Bill's New Menu Launch | Manchester, UK

Food and cocktails are great at Bill's!  The new food and cocktail menu looks great and from what I sampled, tastes superb too.

On entering, we were welcomed with a Hedgerow Fizz, which is Prosecco with a raspberry dropped in for added flavour.  We were then shown to the back area leading to the backyard, which was our area for the evening.  This was an event perfect for a big crowd of Yelpers to enjoy and sample three of the cocktails on offer and the food.

Bill's is situated on John Dalton Street, just by the likes of Panacea and Byron Burger, and from the exterior, looks like it would fit perfectly in a botanical gardens environment.  Inside is light, colourful and beautifully decorated with a simplistic and natural wood design.

Once settled, we were served samples of the food in the form of canapés.  First was watermelon and sesame-crusted feta.  Delicious!  This offers a great fruity combinationw with the warm coated feta.  Other canapés offered were crab and falafel sweet chilli doughnuts, which only had subtle taste of crab, but nonetheless, very tasty!  Also, the tomato bruschetta were very flavourful complemented by mint pesto.  One canapé to highlight is the chicken liver parfait because, despite being so tasty, seems to be quite rare in Manchester.  The chicken liver was complemented by sweet chutney, which added to the flavour.  The final sample of food on offer was the crispy calamari, and it smelt and tasted delicious.  If you are not a fan of seafood, then maybe this is not for you, but if you are, then you are in for a treat!  I will definitely be back for more.  The servers were very knowledgeable in the food they were presenting, and it was a pleasure to listen to the passion they had for the food and the menu.  It is truly a commendable service.

Afterwards, we were delighted with a classic Victoria Sponge, and regular and mini scones.  Amazing.  The Victoria Sponge was very creamy and very tasty.  Big thumbs up!

The cocktails menu seems to follow the country club summer style, which is genuinely welcomed.  We sampled a gin and elderflower cocktail named Bill's Country Garden with lime, apple and cucumber.  The other cocktail was a Bramble Mojito, which was a rum and blackberry cocktail.  These cocktails had a very nice floral and fruity summery taste, and would be perfect on a beautiful sunny day (or as we are in Manchester, a nice restaurant on a rainy day.)  PS, it was not raining on this particular day, which made evening more fitting.

Bill's event was a fun-filled evening with great food, drinks, company and regular Yelp shenanigans.

[Find this review and more on http://mcrphil.yelp.co.uk]

Yelp goes to India - World Food Tour XL

I am a big fan of the food from Zouk.  The curries are so creamy and full of flavour, no matter which one you choose, and Zouk was the perfect venue to kick off Yelp's World Food Tour.

Zouk are great hosts and really go that extra mile to make their guests feel welcome.  The service is impeccable and all servers are completely knowledgeable when it comes to the food that they are serving.

When we arrived, all Yelpers gathered on the terrace, welcomed with canapés and cocktails.  The canapés included a very tasty chicken pate tikka bruschetta and falafel with a signature hummus.  the bruschetta was so nice, I had two!  As for the cocktails, I also managed to acquire two different ones for tasting.  The first was primarily gin and cucumber, which was a refreshing taste.  The other cocktail was a standard passion fruit mojito.  The mojito was my favourite as the smoother and fruitier taste was more satisfying.

When seated, we were presented with the usual poppadoms, chutney, etc., to nibble before the starter platter arrived.  The starter platter was incredible!  Such a variety to share and extremely delicious.  It contained veggie samosas, Nepalese chicken, chickpeas, and Sheikh kebabs.  All very tasty and all very filling; it was almost a shock to realise the main courses would be coming after this.

Now for the main, we were given pilau rice, and three beautiful curries.  At first, I thought my favourite would have been the buttercream chicken curry, which was the mildest.  I prefer spicy food, but I am also a fan of the buttercream, but this dish was quite sweet.  Another curry was another chicken curry with a dark creamy sauce; this was certainly spicier!  However, my favourite was the lamb curry.  Lamb meat, off the bone, which must have been cooked in the curry and the lamb just fell away and the sauce itself was very meaty and tasty, much like a stew.  Yummy!

The evening offered the usual fun and laughs amongst the Manchester Yelp Community, and it is always a pleasure getting to know new people participating in these events.  Not to mention the regular Yelp photo competition to win some alcohol.  Congratulations to the winners.  Well-deserved!

Thanks Matt for organising and Zouk for hosting a wonderful evening.

[Find this review and more on http://mcrphil.yelp.co.uk]

Tequila Trail with Yelp Manchester & The Liquorists | Elite Event

This Yelp event was hosted by The Liquorists as they took us Yelpers on their Tequila Trail.  Fabulous!

A little about them:  The Liquorists founded in 2010 by Tom and now he is accompanied by Tyler.  They host an array of Trails, such as the Tequila Trail, which is what we participated in on the night, Didsbury Trail, cruises with gin, cruises with vodka, and many more.  Check out their website theliquorists.com for full details and prices range from £30-£50 per person, depending on event and day of the week (Weds-Sat), and £55 for the boat cruises.

