MANGOSTEENS. Kale. Goji berries. Wheatgrass. Black garlic. Kefir fermented milk - the bewildering lists of fruits and veggies that have strapped on a red cape and become ‘SUPERFOODS’ has multiplied furiously in these body conscious times.
You don’t have to be a health nut to enjoy a smoothie...
Not all follow the 'Clean Eating' mantra with cult-like enthusiasm (our Gordo certainly doesn't), still, in a city where the 'dirty food' trend runs rife, it can't hurt for us all to be a little more health conscious.
Soon to open organic cafe Rust & Stone is set to become a bastion of health in Spinningfields (making you feel more than a little guilty about that Greggs pasty) on Monday 10 August.
Rust & StoneA new venture by Lawn Club operators Fluid Bars, Rust & Stone has taken on the former Long Bar bunker on Hardman Square to launch a new 'raw and organic' health bar focusing on the breakfast, lunch and take-out market.
Overlooking The Lawns, the new bar is a Moroccan-styled den rich with warm and (occasionally rusty) earthy tones. Patterned pillows are scattered among the dining areas, while teepee drapes and dangling tea-lights set the tone. The large bar will encourage punters to gather round in hippy-love, sipping on purified veggie smoothies, while the outside terrace encourages leisurely lounging. Very Californian.
Rust & Stone"It's not faddish," says Operations Manager Mat Lake. "It's considered, organic food that will both benefit your body and the environment. It's also a great lunchtime alternative to Pret. We're really focusing on that 7:30am to 3:30pm customer."
The team insist Rust & Stone will be a ‘breath of fresh air’ in Manchester’s dining scene, and while the food is certainly healthy, ensure it won’t 'taste like fresh air'. Lawn Club’s acclaimed chef David Gale has prepared R&S's menu, with sugar-free and gluten-free options for those on a diet. There will be a different choice of hand-carved roast every day, salads made entirely from scratch, and fresh juices and smoothies blended with seasonal veg and fruits. Everything served is health conscious and no vegetable is pre-packaged.
Rust & Stone also offer an extensive list of 'made to order' smoothies. Think purified fruit and veg with the added option of spirulina, raw cacao nuts, matcha powder, coconut oil, baobab powder and hemp protein.
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Rust & Stone“You don’t have to be a health nut to enjoy a smoothie, you can get a bacon sarnie or eat an entire baked camembert to yourself. You’ll benefit from organic and ethically sourced food whether you intended to or not,” says Lake. They're also proud of the coffee, which Lake confirms will rival that of nearby coffee independents Caffeine & Co and Grindsmith.
"The coffee is special. We're using single origin coffee and drip filter. Two different types of beans. Let's face it, Spinningfields needs better coffee options and we'll definitely surprise people with ours," says Lake.
Rust & Stone terraceFor many, the main surprise will come from Rust & Stone's 'biodynamic wine' - which really is as zany as it reads.
It's a peculiar cultivation process, that begins with cramming manure into a cow horn, yarrow flowers into a stag's bladder and some German camomile up a cow's intestine; burying them; digging them up and aligning the planets.
"One of our suppliers says it's like organic wine on acid," laughs Lake. "It's a really complicated agricultural process. Biodynamic wine is already organic in the first instance yet is harvested in keeping with lunar cycles. It's definitely worth researching.”
Does it taste any different to normal wine?
"No, organic wine is simply better for the environment and your body but doesn't taste any different. My personal favourite is the Sepp Moser, Gruner Veltliner (£24.00)."
The menus for both food and drink are small, with just four cocktails made with seasonable vegetables (sweet potato and fresh thyme bellini anyone?) and three evening dining options made up of a whole roast chicken (£12), baked camembert (£6.50) and a meat and cheeseboard (£12).
Rust & Stone will stay open until 9pm and will entertain with live music. And yes, of course there'll be yoga.
James Wrigley from Fluid Bars says: “Rust & Stone really taps into the growing trend for eating clean, juices, yoga and a healthy lifestyle. By day, we’ll create a beautiful café bar offering customers with temporary refuge from the hustle of the city. By night, we’ll transform into an elegant chill-out destination with organic cocktails, Moroccan style seating, live music and lanterns."
Rust & Stone can be found on the lawns at Hardmen Square in Spinningfields (7:30am - 9pm) and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
