The Courtleigh Hotel and Suites has unveiled a new look and feel to its bar and lounge: Mingles!

The iconic establishment has recently — under the direction of Managing Director Kevin Hendrickson — undergone a transformation, and is now being dubbed a modern gastro pub. The term, coined in 1991 by British restaurateur David Eyre, combines the words ‘gastronomy’ and ‘pub’, making it a pub or bar that also serves high-quality food.

In keeping with the hotel’s new tagline ‘Unique, Personalised and Inviting’, Mingles offers an intimate locale for discerning patrons seeking something a little beyond the ordinary.

“Mingles is synonymous with Courtleigh, and we just wanted to give it a fresh, new look as we upgrade the hotel. This spot is going to be something like a gastro pub, somewhere you can come and relax, have some nice cocktails [in an environment that] is not too busy,” said group director of marketing & sales at the Courtleigh Hospitality Group Nicola Madden-Greig.

Madden-Greig was addressing an intimate group that had gathered at the ‘new’ spot on Tuesday, November 21, for a soft launch per se. The group which included Courtleigh Hotel and Suites General Manager Kate Hendrickson; Courtleigh Hotel & Suites Sales & Reservation Manager Maurice Bryan; Jamaica Observer Senior Associate Editor – Lifestyle & Social Content Novia McDonald-Whyte; Jamaica Observer Table Talk Food Awards judges, and a few Mingles devotees, enjoyed first dibs on both menu and cocktail offerings.

Staples like Espresso Martini and Courtleigh Cooler are back. The seasonal Candy Cane Martini (in time for the holidays) is also on offer, while the Mango Mule and Mingles Sangria promise to be cocktail-lovers’ go-to.

The new menu features a wide array of items, from signature flatbreads, wraps and pastas, to tasty burgers and the iconic Mingles platter of BBQ pulled pork stuffed potato skins, sweet chilli and buffalo wings, fried coconut shrimp, mozzarella and tomato bruschetta with blue cheese and honey soy dips.