Cocktails Archives - Page 2 of 3

Categories: Lifestyle, North East, Uncategorized

The Alchemist comes to Newcastle

It’s been a long time coming but The Alchemist is finally ready to open its doors to the people of Newcastle. Taking up residence in the newly revamped Grey’s Quarter of Intu Eldon Square, The Alchemist has certainly had a buzz about it for what feels like a very long time.

I got the chance to have a snoop inside of this gorgeous (very dark) venue to find out exactly what you can expect from Newcastle’s latest, and most hotly anticipated bar….

The dark, gothic surroundings are par for the course with The Alchemist, the Newcastle opening marks the ninth Alchemist in the UK and each follows the same design plan. The Alchemist’s strong selling point is the magical cocktails its molecular mixologists create. Claiming to be masters in the dark arts of mixology and demons in the kitchen, each cocktail is prepared with presentation in mind and a devilish dash of theatre.

The 6600 square foot space will operate as an all day venue offering food, drink and their famous alchemy cocktails to visitors to the city of Newcastle. You’ll already know that The Botanist has seen huge success since its opening in the city and Living Ventures Group, the former parent holding company of The Botanist and current parent holding company of The Alchemist, are hoping the new addition can capitalise and improve on that success.

Inside theres a nod to the secrecy of the prohibition era, but not like a traditional speakeasy, more like a den of iniquity. The Alchemist explores everything that is dark and mysterious and invites guests to relish in this enchantment. With its Deathly Hallows-like logo hanging above the door on the external entrance, it certainly looks magical.

Inside it’s much the same, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’ve stepped inside the Ministry of Magic with its huge skull and butterfly mural and floor to ceiling back bar filled with curiosities. It’s a huge space divided in to zones; there are booths for cosy dining and tall bar tables for cocktail nights. Swathed in dark walnut wood and gold all bathed in soft, dim light, The Alchemist is certainly a destination bar for the city.

Ahead of The Alchemist’s official launch, magical invites were sent out with a secret panel which had to be heated with fire to reveal details of the launch event – a great indication of what’s to come no doubt. Capitalising on the unknown, the people behind the Alchemist have generated a buzz only seen in Newcastle before the launch of The Botanist. I have no doubt that the Alchemist will be inundated with visitors from the city and further afield – I’ll be at the official launch event next week to bring you more from the place when it’s in full swing!

With so many awesome bars and restaurants opening in Newcastle, it looks like this already awesome city just got better……. and a little more magical.

Pixie xo

Internal images by Head Photography.

Categories: Lifestyle, North East, Uncategorized

Join the Tapas Revolution at Grey’s Quarter, Newcastle

If you’ve wandered through Newcastle city centre recently you’ll have no doubt noticed some big changes. Whether it’s the difference in the skyline, or the influx of great new retailers, the rate of response to our needs as customers of this awesome city is uber fast. We’re a nation of shoppers who enjoy lunch with friends and drinks on a Saturday afternoon and Newcastle has acknowledged that and answered the call in a big way….

Anyone who spends time in Newcastle will know that Intu Eldon Square enjoyed something of a resurgence in recent years with a new floor space addition to the mall. A victim of its own success however, this left older parts of the mall looking dull in comparison and well, a bit boring. Not any more, the once tired Monument entrance is now the bustling Grey’s Quarter packed to the rafters with awesome eateries and bars which stay open long after the mall has closed.

Tapas Revolution is the latest in a string of restaurants to take up residence in Grey’s Quarter; the brainchild of Spanish TV chef Omar Allibhoy, it’s one mission is to serve true, authentic Spanish food, ethically sourced direct from Spanish farms and suppliers, with no middleman. As part of the big re-brand, I was invited along to brand new Spanish restaurant Tapas Revolution to experience a little Spanish living with a tapas and beer pairing evening

“There’s a great restaurant and bar scene in Newcastle and I can’t wait to get involved in the buzz happening here and bring a little Spanish twist to the city. Tapas Revolution in Eldon Square is my version of the lively and bustling tapas bars in Madrid, Barcelona and Seville. We can’t wait to open our doors!” Omar Allibhoy

Omar’s menu takes inspiration from family recipes that he grew up with and Spain’s culinary culture of sharing, socialising and eating. When we arrive he talks us that in Spain, beer is paired with food rather than wine or cocktails and that’s because the flavours marry well to compliment each other. Beers by Estrella Galicia (natch.) are paired with each course of tapas to accentuate the flavour of spices, I’m not a beer drinker at all but I get it, real Spanish beer with authentic Spanish food, it just works.

