A popular pub in Oldham has launched a new competition that challenges foodies to finish off a whopping 100oz steak.
And if you manage to finish the steak, you don’t have to pay a penny for it.
Eating and drinking challenges have been growing in popularity across Greater Manchester as of late – with Slattery’s famous chocolate challenge being one of the most well-known – and now you can add The Black Ladd Pub’s 100oz steak challenge to that list.
If you’re feeling particularly hungry, then The Black Ladd Pub – which is based in Shaw, in Oldham – is serving up a mammoth steak with a side of onion rings, mushrooms, tomatoes, and chips, alongside lashings of garlic butter.
But if you want to get the steak for free, then there’s a catch – you’ll need to eat it all in one sitting, in one hour by, one person only.
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If you fail, you’ll also have to fork out £59.95.
One person has already attempted to polish off the huge steak, but despite his best efforts, he failed miserably and had to pay the hefty £59.95 sum – which is said to cover the £40 cost of the steak and the staff costs.
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The pub announced the ambitious, 6,000 calorie eating challenge for those with eyes bigger than their belly in a post on Facebook last week, and it’s fair to say it’s gone down pretty well since then, having already racked up thousands of interactions and shares.
There’s also 15,000 comments from people eager to give it a crack.
Since announcing the competition, the Black Ladd Pub said it has been inundated with phone calls from eager challengers from Greater Manchester, and even the whole country too – including locations like Cumbria, Stoke, and Scotland.
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A popular pub in Oldham has launched a new competition that challenges foodies to finish off a whopping 100oz steak / Credit: Facebook (The Black Ladd)
Social media users have also been blown away by the pictures of the challenge, with one person writing: “Man v food. Brilliant effort, well done.”
Another commented: “That’s a big ask for anyone, fair play to anyone who does it!”
While positive comments have been rolling in, on the flip side, some people have also chosen to criticise the pub for hosting the challenge, with many pointing out the blatant food waste when competitors inevitably don’t finish up, and the climate crisis issues connected to challenges of this nature.
“Sorry but I think this is obscene. A waste of meat and there are people starving in this country,” one person wrote in the comments.
Fancy it though?
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If you reckon you could take on the challenge, then head on over to The Black Ladd Pub’s website for more information here, or give them a call on 01706 847551.
Featured Image – Facebook (The Black Ladd)
Eats
The Greater Manchester book café serving literary afternoon teas and build-your-own bouquets
Daisy Jackson
If you like your afternoon tea with a side of good books, there’s a Greater Manchester café where you can quite literally have your cake and read it too.
Tucked inside this charming bookish spot, afternoon tea arrives with an unexpected twist. Rather than being presented with the usual three-tiered stand, you’re handed a stack of heavy hardback books.
But don’t start worrying that you’ve accidentally wandered into a very niche library club. The books are hiding something.
Lift the covers in Peony & Parchment – or, more accurately, open the book-shaped boxes – and you’ll discover a full afternoon tea concealed inside.
There are dainty sandwiches to get stuck into, including tiny egg mayo, herby chicken salad, ham and mustard, and cheese and tomato focaccia, alongside a little quiche.
Then comes the scone – classic, fluffy and ready for the obligatory dollop of clotted cream and jam. And, because no afternoon tea should leave you feeling like you’ve been short-changed in the cake department, there are five miniature slices to work through.
Afternoon tea concealed in a stack of booksSome of the other bakes on display
There’s a Victoria sponge with a dreamy vanilla cream, lemon drizzle, rich chocolate cake, a Bakewell slice and a pecan pie, all sourced from a local bakery just across the alleyway.
It’s all served with a pot of tea or coffee, with the option to add a glass of prosecco.
And the bookish theme doesn’t stop at the afternoon tea.
Downstairs you’ll find shelves packed with books, including the intriguing ‘blind books’. Instead of judging a book by its cover, you’ll be given clues and a short summary of what lies inside before taking a gamble on your mystery read.
Downstairs in Peony & Parchment‘Blind books’A role playing village for kids
There’s also plenty here to keep younger visitors entertained, thanks to a children’s area complete with a mini role-playing village.
And if books and cake weren’t enough, there’s another string to this café’s bow.
The Bloom Bar lets you build your own bouquet. Choose the size you want, then wander around selecting your own stems and foliage to create something that’s uniquely yours.
You can build your own bouquetThe Bloom Bar at Peony & Parchment
Of course, you don’t have to be visiting specifically for the afternoon tea. The wider menu includes tapas, full breakfasts and sandwiches, making it just as suitable for a leisurely brunch, lunch or coffee-and-cake stop.
So whether you’re there to discover your next favourite novel, assemble a bouquet, entertain the kids or simply eat your way through five different miniature cakes, this is one café where there are plenty of chapters to explore.
Major pop star crowns humble rice and three cafe as ‘Jewel of Manchester’ ahead of sold-out gig
Thomas Melia
A beloved city centre takeaway has been given the title of ‘Jewel of Manchester’ by chart-topping UK singer Sam Smith.
Known for hits like ‘Stay With Me’, ‘I’m Not The Only One’ and more recently ‘Unholy’, UK pop-ballad act Sam Smith also likes to drop a food review every once in a while.
Currently on the road with a run of shows in Manchester and London for their ‘To Be Free’ live shows, Sam Smith is stopping off at some of our city’s much-loved spots.
On their food-reviewing account titled ‘Sam Served’, where they adopt the aptly-fitting nickname ‘Ham Smith’, Sam has visited restaurants across the globe – and most recently turned their attention to Manchester’s own This & That.
Smith decided to pop in and grab a cheeky rice and three from long-standing backstreet food business This & That, and it certainly went down a treat.
After sampling their amazing selection of meat, vegetable and vegan curries, the musician crowned this family-run Indian takeaway a ‘Jewel of Manchester’.
The hitmaker described this Northern Quarter Indian eatery as ‘Everything food should be’ and definitely enjoyed all the curries on offer ‘leaving belly and heart full’.
This & That prides itself on affordable and comforting food with its ‘Rice and Three Curries’ starting from just £6 – not bad for a city centre foodie spot.
Sam has racked up an impressive 490k followers via their ‘Sam Served’ profile, with famous faces like Lily Allen, Denise Welch and CMAT all wanting to know the superstar’s foodie thoughts.
After enjoying a curry or three, Sam Smith also made sure to feed their soul to by venturing down to Afflecks and getting lost in the music at Mars Tapes.
Recognised as one of the UK’s only cassette and tape shops, Mars Tapes lets you flick through their crates of physical media and even preview tracks before you buy with its dedicated listening areas.
It’s safe to say that Smith has ‘Latched’ onto Manchester’s independent business scene and we’re here for it.
The London-born artist has just released their latest album Hazel Eyes and is currently amid a UK residency tour with two dates in Manchester’s Albert Hall and eight shows set for London Coliseum.