If you haven’t watched Squid Game yet, then peer pressure clearly has nothing on you.
The hit Korean TV series has pipped Bridgerton to become the most-watched show on Netflix ever – and it seems that most of the country is currently pretty obsessed.
In the show, challenges must be completed in exchange for a huge cash prize – with over 400 debt-ridden contestants taking part in a series of life-or-death childrens’ games / Image: Netflix
In the show, challenges must be completed in exchange for a huge cash prize – with over 400 debt-ridden contestants taking part in a series of life-or-death childrens’ games. Successors pass through to the next round, whilst losers are swiftly ‘eliminated.’
Kids games played by contestants include ‘Red Light, Green LIght’, marbles, glass stepping stones, and a Dalgona honeycomb challenge that requires each player to carve a set shape out of their dish within a set time limit.
The Dalgona honeycomb challenge at A Nice Sip in the Corn Exchange gives you the choice of a circle, triangle, star or umbrella – just like in the Netflix show Squid Game / Image: elsaeats.food
In its third episode, which features the aforementioned sweet toffee treat challenge, contestants are forced to choose between four shapes – then battle against the clock to remove theirs from its tin, unscathed, before time runs out.
This is done by etching through the Dalgona, a nostalgic winter Korean toffee candy made with melted sugar and baking soda. A popular street snack in the 70s and 80s, back then vendors would often challenge their young customers to trim the toffee away from the image using only a pin – as is depicted in the show.
To play the challenge at A Nice Sip, you need to buy two drinks. You can take part throughout October / Image: elsaeats.food
Rewards were often given back in the day, be that free candy, money, or a gift, with common shapes including circles, stars, and triangles. At A Nice Sip, though, your only reward is emerging victorious with a few great drinks in hand.
The challenge itself is more difficult than it looks, especially as the treat cools and becomes more brittle. If you think you’ve got what it takes, though, you can give the challenge a go throughout October at city centre Corn Exchange cafe A Nice Sip.
The entrance to Hong Kong bubble tea cafe A Nice Sip in The Corn Exchange / Image: A Nice Sip
The newly-opened bubble tea spot is running the challenge throughout the month, but don’t worry there won’t be any faceless, red-suited guards with guns watching you.
To have a go, you simply need to purchase two drinks from the cafe – which sells everything from fruit tea to hot chocolate, coffee, and traditional Oolong tea. You can choose to tackle one of the four shapes available in the game, opting for either a circle, triangle, star or umbrella.
Image: A Nice Sip
The Hong Kong cafe also sells a selection of tasty treats, from ice cream and fruit-loaded bubble waffles to matcha macaroons and toffee apple milkshakes.
The trendy bubble cafe first originated in Hong Kong before expanding into Asia, then coming to the UK in July 2018. It specialises in fine tea, which is brewed to exacting specifications on site daily.
You can find A Nice Sip inside Manchester’s iconic Corn Exchange, or the business also has two other sites in the Arndale Market and in Salford. However, the Dalgona challenge is only available at the Corn Exchange site.
To find out more, visit their website or follow them on Instagram here.
Featured Image – A Nice Sip / Netflix
Manchester
A long-standing Italian restaurant in Trafford has sadly announced its imminent closure
Danny Jones
Another day, another bit of unfortunate hospitality news, as long-standing Greater Manchester restaurant, Little Italy in Timperley, has announced it is closing permanently very soon.
The Trafford favourite, which has been serving locals for nearly 20 years, has informed regular diners that it will sadly be closing its doors for good, with Little Italy’s final service set for later this month.
Having earned plenty of praise in its time, including being one of the few spots in and around the Altrincham area to have won a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence in 2015, before the borough saw its foodie boom begin.
But fast forward a decade, and the Timperley institution is yet another culinary casualty to be confirmed of late, with Little Italy sharing a tear-jerking statement online.
Sharing the tragic news on social media this Friday (5 Sep), the restaurant wrote: “To all our lovely customers, it is with a heavy heart that we share some news with you all. After over 18 years of serving you all in Timperley, we will be closing our doors later this month.