On this particular trail, the guys work with brands & Manchester bars, specifically in the Northern Quarter, and the trails starts in Luck Lust Liquor & Burn.  It seems The Liquorists have a habit of taking people to bars they have not been before, and with each bar comes a different tequila.

In LLLB the tequila was Don Julio Blanco, and I learned that tequila can be given the same appreciation and drank like whiskey, especially the better quality tequila.  It is not only for shots at the end of the night after binging on every other alcoholic beverage there is out there.

The guys from The Liquorists are scholars of knowledge when it comes to tequila and the production and history.  It was blissfully educational, and another fun fact is Mescal is not always tequila but tequila is always Mescal.  Mescal is what one gets when a drink is distilled from agave.

To accompany the introduction and kick start the evening, fantastic food was provided by LLLB, and during the evening, in each bar, and with each tequila, a cocktail was provided.  Grouped with Don Julio Blanco in LLLB was Tommy's Magherita San Francisco;  this takes away the orange syrupy liquor and replaces it with fresh agave nectar,  and rested trails, topped with the freshest lines.  Provides a refreshing taste.  Top stuff!

So that we didn't get too settled in LLLB, it was then time to move on to Little Tokyo.  All bars on trail are a stones throw away from each other.  Here we were presented with Olmeca Los Altos Reposado tequila, which has a subtle oakyness to it.

Moving on, followed a Julio Don Reposado in Dusk til Fawn.  This tequila resembled more a whiskey with a subtle taste of vanilla.  I liked it!  This flavour comes from the tannins and vanilla in whiskey barrel.  Smooth!

We were treated to aged tequila in the Pen & Pencil with a Blueberry cocktail called Shades of Disco.  Here I learned that egg white can often be added to cocktails, and even though it has no flavour, it gives the cocktail a little body.

After lots of drinking, laughing and fun, the evening came to an end at El Capo with the final tequila and cocktail.  The tequila was an okay and rich Don Julio Anejo, top of the league in tequilas, and the cocktail was All the Fun of the Fair with a twist.  The rum in the cocktail was replaced with the tequila.  It was a fascinated cocktail as it was topped with butterscotch foam and popcorn.  Surprisingly very nice! 

A fantastic evening with the Yelp Elite, and a big thank you to The Liquorists for their knowledgable and fun hosting.  I would wholeheartedly recommend a night with them as I believe you will have a great night on one of their trails or cruises.

Once again, a tremendous Yelp Event organised by Matt, Manchester's Yelp Community Manager.  Kudos to you!  

Discovering New Things at Manchester Fort Shopping Park | Manchester, UK

I have visited Manchester Fort regularly over the years, but I have been far more impressed during my latest visits over the past weeks, which is due to the discovery that the Shopping Park now has a Nike Outlet Store and a H&M.  Since when?  Fantastic!

Although the H&M was smaller to what one would find in Manchester City Centre, it still has a good range of stock and very well organised, full of stylish shoppers.

If you shop at H&M, then you know what to expect and you will not be disappointed.  Definitely worth a visit when here.

The Nike Outlet is, once again, smaller to what one would find in other Outlet Malls.  Maybe!  However, the range of stock, sale items, and discounts are very impressive.  Personally I am seeking some new trainers for the gym, and found a great selection at bargain prices.  The staff in the store are welcoming, friendly, and knowledgeable.  They certainly have that US Customer Service mindset, which I welcome wholeheartedly.  I can see myself becoming a regular here, especially when the Summer of Fitness is upon us.

I found a great selection at this store and the prices were amazing, and sale items seem to be constantly changing so if you hesitate with buying, then be warned, but also you will find something new the following week.

The Shopping Park also boasts a TK Maxx, which I am a big fan of, and I have often found that they have a good range of stock, and I have purchased some excellent items here from clothes to home decorations.  The store seems to have had a recent refurbishment to extend the first floor space, which opens out the whole store.

As well as, fashion and clothing, one can find a variety of stores at this Shopping Park, and not just clothing and outlets.  Manchester Fort has: Halfords Store, for all car, cycle, and motorcycle accessories; B&Q, for all home and garden DIY needs; a technologically modernised Argos, full of tablet-ordering-system and a varied system that the normal Argos shopping experience.

Other stores include: Clarks, Mamas&Papas, Boots, Superdrug, M&S Food, Card Factory, Game, Maplin, Sports Direct, Specsavers, Thomas Cook, Shoe Zone, Mothercare, Thomson Holidays, Trespass, and Pound World (you can never go wrong when you have a pound shop to hand. Big fan!)

For food, one can visit one of Manchester's many Nando's and KFC establishments here.  I love Nando's but I haven't yet visited the one here in the Shopping Park.  I think I should, don't you?

You can find this review and others on mcrphil.yelp.co.uk

Yelp Event: Escape The City @ Reserve Wines | Manchester, UK

A great evening of cheese and wine (although I wasn't fond of the broccoli smelling cheese :/).

