‘Alice in Wonderland’ Inspires Charlotte’s Latest Pop-Up

Charlotte diners can slide down the rabbit hole (or take the elevator) to the Mad Hatter Brinner on October 6, put together by Greg and Subrina Collier of the Yolk. They’re calling it “brinner” as a combination of brunch and dinner, and are letting prospective guests know upfront to expect the unexpected.

“It’s going to be weird,” Subrina said. “Teapots may pour soup, and instead of a sugar cube be garnished with a puff of toasted asiago cheese.”

The whimsy extends to the setting, with a long banquet table being set up outside of the venue, on the sidewalk. The dress code, according to the flier, is “as you are or in your best attire.”

The Mad Hatter Brinner was Subrina’s idea, born from her love of Alice in Wonderland and a desire to shake things up. “I wanted to push the creativity, have more fun. I love regular dinner parties and feasts but in the food industry this can get redundant. This is a chance for everyone to let their inner child out to play.”

At any Mad Hatter soiree, anticipation is high for desserts, a fact pastry chef Jamie Turner is keenly aware of. Without revealing too many secrets, she hinted at some of her key references.

“Remember how the color drips off the Queen of Hearts’s roses, because she made the guards paint them? There will be some of that inspiration, and colorful cake truffles as a play on the Eat Me cakes. A lot of super colorful, fun bites,” Turner said. “Everything is going to be over the top, especially the centerpiece.”

• Mad Hatter Brinner [EventBrite]