Event: Malmaison Hotel Birmingham Shake It Up SPArty and Cocktail Making

Work + Play is Birmingham Malmaison Hotel's recently launched event space. Whether it's for board meetings or birthday's, Work + Play is a great space for both.

I was recently invited to attend an event called Shake It Up at Malmaison Birmingham by EV Agency, an evening of manicures, blow dry's, makeovers and cocktail making, all whilst enjoying dishes from the summer menu.

For a food and beauty obsessive like me, this is as close to heaven as you can get!

Making my way up from the bar area to the Work + Play space, I was greeted by the EV team, a host of Birmingham bloggers and a glass of fizz.

Here, it was explained that we would be able to make cocktails to match our mani's, what more could a girl ask for?

Moving into the main space, I headed towards the BLOW Ltd station for a quick hair refresh. The girls are so efficient and it took just 20 minutes to get my glam over!

Next, I had a peek at the ESPA stand, the products which are used in the Malmaison spa, and was able to try out a custom blend of ESPA products including the Skin Rescue Balm, Tri-Active Advanced Night Booster and Essential Cleansing Mask.

I skipped the mani as there was just too many other stands to visit, but the manicures all came out looking shiny and beautiful. Here's Ting from The Ting Thing having her nails attended to:

Next, I tried out the products from CoverFX for the first time, and was so impressed I rushed straight out to buy them!

Now for the food, we were able to try out some delicious dishes from the Summer menu, and the team were extremely helpful in identifying what I could and couldn't eat as a gluten free guest, and even whipped up something special for me!

This was the platter of mains that was laid out before us, and it was as delicious as it looked! The dishes included Summer Minestrone Soup, Poached Salmon Hollandaise, Summer Vegetable and Cherry Tomato Linguine and Chargrilled Chicken Breast and crunchy Thai Salad.

Although I couldn't eat all of it, I was bought a special gluten free version of the Smoked Mackerel Pate and the Slow Roasted Beef Brisket.

Both of these dishes were beautifully presented and created especially to cater for my dietary requirements. They were absolutely delicious and I wouldn't hesitate to go back and dine at the Malmaison Brasserie just to try these again. The beef in particular was simply divine and I would recommend it if you are planning to try the Summer Fixed Price Menu.

Onto dessert, there was Banoffee Cheesecake, Warm Steamed Summer Pudding and Berries and Mascarpone laid out for us to try. Without even asking, I was offered the Berries and Mascarpone without the shortbread crumb. This was by far one of the best gluten free dining experiences I have ever received and the level of service and attention to detail was second to none.

There was also a spot of cocktail making on the menu that was pretty amusing! If you watched my InstaStory on the night you would have seen that we were in a very giggly mood. Here's me with my finished cocktail:

We had a fantastic evening and it was great to get a rounded view of everything that Malmaison has to offer, from food and cocktails to facials and manicures.

*Thank you to East Village and Malmaison for the invitation.

Food Review: Malmaison Birmingham Spring Menu Launch

Spring is in the air, and with it the new menu from Malmaison Birmingham. I was lucky enough to join some of the city's finest foodies to try out the new Spring Menu.

Meeting at the bar, we were treated to a welcome drink from the Spring Cocktail menu. With plenty to choose from including the Spring Fizz, a mixture of Rinquinquin a la Peche, Aperol, grapefruit, sugar and Prosecco to the Pina Caipirinha, featuring Germana cachaca, lime, pineapple and coconut.

I opted for the Gimlet, a mix of King of Soho gin, lime cordial, sugar and lime.

Sipping on this refreshing and sweet drink at the bar on a bright summer's day, it was easy to feel at home in the smart and sexy Malmaison bar.

We were soon led into the private dining area, where the table was laid out ready for a taste of the new menu.

The Spring Fixed menu offers two courses for £19.95 or three courses for £24.95. The menu to me felt fresh and unexpected, so although there was a lamb dish for example, this was a starter portion of Spring Lamb Benedict, a slow braised Dorset lamb shoulder on brioche with mint Bearnaise. Again, although a Spring menu would typically feature a vegetable soup, instead the Malmaison twist is a Cauliflower veloute.

With plenty of choices for dietary requirements of all kinds including vegetarian, vegan and gluten free, I was spoilt for choice.

Tucking into olives and bread whilst we chose from the menu, I did enjoy the olives but unfortunately couldn't partake of the bread. No matter, at least I could avoid the carbs!

For starters, I opted for the grilled masala spiced mackerel with sweet potato and lime pickle and a cumin raita, followed by the pan fried river trout with pea and broad bean puree, Anya potatoes and truffle vinaigrette.

The spiced mackerel arrived on a large square dish, presented on a bed of cubed sweet potato and topped with the raita. The presentation was good and the balance of different elements to the dish was also strong. A light but filling starter, the mackerel was perfectly cooked and the sweet potato was balanced out with the tangy yoghurt. Although the masala spices didn't really come through, and I would have liked to see a true pickle on the plate to really set off the fish, I thoroughly enjoyed the starter.

Next, the sea trout. Firstly, I adored the plate that this was served on, as it was a real earthy handmade piece. Secondly, the trout itself was a substantial portion, which I feel is needed when it comes to the fruit of the sea or else you can find yourself snacking soon after.

Nicely pan fried on a pea and broad bean puree, this was again, filling but light and not at all stodgy. Overall, that's exactly what I would hope for from a Spring dish. We were also able to try some of the sides at the table including the mixed spring greens, Anya potatoes and pan roasted artichokes.  If you're ordering the fish dishes, then do make sure you have a side too. My favourite was the artichokes which were just delicious! Crispy and full of earthy flavours, I sadly couldn't get a picture before everyone had tucked in!

Lastly, to the dessert. I opted for the seasonal fromage slate with fruit chutney, quince and crackers. The crackers were very kindly substituted for gluten free bread in my case, and the chutney came later on, but the cheese selection itself was very good and included a Shropshire Blue, goat's cheese and french cheese.

I really enjoyed the new Spring Menu at Malmaison. The menu is not just great value, but great tasting and also great quality. The venue itself is such a sophisticated option for food and drinks, with a great hotel ambiance.

I'd definitely recommend the new menu to anyone after a meal away from the crowds. The service we received on the night was outstanding and for me, I felt the quality of the food really came through. Overall, a great option for friends and families alike for a meal that's special without breaking the bank.

*With thanks to Malmaison and EV for the invitation