Reserve Wines can be found on Burton Road in West Didsbury and offers a magnificent array of wines. Shelves full from floor to ceiling with wines (red & white) from around the globe, and the store offers an intimate showroom to customers.

After the initial meet and greet with Prosecco, which I was uncharacteristically late for, we got settled down for the tasting. It was a select group of Yelpers on this event due to the size of the venue. The shop is so cosy, we only had boxes of wine to sit on around the counter as Nick, the manager, presents the wines. One of the first things he said, that a wine tastin may not be agood idea if you have a cold, as the tasting comes mostly from the smell. This must be the reason why my taste perception was the opposite of everyone else's,

Nick presented a lot of information about the various wines and fully engaged with the Yelpers coaxing our opinions and responses, although everyone was a little subdued to begin with, but after the fifth wine, we were doing ok.

With each wine came full information about the type, origin, production, and the group was fully educated. In between the wines, we were presented with a sample of cheeses from goats cheese, cheddar and to a horrible broccoli smelling one. I wouldn't  recommend this one.

To the wines! We were offered the following:

Lopez de Haro Rioja Blanco 2014 (Rioja, Spain)

A complex taste of ripe fruits, and I thought it was a bit rich and smooth, but had a strong distinct smell, which was offputting,

Bodega Atamisque Serbal Viognier 2014 (Mendoza, Argentina)

This one offers more acidity and full of zesty fruits. 

Chateau Pinerale Cahos 2012 (Cahors, France)

This was my favourite from the evening. Red. Smooth. Woody. Full of dark fruits (berries, plum, and spices). You really get an impact from the tannins.

Espirito do Coa, Mencia (jaen) 2012 (Beira Interior, Portugal)

Quite bitter, full of dark fruits.

Le Riche 'Richesse' 2013 (Stellenbosch, South Africa)

Full of fruity flavour from the dark fruits, and subtle smokiness.

Overall, an enjoyable evening, and it is great to be educated so enthusiastically and informatively, and if I was hunting for a good wine, then I would stop by here.

Credit to Nick and his staff for hosting a great evening, and also to Matt, for once again organising a superb evening, but no more broccoli smelling cheeses please!

Yelp at BistroVin | Manchester, UK

Another great evening with the Manchester Yelp Community; this time at hidden gem BistroVin, situated on busy Deansgate opposite the likes of La Tasca, Prezzo, and Las Iguanas.

Walking past, one would think it was just a normal store specialising in wine, and spirits. However, once one is inside and takes a stroll upstairs, one is greeted by a lofty atmospheric dark woodened decor and furniture, which seems quite cosy for an establishment situated on Deansgate. With (more or less) floor to ceiling windows looking out over the street. The upstairs divided into two sections, with one side hosting a full cabinet full of splendid spirits, and a counter full of cheese.

After the normal meet and greet (with Champagne or Prosecco), and catchup between the Yelpers (from veterans, elite, and newbies), and then a brief intro from Lewis (joint Manager) we were ready to begin. BistroVin had set up three stalls, splitting the group up into the same number, the present a selection of their stock. This was a variety of red an white wines split between two tables, and a gin, a whiskey, and a rum set up at the third table.

My group started off with a selection of three good wines: French white wine Touraine Sauvignon; Chilean white wine Secret de Viu Manent; and French red wine Lauran Cabaret Minervois. With a quick demonstration on how to fully enjoy a wine tasting, we went through and tasted each wine. The sauvignon was quite fruity, full of flavour, and seemed to be a favourite amongst the group. The Chilean white was described as having a muddy texture, but I proposed it was more an earthly taste and quite sharp, but this was a bit hit-and-miss amongst the group, However, the red was a big hit with everyone: this had an old woody texture, very flavourful.

Moving on to the spirits presented my Jonathan, we had: Pinkster (gin), The Ben Riach aged 10 years (whiskey), and The Duppy Share (rum). Don't let the name or colour deceive you with the gin. The pinkness comes from raspberry, and it had a nice sharp taste to it, and one can quite easily drink this without a mixer. I know some gin fans, who I would recommend this to. One for the list! Apparently retails around £40. The rum was Caribbean and was quite sweet and had a warm taste, which is made from sugar canes. Finally, the whiskey! The smell was beautiful! Such a powerful aroma, and tasted great! Again, it had a very smooth taste and can easily be drunk without a mixer, which is what I would recommend.

The final table presented by manager Lewis had three more wines (one white, and two red). The first was white wine Saint Clair from New Zealand, which has quite an oceanic taste to it, and I would recommend this for a perfect evening on a beach front when all you have to do is relax. The second wine was red Bourgogne, which was quite nice, but my favourite wine from the evening was red wine Vibo Punta del Vienta; a flavourful fruity wine, with a bit of a savoury pinch to it.

After all the tastings, the Yelpers were able to mingle once again and going back and trying their favourites as the evening came to an end.

A super evening, and a fantastic establishment, and I look forward to returning, especially to attend one of their whiskey tastings. check out their Facebook page to see what tastings they have on offer, occurring every Thursday.