Who'd have though having dinner with strangers could be so fun?

I may have only written one blog but I've already got so many ideas for blogs buzzing around in my mind so I thought I'd start now. 

I'd like to tell you about a really important part of my life. It's not the typical thing you're probably thinking but to me it is very significant. This thing is Gastroclub. 

I stumbled across Gastroclub about 18 months ago via a person I follow on twitter. I observed a ream of spectacular pictures he posted of magnificent food; including squirrel parcels, a gargantuan 13 bird spit roast and a trifle served in a martini glass (I've never had trifle that fancy) and decide I just had to find out what event he was at. After pestering (with a fair amount of badgering too) he gave up his secret and revealed that he was at the new even called gastroclub. It turned out that it was the first event of its kind and more were to be planned, this lit a spark of excitement that has not yet diminished (merely grown) since. I contacted creator, founder and all round fantastic human being Katie Brunt and signed up.

Gastroclub is a monthly event that takes place every second Tuesday and depending on the venue the number of people attending varies each time. It is twitter based but all the guests are not exclusively twitterarty and all come from every walk of life you can think of. I can truly say I have made some great people, who at first were strangers but am now lucky enough to call friends and have met some extraordinary individuals on the way. 

Gastroclub is truly an event that exhibits the internet and social media at its best and I am so proud to be a part of it.

I have, to date, only missed two events so have had the luxury of eating and some fantastic venues and eating a wide array of cuisines. My first, at Sweet Mandarin, will always be memorable as it was my first but for particular reasons I'll always remember it. These reasons unsurprisingly are the food, eating such delights I never in my life even contemplated eating like chickens feet, jelly fish, soft shell crab and silver ear fungus. All which were delicious and created lots of interesting debate regarding levels of squeamishness. 

Other events that stick in my mind are ANY event at The Mark Addy. I had never heard of this restaurant before (much shame on my part) but it has now become my favourite restaurant of all time. Rob the chef is a genius plain and simple, the staff are friendly and knowledgeable and the food is sensational. Both Christmas evenings were incredible and not forgetting the birthday celebration (for more than just the food... lets just say the Manchester riots added an interesting atmosphere). The some of the incredible feasts included mythical beast, humble pie, pigs head and an immense rum plumb pudding with hot butter sauce.

I could keep you hear all day listing off the amazing foods I've been lucky enough to have but I'll have to save that for another day as I think I've kept you long enough. But here are a list of fantastic restaurants I have been to visit: Aumbry (exceptional food), Second Floor, Vertigo, Thomas, Ning 

If you ever get an opportunity to go to a Gastroclub event I cannot urge enough, as a very loud cheerleader for its cause, to grab the opportunity and go.

Hoping my second blog wasn't too bad and hoping to continue with more.

Remember... stay extraordinary.
Till next time, Steph xx

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