of this one

Peace On Earth (Rum Punch, Pampelle Grapefruit, Coffee, Coconut Water, Pineapple, Passionfruit)

Brett loved this one- it initially tasted like a sweet fruit punch at first but had a bitter coffee aftertaste. It was really unusual and almost like two different cocktails in one.

Retrolicious (Mezcal, Mint Choc Chip Icecream, Cacao Blanc, Creme De Menthe, Butterscotch)

Now i love the retro minty classic Grasshopper cocktail and i love Mezcal, but i would never have dreamed of putting them together. Surprisingly the two complete opposite flavours work- it starts with a minty chocolatey milkshake with a smokey aftertaste. I would definitely order this again

Soft Brexfast (Coco Pop Vodka, Benedictine, Mozart Dark Chocolate Liquor)

A classic dessert cocktail for Brett combining two amazing things- alcohol and cereal! The bowl was Coco Pops and marshmallow with a bottle of alcoholic milk that you mix together! He loved how sweet and chocolatey this one was!

Strigoi (Calvados, Punt E Mes, Dill, Paprika)

Heading over to the crazy section of the menu, we sampled this inventive creation. This has a backstory involving vampires (hence the coffin and the goblet!). The lemon is wiped around the cup and the bright red cocktail poured in. This had a delicious spicy smokey herby flavour with a slight metallic aftertaste (so you can probably guess what it was supposed to represent!)

Full Brazilian (Velho Barriero Cachaca, Toti White Rum, Cinnamon, Black Lime, Brazil Nut, Passionfruit, Pineapple)

This was their version of a Pornstar Martini but made with Rum and i ordered this purely because it sounded creative to look at. However i was pleasantly surprised as it was more of a Pineapple flavour and only had a slight hint of the Passionfruit that i am not a fan of. The wax pot was absolutely delicious- it tasted like the Milky Bar yoghurts

Fortune Flavours The Bold (Don Julio Tequila, Rinquinquin, Peach, Sesame, Lychee, Ricemilk, Jasmine and Oolong Tea)

This was the Chinese inspired one and was like a sweet tea with a hint of Tequila flavour running through. Brett loved this one and as with the others was perfectly themed

Time was soon up and we had a few ideas for dinner but we were still stuffed from our mammoth lunch so we headed over to the Northern Quarter for a drink. Our bar of choice was Chakalaka where we always seem to visit in Manchester as it is South African themed. It is always full of South Africans so it must be genuine and authentic to the food and drink from back home (Brett can confirm this is the case).

We enjoyed a Pomegranate Mojito (Spiced Rum, Pomegranate, Lime, Soda, Mint) and Rooibos Martini (Amarula, Vanilla Vodka, Rooibos Tea) which are two of our go-to cocktails here.

Despite not being hungry, the minute Brett smells and sees South African food he has to have some so he ordered the traditional Lamb Bunny Chow (Slow cooked Lamb with Potato, Tomato, Onion and Spices)

I really couldnt stomach any more food but i am always drawn to a portion of Droewors here as it is always fresh and soft

We ordered another Pomegranate Mojito for me and Peaches and Cream (Amarula, Peach Schnapps, Egg White, Bitters) for Brett

We got the train home around 9.30 after clocking up nearly 11000 steps. A fantastic birthday day out

See more...

WOW was all this on day one 😳😳
Those meatballs looked lovely
And that Tiramisù well, looked the size of a house 🙊😋😋
A cocktail Tiramisù too
Hope you had an amazing Birthday & Anniversary 🎊🎉🎂🍾🥂
I love Joseph ❤️

[Jedi Princess]

Happy belated Birthday/Anniversary wishes.

Great report, the food and cocktails look and sound amazing. I love a nice Calzone, I especially love a nice cocktail😃🥂

[princessnicki]

Originally Posted by Jedi Princess

Happy belated Birthday/Anniversary wishes.

Great report, the food and cocktails look and sound amazing. I love a nice Calzone, I especially love a nice cocktail😃🥂

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thank you very much we have had some fantastic cocktails these past few weeks, still got 3 days left to post

[princessnicki]

Originally Posted by ClaireNJ

WOW was all this on day one 😳😳
Those meatballs looked lovely
And that Tiramisù well, looked the size of a house 🙊😋😋
A cocktail Tiramisù too
Hope you had an amazing Birthday & Anniversary 🎊🎉🎂🍾🥂
I love Joseph ❤️

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thank you so much- the cake was so good and very big! no there is three days worth of posts here, still got three more days to do

[Sparksy72]

Nicki, I just don’t know where to start! You curated the most amazing Birthday and Anniversary celebrations. 🥂🍾🍸💜 I want to try all those cocktails but I would probably fall over! I’m so looking forward to the Scullery kitchen- that chicken Caesar salad is everything. 😋💖 xx

[princessnicki]

Originally Posted by Sparksy72

Nicki, I just don’t know where to start! You curated the most amazing Birthday and Anniversary celebrations. 🥂🍾🍸💜 I want to try all those cocktails but I would probably fall over! I’m so looking forward to the Scullery kitchen- that chicken Caesar salad is everything. 😋💖 xx

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Thank you so much, we have had some great cocktails and food, our final celebration is next weekend in Manchester and i cant wait! Brett still raves about the Caesar Salad, there has never been a single disappointing dish here so im sure you two will love it 💖

[WIGGYSMUM]

Oh wow Nicki what amazing birthday & anniversary celebrations you had !
My head is spinning with all those cocktails , I’d probably only manage 3 at best before collapsing
Delicious food too 😋 and a show , perfect 😍