“My passion for Spanish food is really at the heart of everything I do; my earliest memory is of watching my Mum in the kitchen cooking crème caramel. She was a great baker but a terrible cook so I took over the helm as soon as I was old enough. When I came to the UK I was shocked by the lack of Spanish restaurants and how rarely anyone I spoke to cooked it at home. I decided it was time to do something about it and so my Tapas Revolution began” Omar Allibhoy

Estrella Galicia tapas Revolution newcastle

Me and fellow North East Blogger Elle Blonde arrived to a super warm welcome and a round of opening cocktails spiked with chilli to ensure we stayed focused and awake. Armed with tasting notes and a stack of Estrella Galicia beers, we were treated to Spanish tortilla, Iberico ham (some of the most expensive ham you can buy and I can vouch for how awesome this is, it’s what I cram my luggage full of when I visit Mama Tenenbaum in Menorca), patatas bravas so good you could forget you’re in a shopping mall in Newcastle and paprika smoked octopus so divine that I had to go back for thirds. Yes, thirds.

Tapas and beer pairing is like a re-awakening of my conscious mind, to me beer is beer, but after reading and absorbing the tasting notes, you really taste the top and mid notes in each beer and understand why each one is paired with a certain taste. For the tee-totalers amongst you (that’s me too) there’s an Estrella 0.0% which is completely alcohol free, and a damn good dupe.

“Tapas is more than food, it’s part of our everyday culture: food and life are always best shared.” Omar Allibhoy

I get the Spanish lifestyle – Mama Tenenbaum has it down to a fine art now and she’d definitely approve of Tapas Revolution, she’s quick to lambast the places that don’t quite hit the mark. From the hanging Serrano hams to the open kitchen, the preparation and service is exactly as you would expect in Spain. Even the tables are set up so the restaurant can receive large parties ready to socialise with really great food as the facilitator to conversation.

Whilst we’re chatting I notice two very important things: 1. Elle Blonde and I both have seriously strong shoe game, and 2. The breakfast menu is to die for. Boasting Ranch and Florentine Eggs, Churros and Bacon Brioche, I make a mental note to return in the AM.

The quality of the food served at Tapas Revolution is second to none, in fact, it’s probably the only ‘real’ tapas restaurant in the city, Omar takes great pride in sourcing only the very best, authentic ingredients, meats and spices for his dishes and it pays dividends. With another five restaurants and a list of celebrity clients as long as his flowing locks, Omar Allibhoy is the real deal.

It’s not just beer on offer at Tapas Revolution, with a huge range of unusual cocktails and rare gins (no surprise there, gin is HUGE in Spain) on the bar menu including my favourite Mahon gin, Xoriguer (another thing I always bring back from Menorca), all served in a traditional balloon glass, exactly as they do in Spain. Kudos Tapas Revolution, I’m really looking forward to bringing Mama Tenenbaum along to taste a little piece of authentic Spain whilst she’s here in the U.K.

Pixie xo

Categories: Uncategorized

The Plough, Alnwick

With its cool calming colour scheme and hunting lodge detailing, it’s hard not to feel relaxed and comfortable in the newly refurbished Plough in Alnwick. With £150k ploughed in to the renovation (see what I did there?!) everything from the contemporary decor right down to the staff and their uniforms, has been carefully selected in order to create a real luxury boutique brand identity.

From its ample parking concealed behind a ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ recessed archway, to the carefully planned bedrooms and suites, this boutique hotel is a thoughtful home away from home, and a real destination. I whisked Sparky for a pre-birthday getaway in the gorgeous town of Alnwick and The Plough was to be our lodgings for the night – we arrived on a bright sunny day and after a brief stop off at fab bookstore Barter Books, we checked in and were shown to our hunting lodge themed room on the first floor.

The first thing that strikes you in each of the rooms at The Plough is the thoughtful home comforts, the standard of presentation and the cleanliness – A slate tray of brownies or cookies is laid out in each room on arrival, along with locally produced crisps, soft drinks and bottled water. There’s a Nespresso coffee machine with a variety of coffee blends and a plug in fan just in case. We’re also informed there’s an iron and ironing board should we need it (we don’t, I barely iron at home let alone when I’m on vacation).

Staff at The Plough are friendly, helpful and very pre-emptive. Before I’ve even had the chance to verbalise my thoughts of dinner, I’ve been booked into the restaurant and I’m starting to wonder whether they might be trained in mind reading. Uniforms take their cue from twenties era New York paperboys and it works, the shirt, tie and tweed waistcoat combo looks super cute.

