TEACUP have won contracts to provide catering in the refurbished Manchester Town Hall Extension and the Cathedral Visitor Centre for when the Cathedral reopens. They are also setting up a custom-built bakery in Greengate, Salford, to supply their burgeoning operation.
Gary McLarnan and Mr Scruffs tea-centric eaterie, which also helps run the nearby Bonbon Chocolate boutique in the Northern Quarter, is also flexing its culinary muscle beyond cakes and the like with an attractive new savoury menu (review below).
The Teacup Canteen will open at the end of October to feed folk at a reopened Town Hall Extension with the glassed-over Library Walk and in the following month the team will roll out a traditional tea-room for the Cathedral prior to its return to service.
At the Cathedral well cater for our existing Thomas Street clientele and for a more traditional National Trust style audience, says Gary. As for the bakery, it will be able to supply all our outlets with cakes and bread. At the moment most of our bread comes daily from the Lake District, more than 50 miles away. This will be more sustainable.
Sustaining was the word for the mains we sampled at lunch in Teacup. The pick for me was Aspargus, Garden Greens, Mint and New Potato Salad, served with a Poached Duck Egg verdant, fresh and perfect brunch fodder. Soft Shell Crab Tempura Noodle Salad with a Lime and Chilli Dressing was less exciting. More satisfying was a Giant Moroccan Couscous and Hummus Salad, which would have been more than adequate without the (large) Grilled Chicken breast, but we wolfed the lot and found space for some gooey, indulgent vanilla ice cream profiteroles (£4.50).
All three mains were £9, slight pricey for whats on offer, though the provenance of the ingredients is first class. For 50p less there was pan-fried mushrooms and avocado on sourdough toast with the poached duck egg putting in a further appearance and a Banana Split at £3.80 was only just resisted.
The menu seems to consist of the things foodie Gary likes best, which augurs well for customers at the coming outposts of the Empire of Teacup. www.teacupandcakes.com