Dinner, a party and cocktails in Manchester...

I was excited to be invited to the Manchester fashion Industry Gothic Romance party which was held at San Carlo Fumo restaurant recently, followed by an after party at the Milton Club. We arrived in Manchester early and we were wandering through Spinningfields and we decided to go for dinner first because we had arrived so early. I love spontaneous dinner plans when you do not have a reservation, it always seems like so much fun just to choose somewhere on a whim!

The last time I was at Iberica restaurant was for the Nacho Manzano press dinner earlier this year, and that was a lovely occasion. I decided that tapas would be ideal as we did not have much time, so we decided to visit Iberica on this occasion too. It was cold and blustery outside but the welcoming ambience and candlelit tables inside immediately cheered us up as we were led to a table by the window.

I love tapas because they are such a quick meal and ideal to share, so we proceeded to order a few things which all sounded mouth-watering. The traditional Spanish omelette was served in a generous portion with a hearty potato filling and plenty of flavour, whilst doorstop sized hunks of artisan bread with olive oil were delicious. The fried chorizo lollipops with pear alioli sauce were crispy and moreish whilst the Padrón peppers with Maldon salt were sweet and tangy in equal measure.

Chicken with chilindrón sauce and rosemary potatoes had a great flavour profile which reminded me of a mini roast dinner and patatas bravas were so good with one of the best bravas sauces I have ever tasted, creamy and rich with a good kick of spice. A dish of chickpea purée with chorizo, pancetta and tomato salad was deliciously fresh with interesting taste combinations.

We had a couple of glasses of wine and soaked up the ambience of the restaurant, with its sweeping bar and lofty ceilings the space makes you feel really at home.
Before long it was time for us to leave and make our way to San Carlo Fumo for the party. We made our way through the blustery night and we were glad to arrive at the party which was already in full swing. Everyone looked amazing in their Gothic Romance themed attire and we were greeted with delicious Cointreau cocktails which were just the thing to take away the chill of the night air.

We enjoyed the party atmosphere, with cupcakes and champagne and later in the evening it was time for the fashion show to begin, with stunning style showcases of men’s and women’s fashion. The models all looked gorgeous in their glamourous gowns and we had such a fun time at the party.

We decided not to attend the after party as unfortunately we both had early meetings the next day so we needed to get back to Liverpool, but there was just enough time to pop to The Alchemist on Spinningfields for a couple of cocktails to round off our evening in style. I love The Alchemist which is such a cool and stylish bar with an amazing cocktail list. I chose a white cosmopolitan and we watched as the bartender mixed it with an artistic flair, pouring it over balled ice which contained a real flower. After ending the night with another glass of champagne we finally headed home happy to have enjoyed such a fun evening in Manchester.

So that is all from me for now, what do you all think, do you love long evenings out where you go for dinner then a few drinks too? Do you have any special nights out planned for the holiday season?
As always, I cannot wait to hear your thoughts and thank you so much for reading this post. Where we went on our night out:

Iberica Manchester 

14-15 The Avenue 

Spinningfields, 

Manchester 

M3 3HF

The Alchemist 

3 Hardman St,
Manchester
M3 3HF

Manchester Fashion Industry
http://mcrfashionindustry.com/

Until next time,

Camille 

xo