Once we’re sorted we head down to the bar to sample some of the amazing drinks on offer, the back bar is a smorgasbord of gins and spirits and once we’re settled with a (locally distilled) gin and tonic and a beer, we chat to the barman who tells us stories about how The Plough has changed over the years and how he genuinely loves working there.

After a quick change, we head out to the first floor dining room for dinner where we spent far too much time cooing over the amazingly rich, decadent menu and being indecisive, the thought of local North East produce being a real draw. Taking it’s cue from the hunting lodge theme, there’s something here to suit all tastes, from sea bass with pak choi to lamb with sautéed sweet breads and the presentation is divine, it’s almost too pretty to eat and near enough all of it is sourced in the glorious North East.

The food served at The Plough is soul food. It’s a well put together menu and although we were left completely satisfied, we still found ourselves oohing and aahing over other peoples dishes.

Following in the vein of most boutique hotels, The Plough also offers a bar menu for casual dining, an Afternoon Tea menu (natch) and an a la carte menu. Interestingly, we discovered that there is also a huge and pretty well hidden room available for weddings and functions; as we were guided through the myriad of corridors we arrived at a huge, luminescent Aladdin’s Cave with a mezzanine floor and gallery staircase – a great alternative venue for parties.

After our evening meal we took a walk around Alnwick and were surprised to find just how close The Plough is to both Alnwick Castle and Alnwick Garden, with less than five minutes walk to each, The Plough is perfectly placed to facilitate a short break just miles out of the city centre of Newcastle. There are also some quirky boutiques in the town centre, Hotspur 1364 menswear is a hidden gem and well worth a visit.

When it came to settling down for the evening, we sunk into a mass of pillows and feathers as we lay in the super comfortable (but a little short) bed and had sweet dreams until morning. Breakfast is included with each stay at The Plough and it’s not to be missed – the cooked breakfast menu is supplemented with a selection of serve yourself cereals, fruit, yoghurts and juices and everything else is cooked to order. I went for my all time favourite breakfast: Eggs Benedict (reminds me of my days in Miami) and Sparky chose a Full English, coupled with freshly prepared breakfast smoothies and coffee, what we ate made for the perfect breakfast. Credit where it’s due, the Eggs Benedict at The Plough is without doubt the best I’ve ever eaten and I’ve lived in the States so that’s really saying something.

If Alnwick is the heart of the Northumberland countryside, then The Plough is surely the heart of Alnwick – with friendly, proactive staff who are well learned in the products they’re serving, comfortable surroundings and a relaxed atmosphere, The Plough should be on your list of things to do this Summer. Whether you pop in for dinner or afternoon tea or do as we did and have a sleepover, I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed and this day and age that’s a rarity. The Plough is a hidden gem that deserves to be discovered and once you do, you’ll be back again and again, this is one place that truly lives up to its admirable four star rating.

Pixie x

We stayed in Room 1 at The Plough, for more information and for hotel and restaurant bookings

The Plough, 24 Bondgate Without, Alnwick, Northumberland NE66 1PN

Tel: 01665 602395
Email: info@theploughalnwick.co.uk

Categories: Uncategorized

Hard Hat Builders Lunch at the Crowne Plaza Newcastle

I was recently invited to take a VIP hard hat tour of the brand new, as yet unfinished, Crowne Plaza Hotel on Forth Street Newcastle. The upmarket hotel is set to open its doors to the public later this year and is completely different to anything else currently available in the City. A product of years of market research, the Crowne Plaza Newcastle is geared up for corporate clients, city breakers, day spa members and casual diners and has incorporated the needs of each type of client into its intensive planning and two year build project.

“We’re pushing all the time, trying to move the standards in the city forwards and matching the strengths in terms of location and brand.”

In the last few months the development has really started to take shape, no longer just a shell, the glass fronted hotel is a real showstopper and the planned landscaping for the front area will really highlight the trendy Stephenson Quarter as a destination. I donned my work boots, hard hat and hi-vis jacket for a behind the scenes tour of the huge project.

The people behind the Crowne Plaza were adamant that during the design phase, they weren’t going to use a hotel designer for the interior planning. They’re remained resolute and together with Simon Spiteri (Carluccio’s) onboard as interior designer, they’ve created a real boutique hotel feel, despite the enormity of the towering Crowne Plaza – something very different for the corporate client. Sourcing sustainable materials, and using modern finishing techniques, they’ve come up with a cool colour palette of steel blues and greys for the hotels 260+ bedrooms and suites using glass and exposed polished concrete pillars to up the fashion ante. Room furniture will be walnut coloured with chrome accents bringing a modern vibe to the hotel.

