FYG is a new café and deli on Tib Street, near where Love Saves the Day was in its heyday. It opened just before Christmas and offers lunches, breakfasts and afternoon teas â no dinners as yet. As an independent venture with a passion for healthy, tasty food, it sells fine wines, vinegars, artisan breads, cakes and chutneys as well as a roster of hot and cold meals. And unlike some other spaces we can think of in the Northern Quarter, the interior design complements the casual-dining menu, with plenty of table space and simple, vintage furniture.
Soups, salads, sandwiches, pies, cheese and home-made pates are all on offer and Taste was impressed by the fact that the menu is comprehensive but not over-ambitious, with a focus on quality of ingredients and proper, hand-made creations. Thereâs no cost-cutting in evidence with huge wedges of carrot cake or chocolate torte to enjoy (£3.95, with tea or coffee) as well as generous sharing platters made for two from £12.95. Appealing winter fare with a twist includes New Year root veg soup with cumin and chilli and pies, sourced from the Cheshire-based The Great North Pie Company which has recently won an award for best vegetarian pie in the UK (from £7.50 with seasonal veg and chutney).
We went for a deli platter between us, a smorgasbord that includes proper pate (a light, almost mousse-like delicacy), an exceptionally flavoursome and tender parmesan-wrapped salami and Yorkshire Blue soft cheese with a similar texture to gorgonzola, but less of the cloying sweetness. This was paired with ripe camembert, Moroccan carrot salad, home made tzatziki, cous cous, hummous, olives and a range of imaginative, house-baked breads, including rye and seeded. Well-sized and pitched, my friend loved the âcombination of strong flavoursâ, while I got heavily into fantasising about dessert which I could see from our table by the cheese counter. Carrot cake and lemon drizzle cake with polenta were the finishing touches to a foodie bonanza.
Drinks are sensibly chosen. Options include teas (we had Earl Grey and English breakfast, served in their own big pots) coffees, chocolates and wines by the glass or bottle, including three reds and three whites, rose, Prosecco and bottled beers. Our only gripe was a slight lag time on service, but when fine quality food is delivered with a smile, its one weâre happy to put down to teething trouble. Run with attention to detail and, well, what appears to be genuine passion for home-made food by Eileen Fawcett and Jayne Young, this is a welcome spot to meet, chat and mix business with pleasure in the heart of the Northern Quarter.
FYG Deli, 42 Tib Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester, M4 1LA
Open: Mon â Sat, 10-7pm, Sun, 11-6pm.
http://fygnorthernquarter.com/
