Kahlúa Brunch Club - The Loft, Manchester

Hey,

Something fun in Manchester city centre today - Brunch!

Last Sunday I headed down to new venue space, The Loft for the Kahlúa Brunch Club* - a boozy breakfast club with added interactivity in a cool industrial setting.

The top floor of 13 Quay Street (just on the edge of Spinningfields/off Deansgate) has been taken over by drinks group Pernod Ricard and transformed into a big communal bar space for hosting pop-up events focused around their portfolio of spirit brands which include Havana Club rum, Absolut vodka and Beefeater gin.

I was super excited to hear about the Kahlúa Brunch Club as I'm already a huge fan of the liqueur - a White Russian is my favourite cocktail!

Promising a delicious two-course brunch along with two Kahlúa-based cocktails to accompany the food, I was ready to get my brunch on!

The Loft is a brilliant space, created with plenty of exposed brick, reclaimed wood and heaps of industrial cool.

So much detail had been put into bringing the Mexican flavour of the Kahlúa brand into the space; with bright bunting, scattered coffee beans, cactus decorations and yellow flowers.

The team had also made a really cool lounge area to relax in before the brunch fun - with comfy seats, a dart board and foosball table. We were also encouraged to hang out in the space after the event if we wanted to, where the bar was also opened to continue the fun!

Before our first course, we were each given the tools and ingredients needed to make our own espresso martinis, with easy to follow instruction from the event team.

Having worked in various bars and in particular a cocktail bar, I have to admit that I don't usually like cocktail making exercises! I enjoy making cocktails at home and for friends but if I'm going out, I tend to like my drinks making for me nowadays! Though I do get that for some people, it is a nice novelty.

Fortunately the cocktail making here wasn't particularly labour-intensive! We were given a mini shaker containing the espresso, Kahlúa and vodka, already measured out. All that was needed was the addition of ice, a vigorous shake and a garnish with coffee beans.

The set two-course food menu on offer is together by local caterers Grape & Grain.

First up was 'The Eggcellent Kahlúa Stack' - a twist on an Eggs Benedict, with smashed avocado on an English muffin topped with a poached egg and Kahlúa and maple infused ham. This was delicious and the extra hollandaise sauce housed in an empty egg shell was a fun touch!

Next on the menu, 'Kahlúa Rainbow Cakes' - a colourful stack of pancakes topped with Kahlúa infused warm chocolate sauce. We were given a selection of toppings to accompany these and not being able to choose just one, I added mini marshmallows, chocolate buttons and fresh strawberries - yum!

To finish, a final round of cocktails were distributed - the 'Chockahlúa Orange' was created by Australasia bartender, Chris Bains. I really enjoyed this one - a delectable concoction of Kahlúa, Olmeca Tequila, Crème de Cacao, Orange and Chocolate Powder.

Brunch Club Tee - Joanie Clothing

Floral Midi Skirt - Nasty Gal

At just £20 a ticket, the Kahlúa Brunch Club is amazing value - especially considering that the cocktails are £7 each at the bar, so essentially for just £6, you're getting a delicious two-course brunch too!

With dates running all through May, including the Bank Holidays, I'd thoroughly recommend a visit - you can grab your tickets here. Don't miss out before it leaves town!

A Manchester Brunch at Evelyn's with Little Mistress

Hey,

So firstly - wow, I've been gone a long time. There's no particular reason for this other than simply just having come out the other side of an incredibly busy time. I've just moved into a new flat and started a new job too! It's been stressful at times but now I'm through it, I'm incredibly happy and content with things.

This post flashes back to a few weeks ago, when I spent a wonderful morning with clothing brand, Little Mistress who took us out for an incredible brunch at the superb Evelyn's Cafe and then onto their new concession at Debenhams in Manchester city centre.

I was actually yet to try Evelyn's but it wasn't exactly a hard sell; it was set-up by the folks behind Mughli -  my all time, hands down favourite Indian restaurant in Manchester, so I pretty much knew it'd be great!

It was so hard to choose something from their small but perfectly formed menu (everything sounds incredible) but I eventually settled on the buttermilk pancakes with blueberries and honeycomb butter and was not disappointed - they were definitely among some of the best pancakes I've ever had.

The décor in Evelyn's is just as impressive as the food. It's simple but oh so artisan. There's fresh flowers and plants everywhere and hints of copper hardware in the tableware and lighting.

After a great chat with some familiar and new bloggers, as well as the girls representing Little Mistress, we headed to the Debenhams concession for a first-hand look at the new collections, including a high-profile range in collaboration with Chloe Lewis of TOWIE fame.

Little Mistress carries a few different lines under their brand. The new Chloe Lewis collaboration is girly with a a bit of a vintage twist. There's lots of pretty pastels and soft floral prints - it's glam but can be worn every day. 

Then there's the Paper Dolls collection which is more based around occasion dresses and formal styles. If you're looking for a great dress for the races or a wedding, or even as a bridesmaid, they've got some gorgeous yet affordable styles.

Finally there's Girls on Film - which is my favourite range. Still in keeping with Little Mistress' glamorous look, the GoF collection is more casual with a bit of an edge. There's lots of great co-ords and plenty of pieces with bold, unique prints and detail like fringing - perfect for festivals!

Above, I'm wearing the Chloe Lewis White Hippy Top with a lace up front, which I wore to the brunch. I don't often wear white (such a queen of darkness) so this is a nice change for me, especially for summer - I've actually been wearing this loads!

I also took home the Girls on Film Light Grey Tassel Jacket from one of the photos above. It's made from a super soft faux suede and makes for a perfect semi-light cover-up with this unpredictable weather we're having. Hopefully I'll get a post up soon with it styled up!

Have you spotted anything you like from the collections?