The hotel will feature a huge glass atrium with an enormous crystal chandelier taking centre stage and each communal floor area will have a glass balcony overlooking this area adding a dimension of light and space. Walking into the space as it is now, and seeing the projected images of the finished area, there’s no doubt that the Crowne Plaza will have the Wow Factor, and it’s less hotel-like than you might imagine, which is exactly what they’ve gone for.

The hotel is treating its main functional areas almost as separate businesses, meaning that they aren’t bound to keeping the same decor and theme in each zone of the hotel. Breaking the mould, The Crowne Plaza Newcastle will have its very own Gin Bar at street level where residents and customers alike can choose from an initial selection of over 30 varieties of gin. The Gin Bar will strip back cocktail drinking to its very core and focus on the Martini, a traditional cocktail of pure alcohol which requires great skill to get right, Food and Beverage Manager Paul Walker told me that a huge amount of research and planning has gone into getting The Gin Bar on point; from the distilling of their very own craft gin, right through to the New York paperboy style uniforms. Even the furniture has been changed at the last-minute because it was felt the vibe wasn’t quite right. The mood boards for The Gin Bar show a darker, slinkier, more relaxed lounge environment and just looking at the sumptuous colour schemes is getting me excited…..

Hawthorns, the in-house restaurant, will serve “good, wholesome, healthy food” to residents and diners alike. The dining area has been well thought out and aims to integrate large corporate groups, single diners, couples and mobile office workers with a variety of different height seating areas, booths and benches maximising space and light. It’s a more responsive environment which shuns the traditions of other restaurants allowing customers to select their own table and seats based on their needs.

The corporate and conferencing facilities in the Crowne Plaza are second to none, with a huge central conference room acting as a hub, it’s been planned with serious attention to detail. from the acoustic ceiling and targeted lighting, to the coloured wash lighting which can be altered to fit a specific company’s requirements, every little detail has been considered at the planning stage. The Crowne Plaza is banking on corporate business and it shows, in a big way. With a number of function rooms, conference suites and break-out areas available, it’s clear that they’ve set their sights on being the best in their field.

Hotel car parking will be designated in the multi-storey carpark currently in development just behind the hotel, although the carpark operator is as yet unknown, the Crowne Plaza have reserved bays for the use of hotel and spa guests only. The hotel will also benefit from super fast free WiFi Boost meaning that no matter where you are in the hotel there will be no black spots, in addition, each bedroom will also have infinity charging points which charge your gadgets fast and continue to do so after your key card is removed from its dock. neat, huh?! Rooms have been kitted out with the best quality bedding and there will designated Quiet Zones throughout the hotel for light sleepers, the Crowne Plaza have really gone all out to make sure your stay is a comfortable one.

The Crowne Plaza suites, although currently just bare shells, look set to be a real draw for the hotel. Situated on a corner of the structure looking out over Newcastle Central Station and beyond, the rooms are fully soundproof and feature floor to ceiling glass windows allowing undisturbed views of the city. Our tour guide told us that since taking over the operation of the station, Network Rail have announced plans to landscape the area of the train station overlooked by the hotel and there are plans underway to build either a bridge or a tunnel to link hotel residents to the train station directly, fancy right?!

Down in the basement area, like many hotels, The Crowne Plaza Newcastle will house a spa area, named The Mineral Room in homage to the site’s heritage, equipped with a 10 metre pool, whirlpool, steamroom and sauna, as well as three large treatment rooms equipped to provide the latest state of the art beauty treatments. There will also be a gym with the usual standard machines and free weights, but with the added benefit of 1:1 personal training for guests giving a far more bespoke service.

The pool area feels very upmarket; it’s dark and decadent and benefits from super high windows at street level which act as a source of natural light without giving pedestrians a view into the spa. The spa is a welcome addition to the hotel, and something the City has been clamouring for as it’s been starved of an upmarket hotel with really great spa facilities for so long. For non hotel residents, there will be a membership programme for the hotel gym and pool with an as yet unknown monthly rate, which will also give members access to exclusive discounts across the hotel, Hawthorns and The Gin Bar.

There are some real nice touches in the Crowne Plaza Newcastle, the green credentials for example, there are two seed grass roof areas which provide a pretty view to guests on the Northern side of the hotel with South facing windows. Also, the hotel have tried to stay true to North East heritage when planning the development, the menu will be Northern with food sourced in the North and the house gin will also be distilled in the North.

