Food & Drink

Inside the new all-pink ‘ultra-Instagrammable’ cafe EL&N at Trafford Palazzo

Opening tomorrow, the first 150 guests to arrive at EL&N Trafford Palazzo will receive a free brunch and complimentary Nars makeover

Georgina Pellant Georgina Pellant - 20th April 2023

A new all-pink cake cafe with branches around the globe is set to open its first north west site at Manchester’s Trafford Palazzo tomorrow.

EL&N (which stands for Eat, Live, and Nourish) is as famous for its elaborate interiors as it is for its intricately beautiful cakes, already boasting successful sites around the world in locations like Milan, Dubai, London, Paris, Doha and Edinburgh.

Now, after several months of construction, EL&N is gearing up to open its doors inside the Trafford Palazzo (beside the Trafford Centre) opposite Primark on Friday 21 April.

Featuring huge pink archways and sparkly signs, with a clear pink roof emblazoned with the brand’s name as well as a second sign that reads: ‘Love Coffee,’ it makes quite a striking addition to the popular shopping arcade.

Inside, diners will find brunch staples including avocado toast, eggs benedict, shakshuka and Turkish eggs, plus mouthwatering loaded French toast, sandwiches and chapatis.

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EL&N cafe at Trafford Palazzo
EL&N cafe at Trafford Palazzo
EL&N cafe at Trafford Palazzo
EL&N cafe at Trafford Palazzo
EL&N cafe at Trafford Palazzo
EL&N cafe at Trafford Palazzo
EL&N cafe at Trafford Palazzo. Credit: Supplied

As for cakes, think giant slices of cake in flavours like pistachio, carrot, honey, red velvet, strawberry and chocolate ganache, plus further treats like tiramisu, raspberry cheesecake and dulce mille feuille.

From classic flavours of gelato to a range of different dulce de leche, plus giant cookies and brownies, the list of desserts on offer seems never-ending.

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First founded in Mayfair, London in 2017, EL&N quickly established itself as a go-to for cake lovers – drawing in an Instagram-minded crowd with its flower walls, hot pink interiors and mouthwatering cake, coffee and mocktail menu. 

It has eleven sites in the UK as well as six international locations, all serving up the likes of gorgeous afternoon teas alongside drinks such as speciality hot chocolates, flowering and iced teas, hot coffee and cold brew cans.

Open from Friday 21 April, the first 150 guests to arrive at EL&N Trafford Palazzo will receive a free brunch and complimentary Nars makeover. To find out more and view the full menu, click here.

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Featured image: Supplied

Food & Drink

First Look: Fitzpatrick’s – Stockport’s new Irish Bar gets off to a stunning start

Danny Jones Danny Jones Fitzpatrick's new Irish bar and grill opening Stockport

Stockport has a brand new Irish bar as the growing Greater Manchester trend continues, with Fitzpatrick’s officially debuting to the public on Thursday, 19 June.

Taking over the former Bask site just outside the train station, Fitzpatrick’s is the borough’s answer to American sports bar meets an Irish pub and grill, with live music, a wide array of food and more.

Founded by the man who now shares his name with the already lively boozer, John Fitzpatrick – a.k.a. local producer, musician and DJ, Jon Fitz – the venue has big shoes to fill following its predecessor, but is already off to a very strong start.

We had the privilege of walking in on opening day, and the place was absolutely packed to the rafters from the off, and we didn’t even stay until the end. More fool us…

As you can see, it hasn’t taken them any time at all to get an atmosphere going; good weather on their inaugural day, but the free-flowing beer, classic pub food flying out of the kitchen, and musicians reeling off classic Irish folk music did most of the heavy lifting.

Plus, that beer garden and covered outdoor terrace area are pretty perfect in any weather, to be fair.

The scran on their maiden evening mainly consisted of pizza, chips and other easy-to-serve-up plates as they gradually ease into the first week or so of service, but with a full menu of burgers, pies, breakfasts and even Sunday roasts to come, we’re very excited to try the full gamut.

Regardless, the staff were pulling pints like pros, John himself had plenty of involvement greeting people and getting behind the bar, and the atmosphere was buzzing from minute one.

ln fact, that was arguably the best part about it all: there was that genuine feeling of a new community cornerstone being born, with the well-known Stopfordian reeling off names and recognising what seemed like almost every face that walked through the door.

You don’t get that everywhere.

A lay of the land at Fitzpatrick’s Stockport. (Credit: The Manc Eats)

Although this was their first proper day of trading, they had already gauged the kind of crowds they could expect by soft launching with friends and family last week.

That being said, as mentioned, there was a real tight-knit, community feel to the place, full of County kits, young families and older couples alike, all of whom seemed to be dovetailing together as if the pub had always been around.

SK is often dubbed one of those places where everyone kind of knows everyone, even despite how big the town is as a whole, and this definitely felt like proof of that perception.

There was even close-up magic from Stockport’s famous ‘Fingerless Magician’, Dean Lahan, who famously featured on Britain’s Got Talent and even featured for Team GB’s Para Ice Hockey squad.

Of course, there is some familiarity with the space having previously been Bask, but the location of the stage, a newly decked out bar and the large jumbo-tron style TV set-up for live sport in the centre of the room (providing prime viewing from virtually all angles) have made a big difference.

Based solely on the hordes of people that piled into the place the second the doors opened, we can’t wait to see what the gaff is like once it’s in so-called ‘full swing’. John and his team might just be on to something big here.

Speaking to The Manc, he said: “As a local lad, I wanted to put something into the space that reflects a lot of my history and culture. Music, food, sport and a great atmosphere are all things I love, so I wanted to reflect that in this gorgeous space.”

Open 4-11 from Tuesday to Thursday, 2pm until late on Fridays, and the same only from 1pm at weekends, we can imagine Stockport punters are about to be spending a lot of time in Fitzpatrick’s.

(Credit: The Manc Group)

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Featured Images – The Manc Group

Food & Drink

The Thirsty Korean is thriving in its new location – and now serves brunch

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson The Thirsty Korean in Chorlton

The Thirsty Korean’s closure early last year hit Chorlton (and beyond) pretty hard.

This was a much-loved independent that was popular for its authentic, value-for-money Korean food and found a new level of fame when Sacha Lord offered to pay for everyone’s dinner for a day.

But fret not – The Thirsty Korean is back, it’s bigger, and it’s brunchier, already thriving in a new location in Chorlton.  

From this sunny new spot on Wilbraham Road, they’re doing the sort of spicy brunch dishes that’ll kick-start not just your morning, but your entire week. 

We’re talking their now-famous Korean fried chicken, either as full battered wings or sticky and spicy bites. 

We’re also talking traditional tteokbokki with lashings of melted cheese on top, silky sweet potato noodles, Korean pancakes stuffed with spring onion or kimchi or chicken, kimchi fried rice with runny eggs on top, and egg-coated cod.

The Thirsty Korean's brunch spread
The Thirsty Korean’s brunch spread
Cheesy Ttekbokki noodles
Cheesy Ttekbokki noodles
The new-look Thirsty Korean
The new-look Thirsty Korean

Behind this local gem is Eunji Noh, and with the extra space she can stretch her ambition and her menu further.

You’ll still find all the usual popular Korean dishes but she’s reached out to other parts of Korea to bring lesser-seen plates to her menu too, including seafood and now brunch items.

Whether you order as many small plates as you can to share, or commit to one of their big dishes, you’ll be leaving here very full and very happy. 

The Thirsty Korean, Manchester has missed you so much. 

The Thirsty Korean is now open at 520 Wilbraham Road in Chorlton – you can make a booking HERE.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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