Just Another Fortnight with Yelp Manchester: Fun on Tap(s) and Delicious Didsbury Delights

What a busy time it's been in the North West of England for our Yelpfolk. They've been inundated with event after event, but one can hardly complain when such amazing local businesses open their doors to their favourite potential and indeed already-loyal customers... for free. Two weeks and two events to report back on, so let's get cracking!

Taps, Manchester City Centre's beloved pour-your-own bar (the first of its kind in the UK), turned three years old and wanted to celebrate with – who else? Yelpers. We were only very happy to oblige when we were invited so kindly.

New Yelper Lucas S has some mad beer-pouring skillz, yo.

No guest arrived empty-handed with Asahi drafted out upon arrival, and that was to be the first drink of many. The fruity nectar of Liefmans was self-decantable for attendees, as was refreshing Amstel, and bar staff were more than happy to treat the non-beer drinkers to wine or soft drinks from the bar.

Of course all that boozy fluid requires some serious sustenance to keep folks compus-mentus, and Taps went all out. The following canapés were handed out generously:

• Black pudding scotched quail's egg, with apple and cider reduction
• Mini crayfish and avocado salad, with chilli, lime and Duvel beer dressing (served in shot glasses – down in one!)
• Lemon and dill fishcakes, accompanied by pickled red onions
• Baked mussels topped with Thermidor sauce, served on-shell
• Vegetarian caviar, pepper and cucumber jelly in Gazpacho Consommé
• Braised pork belly, Bubble & Squeak with mustard-baked apples
• Filo parcels packed with spinach, ricotta and butternut squash
• Baked seabass en croute with steamed carrot, French beans and lemon vinaigrette
• Fish and chip cones with a cheeky little addition of whitebait!
• Fillet steak, confit mushrooms, tomatoes and Béarnaise sauce
• Chocolate fudge brownie
• Luscious lemon slice
• Raspberry and chilli chocolate cheesecake
• Toffee crunch slice

Hmm. Anybody else up for returning to Taps for a three-course slap-up meal? We certainly are.

As well as Asahi, Amstel and Liefmans, Duvel Moortgat beer reps Ross Quinn and Will Evans served up some lovely Duvel, Vedett Blond, Vedett White, Liefmans Cuvée Brut, La Chouffe and Maredsous, and if that wasn't enough, Gemma from Chilli Marketing had every flavour of Rekorderlig for the cider-drinkers as well as light, low-carb, crisp Saint Lager! Phew.

The lovely Gemma liked hanging with Yelpers so much, she returned for our Didsbury event the following week!

Indeed, speaking (whispering!) of our Didsbury event...

...as part of the Yelp Manchester's Passport to Didsbury promotion, the exceptional AiryFairy Cake Boutique in Didsbury Village hosted a whole heap of guests who were most excited to try their legendary cupcakes, cakepops and brownies, as crafted by the lovely Laura Draper.

Like Taps, Laura herself has just celebrated a birthday – her very own Airyversary took place a few weeks ago, so it was the perfect time to introduce Yelpers to her delicious wares. These folks rarely venture outside of the Northern Quarter and Oxford Road borders, so getting them past Rusholme into the South Suburbs was no mean feat! It was those tasy baked goods that coerced them, for sure.

As well as those delectables, partygoers were treated to savoury nibbles alongside a beautiful bounty of beverages – sweet coconut Koko Kanu rum with fresh pineapple juice, delightfully English Saint Lager provided by the gorgeous Gemma, and Omar from the fantastic Didsbury Wine Club offered a free wine-tasting masterclass too, with red, white and a crisp Prosecco that refreshed even the most knackered of revellers on such a humid day. Membership is free, and several Yelpers (and myself!) are definitely getting ourselves involved.

The smiley faces speak for themselves.

Humongous thanks to all the lovely folks at Taps and everyone involved for throwing such an amazing party (and inviting us!), Gemma from Chilli Marketing, Greg Steel for the incredible Taps photos, Cato from J.Wray & Nephew rum, Omar from the Didsbury Wine Club, Laura and Olivia from AiryFairy, Jody Hartley for the superb AiryFairy photos, all the guests who came to both events, Manchester for being so darn awesome and independent business-rich, and Manchester Queen Mother Ruth H and Mr Yelp Manchester Christopher M for keeping your Community Manager keeping on.

Make sure you peek at those pics, and until next time, SYOY! Beered-up caked out Manchester UK Community Manager Emma-Lou H, over and out. Smooches.