“This has not been an easy decision. Unfortunately, rising costs and a significant increase in rental [costs] have made it impossible to continue in a sustainable way. As much as we love what we do, the reality is that it has become too difficult to maintain under these circumstances.
“Over the coming weeks, we will continue to cook with love and serve with the same passion as always. We would love to see you all and share one more meal, and raise a glass together.”
Safe to say that the post has been met with an outpouring of condolences and support from natives nearby and those who have travelled to enjoy their food.
Little Italy went on to add that they will detail more about their final week of business as soon as possible.
They can’t be accused of not keeping up with times and not trying to promote via social media either, as they small family-run team – headed up by Sam Cauchi, who bought the site back in 2008 – have always given things a go besides the day-to-day operation of the restaurant.
Being one of many saddened customers to respond underneath the announcement, we couldn’t possibly sum up things better than local Vanessa Nice, who said: “Look at all these amazing comments – you certainly made your mark as a home from home for the residents of Timperley.
“The end of an era will always be sad, but sometimes life and families have to move on.”
As for Cauchi and co., they signed off by simply adding: “From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your support, kindness and friendship over the years. Timperley has been our home, and you have all been our family.
“Love from all the team at Little Italy.”
It goes without saying that we’re gutted for the gang and our thoughts are with everyone involved at this difficult time. For now, we can only say thank you to the countless Greater Manchester locations that continue to fall foul in the face of the rising pressures industry-wide. Case and point…
The bizarre explanation behind Manchester’s new mini ‘green space’ – that’s completely closed off
Danny Jones
One thing you always hear people who live in central Manchester calling out for is green space, but when a new patch of grass does arrive, you don’t exactly expect it to be completely inaccessible.
Just a quick FYI to those of you passionate about supporting what little nature there is left in our city centre: brace yourselves, as this one is rather annoying…
For anyone who’s walked down Whitworth Street West past the once lively Locks, or even got off at Deansgate–Castlefield tram stop and come down the glass stairs closest to the Albion Bridge, you may have noticed a rogue patch of grass surrounded by black fencing next to the City Road Inn pub.
It could be considered a nice little lawn were it not completely fenced off, but the question is, why has it popped up there? Well, local lad Curtis Rothwell has recently debunked the whole frustrating mess for us in a helpful video.
Yes, as explained by the Pre-Construction Manager who works for local utilities contractor Zenit Infrastructure Solutions Limited, the somewhat laughable but disheartening gated green space on Whitworth Street is essentially a feeble attempt at adhering to permission laws.
As detailed by Rothwell, the plot bought for a sizeable sum last year (only the original developers didn’t have the funding to actually pull off their initial plans) is now set to become student accommodation.
Currently, real estate firm Tri7 – which has now been fully folded into the parent group known as Fusion, as previous part-owners already – still has a hold on the land for now.
However, after being ordered by Manchester City Council to tidy up the area in the meantime, as they await planning permission to be fully approved, they decided to lay these new rolls of turf there.
Ok, so while the notion of the Council ordering a property company to make urban spaces look pretty and the idea of introducing more grassy zones into the city sound good on paper, as you can see, the real-life result doesn’t quite match up.
Not only does this feel like a bare minimum effort to appease the local authorities ahead of erecting yet another skyscraper, but more importantly, it feels like sheer nonchalant neglect and/or plain dismissal of those Manc residents crying out for more grass, nature and a break from the concrete jungle.
The fact that the rare green space is totally blocked by tall, almost authoritarian-feeling fences and sealed off by a big, black gate comes across like a casual two fingers to both the Council and those living in the city centre.
Speaking to The Manc, Curt commented: “It’s positive the council can take charge of how our empty spaces look after demolitions. In this case, maybe the demolition was carried out too early, which happens, but when it does, greenery is the best look they can give to local people.”
You can see the latest update on the planning permission HERE, and for now, if you’re looking for green spaces in Manchester, you’ll find them more frequently beyond the outskirts and heading into the boroughs; this one is strictly off limits. Find a whole bunch of ones that aren’t down below:
Georgina Pellant -
19th October 2021 
