A restaurant in Ancoats has publicly exposed an influencer (twice…) who tried to ask for a free meal in exchange for exposure.
Lucky Ramen, a tiny spot on Blossom Street that has had queues forming for its noodle soups and Asian brunches, has become embroiled in a spat with an unnamed social media star.
It all started yesterday when the restaurant went public with a message it had received, which was requesting a complimentary brunch in exchange for a post on Instagram.
Lucky Ramen shared the message and wrote that they were ‘thrilled you appreciate our food’ but that the team ‘appreciate paying customers even more’.
They described it as ‘another thrilling DM from a blue tick superstar asking for a free feast in exchange for an Insta post’.
Which was already dramatic enough, but the influencer in question has been quite cross that Lucky Ramen in Ancoats has taken a swipe at them publicly.
It appears they’ve followed up with a much less polite message, saying the independent business is ‘bang out of order’ for trying to expose them.
The influencer asked: “So you think people like us don’t deserve to eat for FREE???”
They argued that they were trying to promote the restaurant for free, offering ‘time, labour, effort and positive energy’ in exchange for the free meal as compensation.
The unnamed user then said: “Your arrogance makes me sick. Haha very funny, you got a couple of giggles but we’re the ones that are laughing.
Lucky Ramen in Ancoats brunch menuLucky Ramen in Ancoats brunch menu
“We go where we want, eat what we want and lastly – it’s all for free! WHOS LAUGHING NOW???”
Of course, Lucky Ramen hasn’t left that message in the DMs either, once again sharing screenshots on its Instagram page.
And they’ve chosen to smack the influencer with pure sarcasm in retaliation…
They wrote: “Dear angry influencer. Okay, aaalright… you got us! We’re truly sorry for attempting to uncover your behind-the-scenes tactics yesterday and, you know, us trying to make a living and sh*t.
“But hold on, the new message we just got deserves more than a standing ovation!
“This follow-up DM is a total game-changer, and guess what? We’re now rolling out the red carpet for all the free meals you desire. And that’s not all – our chefs are ready to part ways with their Crocs and Birkenstocks, throwing them in as an extra bonus for your tender love and labour! Even my dad’s medal of honour from the Japan war is up for grabs – he’s feeling generous the old geezer, and he’s even contemplating wheeling in his new eco-friendly hybrid wheelchair for you!
“Just hit us up with another DM, let us know when you’re swinging by to collect your well-deserved goodies, and don’t forget to leave a glowing 5-star review on both Google and TripAdvisor.
“We appreciate your understanding and, once again, sorry for the “inconvenience” we caused.
“Bon appétit + Arigato-the-f*ck-outta-here.”
Ouch…
Will the influencer reply again? Someone pass the popcorn.
Award-winning chippy in Prestwich announces heartbreaking restaurant closure
Daisy Jackson
Chips @ No. 8, a chippy in Prestwich that’s lauded as one of the best in the UK, has announced the sad closure of its restaurant.
The award-winning takeaway made some big moves last year, expanding into the unit next door so that they could comfortable double their space downstairs and add a restaurant upstairs.
The restaurant was a brand-new concept for the much-loved Prestwich chippy, serving a seafood-focused menu that wasn’t necessarily all about the fryer.
But sadly, Chips @ No. 8 has announced that the restaurant element of its business, Loft @ No. 8, has closed for good.
They wrote that the economic climate and the huge amount of choice in Prestwich has left them struggling to fill seats in the chippy restaurant.
The good news is that the fish and chip shop itself remains open for business and thriving, and customers will be able to use the former restaurant space to eat their takeaway in.
The bar downstairs also remains open for business for a cheeky pint or glass of wine while you wait for your order.
The Loft @ No. 8 is closing. Credit: The Manc GroupCurry sauce on a Chips @ No 8 chippy tea. Credit: The Manc Group
In a statement, Chips @ No. 8 said: “It is with great sadness that we announce the closure of Loft.
“With so many great places to eat in Prestwich, and the economic climate being what it is, we have struggled recently to fill enough seats to continue to make it a financially viable side to our business.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your support whilst we were open, the team for their efforts, in particular, Craig, the creator of the delicious food that we had on offer up there.
“Chips @ No.8 remains open as normal and going forward, we are opening up the space upstairs for additional casual seating for the takeaway.
“The bar will remain open so you can still enjoy a pint or a glass of wine with your fish & chips, even if it is out of a box! We hope to see you soon!”
There’s a tiny Japanese restaurant inside a Manchester cafe serving matcha afternoon tea
Daisy Jackson
There’s a tiny little Japanese restaurant space in Manchester tucked inside a coffee shop – and they’ve just started serving matcha afternoon teas.
Niwa Yakitori is a brilliant addition to the city centre – by day, it’s sharing the space at North Star Piccadilly and operating as a matcha cafe.
And by night, it transforms the space into a cosy Japanese restaurant, complete with paper lanterns, bamboo plants, and neon signs.
While the word-of-mouth restaurant space is a real rising star thanks to its menu of freshly barbecued chicken and seafood, as well as delicious flights of sake, it’s the new matcha afternoon tea that we popped in for this time around.
Each table is presented with a tiered tower of treats infused with the popular Japanese green tea, and this is some world-class baking that’s going on at Niwa Yakitori.
Let’s break it down, tier by tier, to give you an idea of what you can get.
Up first is a Japanese egg mayo sandwich, made with fluffy shokupan bread and Kewpie mayo, then sprinkled in Furikake for a little bit of salt and texture.
The Japanese egg mayo sandoStrawberry sando with matcha creamThe half-and-half cookieMatcha basque cheesecakeScones with matcha cream and yuzu jamJapanese afternoon tea in Manchester
Also joining the sandwich line-up are strawberry sandos (yes, the ones that M&S had a go at this summer), made with a matcha cream and more of that pillow-soft shokupan.
Moving on up, and what afternoon tea would be complete without some scones? These ones come with a matcha cream and a yuzu and chilli jam. Divine.
Then the very top tier has a gang of miniature treats, including an adorable teddy bear-shaped matcha chocolate truffle; a matcha muffin; and a matcha-infused madeleine.
A real star is the chunky cookie, a clever half-half yin-yang of matcha and white chocolate, vs vanilla and dark chocolate.
Niwa Yakitori is a tiny Japanese restaurant in ManchesterJapanese afternoon tea in ManchesterMatcha and hojita at Niwa Yakitori
And they show off their baking prowess with a slice of matcha basque cheesecake, with three layers and a scoop of strawberry ice cream on top.
All washed down with ceremonial-grade matcha or hojicha lattes, which can be made table-side in a traditional tea ceremony.
The team at Niwa Yakitori are hoping this afternoon tea will fill crucial tables in their tiny space at a time where hospitality is being crippled with rising costs.
So please, for the love of all that is matcha, get this lovely Manchester Japanese spot on your list to visit.
Daisy Jackson -
1st March 2024 