As the prospective opening date of September 2015 draws closer, it’s easy to see, even at this early stage, that the hotel is going to be a crowd pleaser. With the Stephenson Quarter development gathering pace and new phases unveiled it could be that this becomes the new area to see and be seen, there’s talk of a micro-brewery popping up in the old JT Dove building and with the Royal Mail building now up for development who knows what could crop up next on this über trendy site. A new residential development of executive apartments is in the pipeline further down Forth Banks which will bring a whole new clientele into the mix for the brand new Stephenson Quarter.

I don’t know about you but I’m excited about this, it brings jobs to our glorious city and adds another pillar to our amazing skyline as well as opening up a whole new zone of the city which was relatively unexplored……….until now. So if you’re around the Forth Street area on the Quayside approach, stop, take a look at the new Crowne Plaza building, it’s well on the way to looking like it does in the plans and you might just be looking at the next big thing in Newcastle when The Gin Bar opens its doors in August.

There’s just one thing I’m a little disappointed about….. I didn’t get to keep the hard hat.

Pixie x

Categories: Uncategorized

Tipples & Tunes at The Botanist Newcastle

When I was invited to try out the latest additions to the Cocktail and Food menus at one of newcastle’s newest bar offerings; The Botanist, I just couldn’t refuse. After all this bar has had one of the most successful launches the City has seen in recent years and recently launched a Roof Garden off the back of that success, just in time for Summer.

If you’re not familiar with The Botanist, first of all, where have you been?! And secondly, it’s pretty hard to miss given the presence the chain commands on social media. The bar / restaurant occupies the very top section of the old Monument Mall space at the Monument area of Newcastle and is visible from Dean Street. Access is via a pretty understated entrance next door to Jamie’s Italian and begin your ascent up the darkened staircase. Once at the top, the huge space opens out into what feels like a gigantic botanical garden. The centrepiece for the bar is a gorgeous twisted old tree decorated with lights and hanging jars, the bar itself is actually built around the tree trunk. It’s a real destination bar and well worth a visit for anyone who is visiting, or currently living in the glorious North East, even if just for the amazing photo opp.

With the weather looking awful I abandoned my plan to wear a suede frock and threw on a Zara shirt and pants with a pair of classic Manolos and off I went.

I was invited as part of an intimate Bloggers event, the Food, Cocktail and Ale menus have recently been overhauled and there are some new additions that required testing – all in the name of work of course! A small but mighty four of us descended on The Botanist last night and were very well looked after by a hip young bar tender. We were taken through the new menus and then the onslaught of fine food and drink began.

We were served light bites, perfect for sharing, including: Salt and Pepper Pork Crackling, Baked Camembert with Onion and Rosemary, Goats Cheese and Tomato Quiche, Onion Petals, Shrimp Cocktail and Sardines, served in a retro sardine tin, all of which were divine. The Onion Petals – a more petite version of the original Ruby Tuesdays Blooming Onion, are to die for and you’ll be pleased to know that they’re cooked to perfection so there’s no unpleasant onion breath afterwards, perfect for date night! The Quiche was amazing, I’m not usually a lover of quiche but this was perfection, and incredibly light too.

The Cocktail menu boasts four new cocktails; Pornstar Martini with champagne chaser, Watermelon and Sage Sling, Passion Fruit and Basil Crush and an Apricot and Ginger Sling. Now you may think a cocktail is a cocktail and after a few they all taste the same but with The Botanist, things area little different. The Team have added these based on the change in season and each is light and fresh, think Summer in a glass. The Passion Fruit and Basil Crush is a taste sensation, packed to the rafters with flavour, it’s a Summer dream and an absolute must try. Same goes for the Apricot and Ginger Sling, aesthetically gorgeous and packed with flavour, it’s a real Summer drink and is very moreish. The Watermelon and Sage Sling is a long and dangerous drink, it’s so thirst quenching and it tastes alcohol free (it’s not) – beware! The Pornstar Martini is a short drink served in a traditional martini glass, thick and creamy exactly as it should be and delicious.

Whilst we dined and chatted, we were treated to the soulful sounds of Hattie Murdoch, a singer / songwriter from the North East who played an acoustic cover set with some awesome and unexpected tracks thrown in. I’d highly recommend you check her out at one of her many performances across Newcastle, she’s completely aces.

If you’re looking for a bar where you can settle in for the night, you’ve found it in The Botanist. Take in a few light bites from the new menu, swig a few cocktails and absorb the sounds of the live music, what’s not to love?

So, huge thanks to The Botanist Newcastle for looking after us all night and to the amazing gals who also attended for making it such great fun, I’m game for Round Two if you are….?

Pixie x

This slideshow requires JavaScript.