Fiesta Del Fuego

Small but perfectly formed, Fiesta Del Fuego is the newest kid on the Manchester food event block. Fancy yourself as a chilli king or queen? Then you were probably here.
Bought to you by the folks behind the Kahula coffee house, 6 of Manchester’s best bar and restaurants vye for the Best Chilli in Manchester crown; Soup Kitchen, Pancho’s Burritos, Home Sweet Home, Luck Lust Liquor & Burn, Kahula Coffee House, AND Kosmonaut. Try them all and be a judge for £10 or enter for free and choose whatever looks/​smells best. Thirsty? There’s plenty of booze being thrown around, but it can only be consumed within the chilli smackdown area. We ate our chilli from Soup Kitchen due to their use of some local stout and the layer of tortilla chips at the base of the box; the chilli was delicious, creamy but earthy, served with some fresh lime and a jalapeño. For only £3. It was the perfect portion, especially considering we had already eaten at Guerilla Eats earlier in the day. Despite the long queue, the bar service was quick and efficient, offering up beers, cocktails, and cloudy cider to wash away the spice.
Entertainment wise, you have the choice of a piñata, a wheel of fortune, a band, and a chilli eating competition. Word has it that the front runner for the chilli competition stopped halfway and had to throw up, so they were using strong stuff. A few folks had a go at the piñata but, shamefully for most, a young boy was the only one to manage it. The wheel of fortune gave you the opportunity to win a Kahula martini, a cocktail, or a hug. N’aaw. The band was an acoustic guitar, kazoo, and banjo — not exactly the guys from the Dorito’s ad, but they kept everyone engaged and it was great to see some local, live music. Between their sets, Kahula Coffee House were blasting out a range of music from their speakers. A small stall off the main path was selling a range of hot sauces, none of which caught my eye — it was the chilli gummy bears that made me reach into my purse.
Fiesta Del Fuego, please come again next year. Manchester needs more Mexican flavour.