A new restaurant is aiming to give a trendy makeover to that staple of the Northern Irish dinner table – the humble crisp sandwich. Inspired by the ‘Cereal Cafe’ recently opened in London by two Belfast brothers, restaurateur Gavin Spleen hopes that his new venture – Simply Crispy – will attract similar success.

Situated in Belfast’s fashionable Cathedral Quarter, Simply Crispy puts a new twist on a local favourite. Diners will be able choose from a menu of gourmet crisp sandwiches, or create their own delicacy from an exciting range of breads, crisps and spreads. Whether it be the staple Tayto Cheese and Onion on Sunblest sliced pan with Flora, or the more exotic Thai Sweet Chilli on Italian Granary with a splash of balsamic vinegar – the choice is almost limitless.

“Simply Crispy will cater for all tastes, and all pockets,” explained Gavin. “Hungry carnivores will love our Beef Mini Chips on Medium Ormo, a bargain at £3.50 (crusts off 50p extra), while veggies might like to try Pickled Onion Space Raiders in a Belfast Bap with a Wotsit side-salad for a mere £5.95. Our piece de resistance is the ‘Inner Ring’ – a slice of Nutty Krust lovingly rolled into a thin sausage then inserted delicately through a series of Tayto Onion Rings, garnished with parsley and crushed Pringles.”.

Hugo Hamilton, Restaurant Critic and Chief Hipster at Belfast style magazine – Le Ganch, says that the city is crying out for just this kind of cafe. “It’s bound to attract the luncheon crowd, office workers eager for somewhere new and refreshing,” says Hamilton, “and is ideal for a light bite on an evening out with friends, both bearded and otherwise. It has just the right ambiance – homespun decor of old school desks and bean bag chairs, and the food is presented so delightfully on reclaimed scaffolding boards.”

Situated in a converted public toilet on Talbot Street, as yet Simply Crispy can’t serve alcohol. “For the moment we’ll be serving traditional Ulster soft drinks like Sukies, Maine’s Brown Lemonade and McDaid’s Football Special, but that’ll change when we get the license,” Gavin told us, “Then we’ll do pint bottles of Harp.”

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