Sparkles

My first time at Sparkles was at a Unilocal event, meeting fellow Unilocalers as we talked about how wonderful Unilocaling is (see what I did there, using Unilocal in different formats?). Every lovely lady working at Sparkles that night was extremely friendly, and well attentive. Throughout the night they served tasty treats, and ended the night with delicious chocolates and carrot cake. I even ventured to have an Americano while I was there!
So, because I believe in returning to places that treat me well, I went back about a week later. I was greeted with a smile of both friendliness and recognition as having been there before. Granted, I was the only customer at the time, but my order was taken and I was told I could take a seat while she prepared my order.
I ordered a latte (although I was bummed they didn’t have soya milk), and it was very good! Of course, the Americano from the other night gave me an idea that their coffee was already good.
For their food, I love how you can order your food, and choose how you want it: panini, toastie or baguette. Unlike most places that make you choose a couple types of each, their entire menu can be served in any of those formats. Not to mention, they taste good! She even threw on a bit of mozzarella on for kicks, even though it wasn’t a listed ingredients.
Top notch service! I also know I have to return… I’ve only got 2 of my 5 stars punched on my frequent shoppers card.

So… You might have guessed that I’m slightly obsessed with flatbreads at the moment. Ladies and gentlemen, I have found the flatbread to end all flatbreads. The piadina sandwiches at Sparkles are to — die — for.
Bread & Butter who now?
Occupying the former residents’ quirky little café is a new, fresh, family-​run business, still delightfully kitsch, but cleaner, smarter and sweeter, and couldn’t be more friendly if it greeted you with the entire Care Bear roster. This place rocks. They’ve found a Northern Quarter niche… Do your own thing. Don’t try and be anything. Don’t be retro, don’t be overly pricey (I’m looking at you, Teacup), just be yourselves and serve a kick-​ass cup of coffee that’s one of the smoothest blends I’ve had in all of Mancunia, plate up a chocolate brownie that’s crisp on the outside, squidgy on the inside and made with love, source your crockery realistically and make for a gorgeously colourful display I’d be proud to have in my kitchen, and make a sandwich that boasts fresh, delicious ingredients. At *less than a fiver*. What, in the Northern Quarter?!? It can happen!
It was meant to be when I received my gluttonous request of their speciality piadana flatbread, griddled with a hot filling of chicken with mayonnaise, chorizo and mozzarella. What awaited me on the side? A salad with peppers. No raw onion (I can’t do raw onion in salads — it’s like they knew!), and if Chris finds himself there, no sliced tomato. Colourful peppers and a glorious mix of leaves, a little pot of coleslaw and the offer of salad dressing, in a very snazzy bottle I had all to myself. The chicken in this flatbread was some of the most tender I’ve ever encountered, the chorizo was packed with flavour, the mozzarella quilted it all naughtily and just the right amount of mayonnaise had been deployed.
The portion was huge, and this is less than £4. Trust. I’m serious. My coffee still had me buzzing when evening hit, and it genuinely is such a tasty blend. Plus, there are cupcakes and sweet treats on display, the menu’s laid out brilliantly clearly and… I’m in danger of hyperbole, but it’s so worth it. Sparkles can do no wrong. The clue’s in the title, this café genuinely glistens on Tib Street so *please* wander a little further and give it a try, You shan’t regret it.

I’m not a big cupcake fan, (which Sparkles appear to do very well from their window display) but stopped in here for a panini and a brew on a Saturday afternoon ramble in the N Quarter. Tib street gets the afternoon sun so I took an outside table. The service was fast and extremely friendly. I had a yummy panini with side salad and a great cup of tea. As it was late summer the wasps were about and a cheeky one decided to land on my salad. It was only for a millisecond, but it still promoted the waitress (or I think maybe it was one of the owners) to offer to make me a whole new panini! I was halfway through and wasn’t super fussed about the wasp so turned down her very kind offer but it’s not the kind of service you forget. I can’t remember what it cost but I’m a student and don’t remember feeling too out of pocket. Thumbs up, give it a go! c*

My numerous walkabouts in Manchester over the past few months have led to quite a few different discoveries. And fortunately for me, many of those discoveries lie in my new backyard in the Northern Quarter.
Case in point:
Sparkles is the name of a small little nook of a place, sandwiched somewhere between Bar Centro and Matt & Phred’s on Tib St.
Between its name, all the pink and frilly decorations you see in the window (which, reading the reviews of former tenant Bread & Butter, seems to be inherited), and trays of cupcakes on display, it isn’t the most masculine of establishments for a single guy to just barge on in with a scorching appetite, but I thought they looked new and that I’d at least enter just to see what they offered.
And surprise — it wasn’t just a cupcake store as I assumed (which is great, because I’m not a big fan of overly frosted cupcakes, or overly frosted anything for that matter). Sparkles also had real proper cakes on offer (mad props to cakes for grown-​up people!), an espresso bar including offerings of tea, salad bowls, and a whole array of meat, chicken, and veggie sandwiches (by way of paninis, baguettes, and piadina — which is a thin Italian flat bread — each going for £3.50).
In the times that I’ve been here, I’ve enjoyed both their sweet and savory items: the hummous, spinach, and sun-​dried tomato panini, which came with a side salad and coleslaw (great), their coffee walnut cake (great), and their carrot cake (which was, well, also great). Haven’t tried their cupcakes for the previously aforementioned reasons — but they looked nicely done for those who are cupcakely-​inclined. Coffee is good, too.
The place itself is intimate, with just a handful of small tables, random art on the walls, and, you guessed it, more pink, but there’s enough space to be pretty comfortable. The owners/​staff are warm and friendly, which is a bonus, as my experience over the past few months with service among Northern Quarter establishments has been really hit-​or-​miss.
I take it Sparkle has replaced Bread & Butter just recently, but I hope these folks succeed. While Sugar Junction is just a few doors down, the respective offerings and atmosphere of these two businesses are different enough that I think they can co-​exist on good ol’ Tib with no real issues.
All in all, Sparkles gets a thumbs up to the grub (both savory and sweet), the coffee, the value, and the service.
4 solid stars
(And bonus points to me for actually posting a Manchester review instead of it just sitting in my head like the countless others, collecting dust and what-​have-​you)