I went up to Manchester for the weekend because a couple of friends from the states had arrived for a very short trip to visit Manchester and London for seminars. Shortly after saying hello to them, we ended up arriving in Manchester in time for lunch and at "The Alchemist" near Piccadilly Gardens. This is where we had brunch or lunch and cocktails and the proper start to the weekend after driving about three and a half hours from London.
First up, the cocktails. I loved the cocktail menu. It was designed to look like a periodic table with different cocktails and a short description, and the menu is designed well with gold shine patterns.
We had our drinks first, and I had a few cocktails including the Melon Sour, 3.5Oz of Happiness, and The Colour-changing One. The Melon Sour and 3.5Oz of Happiness came with the option of another cocktail at a reduced cost and a little extra for the little tin flask that you can see in the photograph.
We had starters to start, and I had the breaded halloumi, which was delicious. Fish cakes, prawn lollipops, and pork crackling were also enjoyed.
For the main, I ordered "The American" brunch. This is comprised of waffles with maple syrup, bacon, and scrambled egg. Visitors can choose to have the eggs cooked in any style, and I am partial to scrambled eggs. Chicken katsu, burger, and salad were other options.
Before starting the meal, I ordered the Colour-Changing Cocktail. This came with two small glass bottles with different colour liquids. One was dark purple in colour and the other was transparent. I poured the purple one in first, and I watched it change and steam with the dry ice and become less dark in colour. Then, I started to pour the clear liquid, which created a pink colour changing intensity as I poured. It was pretty awesome, and you can see the photographs before. The waiter also recommended the Lightbulb Moment which may have been another cool cocktail to try.
After the brunch/lunch, we wandered around the Northern Quarter of Manchester. The Northern Quarter is one of my favourite areas of the city and is also an area that has changed a lot in just the past few years since I've last visited. I enjoyed visiting the quirky shops and The Afflecks mall, which is a maze of small shops selling vinyls, items for crafts, clothes, jewelery, Manchester souvinirs, hair/tattoos and other trendy items.
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