House of Adventure have opened up their third Northern Quarter establishment, Fyg Deli and Wine Bar right next door to sister restaurant and bar Simple. The Northern Quarter's newest charmer, is a naturally rustic, welcoming little deli, attracting those that love the contrasting yet complimentary combination of honest, wholesome food and rich encompassing drinks. Fyg is open for business, which is great news for everyone. Trust me.
Deli walls are hugged by high rise shelves hosting an abundance of unusual and exciting condiments.
The Venue
Hard wood floors, pine shelves covered from head to tow in fresh, inviting condiment pots, sacks of grain and small wooden pallet boxes make up one of the most rural inner city urban delis I've ever had the pleasure of entering. Being from Yorkshire, I've seen a rural deli or two in my time, righteous establishments for all your cheese and pickle needs. This is different though, the decor and ambiance is carefully thought out, it's rustic and homely, yet still modern and effortless. They're playing the LA-steeped Drive soundtrack and yet I feel like I've had a hard day's slog in the fields and am ready to settle down for a hearty helping of meat and bread. So that's exactly what I did.
From cheeses and olives to bread and meats the offering at Fyg is as thorough as it is delicious.
The Atmosphere and Clientele
The vibe at Fyg was calm and collected with various lunchtime Northern Quarter Marauders dotted around, tucking into lashings of olive oil drenched deli delights and platters of meat and cheese. It has unrivalled charm and character for a place that is so new, the place screams out for passers by and will undoubtably attract a vast array of weird and wonderful characters from across the length of the City Centre. Most importantly, this is a place for people that appreciate great, honest food and drink. The people in Fyg all have one thing in common, and that is an legitimate and unconditional love for fine wines, exquisite cheese and it being served to them by knowledgeable, friendly staff who'd I'd of happily invited to sit with us if it wasn't such a bizarre request. To me, it's got a real local, almost village deli appeal, but with the support and status of the big city, let's hope the two can kept in perfect balance.
Not only was the food incredible, but it was served by friendly, knowledgeable and charming staff.
The Food and Drink
Me and my pal decided that as the menu (and the specials, explained in detail by our lovely waitress Sarah) were so jam packed with nibbles, bites, platters and various other excellent options of grazing, we had better order three things to share between us. The two cheese, two meat platter came first - forget all previous cheese experience - you've never tasted anything like this. We were advised to try the Delice de Bourgogne, a creamy French cheese that just oozed onto the crusty bread with effortlessness, only to explode in a flurry of flavour as soon as you popped it in your mouth. We sampled a Black Sticks blue that again, was refined and delicious.
Milano salami and Serrano ham were the chosen meats - choosing your own meat as they carve it off right in front of you is a bizarrely satisfying process, especially rewarding when you're told you chose wisely! Out came the specials, chorizo tortilla with coleslaw and salad, and a broccoli and feta pasta salad. Special by name, special by nature; perfect portion size, beautiful warm tortilla and rich feta nestled between broccoli and pasta. This was all washed down with a Salford pale ale, and a wonderful Moorish honey beer that, once again, went hand in hand with the rustic rest.
Straight from the specials board, pasta salad with feta and broccoli.
Summary
Homely, welcoming and offering something completely different to anything else in Manchester, everything about Fyg makes you want to not just come back, but never leave in the first place. Open from 10am until 6pm everyday offering delicious platters for the Northern Quarter breakfast club, the lunchtime dwellers and the closing hour wine lovers just after work. Believe me when I say you'll feel more at home in Fyg than any other place in Manchester - maybe even your own pad. And it's rammed with meat and cheese, what more do you want?
