American pop singer Lizzo is always trying new foods on TikTok, and toasties jam-packed with fillings seem to be her go-to.
If she recommends something, people flock to try it, regardless of how weird and wonderful the concoction may be. When she came to Manchester as part of her tour and she raved about a popular dessert location, gushing that they also serve "sandos" (or toasties to me and you) I knew I needed to give it a go.
Known predominantly for its donuts, cookies, and pastries, Gooey opened its kiosk on Ducie Street in 2020, and then opened its café on High Street last August.
With the backing of Lizzo, a vegan who always champions creative plant-based recipes, the eatery's popularity will only increase - especially as she rated it a straight 10/10.
To ensure my dining experience was as close to Lizzo's as possible, I ordered myself what she ate in that TikTok video. A tofu sandwich and a portion of hash browns. The food may be ultra aesthetic and popstar-approved, but is it really as tasty as she made out?
Her review was glowing, as she said: "Your girl went and got the tofu sando. Also, this is why I love the UK, their hash browns are top-tier. Always crispy, never gloopy, always salty."
I can confirm that the food is indeed extremely worth the hype - and the hash browns really are as crispy as Lizzo promised.
Tucking into the tofu sandwich as a meat eater, I was a little bit sceptical. Truthfully, it was almost good enough to convert me to veggie full-time. The Thai dressing and sweet chilli peanut sauce it came with was divine, the tofu was cooked to perfection - every mouthful was dreamy. Even the Tumeric loaf it's served on was thick and lightly toasted, and in the video, Lizzo said they make their own bread.
The hash browns were certainly the highlight for me though. Crispy, crunchy, and salty just like Lizzo said. What more could you ask for? I genuinely have no idea how they get them to this level of deliciousness. The dipping sauce is next level too. Take tomato ketchup and elevate it to the next level and that's what it was like. It had a little more of a 'kick' to it than standard ketchup.
The vibe here is also pretty laid back, despite the fact there's consistently a queue. At one point, the queue even snaked out of the door. There's seriously cute decor, the staff members are sweet, and the soundtrack is banging. I'll definitely find an excuse to come back here and try some other stuff. The cookies looked delightful...
Have you ever been to Gooey in Manchester? Let us know in the comments.
