Area Restaurants Offer Food Challenges
There’s nothing quite like a good challenge. Especially if that challenge involves food. These restaurants in the DMV offer up some of the tastiest meals you can find – just in slightly larger portions. But the good news is that if you finish it all, your meal is free and comes with a few prizes, the least of which are bragging rights.
Check out these 10 DMV food challenges and get ready to get your grub on. Just be sure to bring your appetite…and your possibly a pair of elastic-waist pants.
Bub & Pop’s Sandwich Shop
At Bub & Pop’s Sandwich Shop, 1815 M St. NW, take the “Li’l Petey Sandwich Challenge.” Eat the 4.5-pound sandwich filled with prosciutto, capicola, genoa salomi, brisket, aged provolone, mozzarella sticks, fried chicken, potato chips, hoagie relish, Roma tomato and fried eggs in 15 minutes including anything that falls on the plate and you’ll win your meal free and get your picture on the Wall of Fame.
Buffalo Wing Factory
When something is called “The Flatliner Challenge,” the warning is pretty much in the name. But at Buffalo Wing Factory, finishing 10 Flatliner wings (to a BWF judge’s satisfaction) without taking a drink or using dairy-based dipping sauce, gets you a refund of your $10 entry fee, a Flatliner Challenge T-shirt and your name forever written on the “Wall of Flame.” Take the challenge at 43761 Parkhurst Plaza #100, Ashburn; 13067 Lee Jackson Memorial Hwy., Fairfax; 2260-D Hunters Woods Pl., Reston; or 22034 Shaw Road, Sterling.
Chutzpah Deli
At Chutzpah Deli, 12214 Fairfax Town Center, Fairfax, if you take the “40-ounce Reuben Sandwich Challenge” and finish 3.5-pounds of corned beef, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese on rye bread with fries in less than 30 minutes you win your meal and get your photo on the Wall of Fame.
The Dons’ Wood-Fired Pizza
Step up and eat the whole famiglia (family) size thick Sicilian style pizza with any four of your favorite toppings in less than 20 minutes by yourself at The Don’s Wood-Fired Pizza, 21018 S. Bank St., Sterling, the pizza is on the house and you get your picture on “Da Wall.” If you blow it, then you pay the boss $24.99. Win or lose, you get a T-shirt and hat just for trying.
Family Pizzeria
Family Pizzeria, 1924 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Stafford, offers not one, but two challenges. The first is the “28-inch Pizza Challenge.” All you need to do is grab a partner, then, together, finish a 28-inch, two-topping pizza, crust included, in less than an hour. Winners receive two free T-shirts and $40 to split. The second is the “Steakosaurus Challenge” with a 6.5 pound sirloin steak sub with five toppings that has to be eaten in less than 45 minutes. Should you finish this monster of a sub in the allotted time, not only is the sub free, but you’ll walk away with a T-shirt and $20 in prize money. But, if you fail either challenge and vomit anywhere but the designated area – beside the Dumpster out the right side of the building — that there will be a $50 clean-up fee.
Guajillo
Guajillo Mexican Cuisine, 1727 Wilson Blvd. in the Colonial Village Shopping Center, Arlington, has the “El Cachuda Challenge.” If you beat the record — currently standing at 20 minutes — for eating the entire 17-inch, 7-pound El Cachudo burrito filled with four meats, rice, beans, cheese and hot voo-doo sauce, your meal is on the house. Otherwise, it is $19.
Hamilton’s Bar & Grill
The “Fat Boy Burger Challenge” at Hamilton’s Bar & Grill, 233 Second St. NW, involves eating two Big Daddy burgers, that’s four half-pound patties, thousand island sauce, pickles, onion straws, lettuce and American cheese along with a pound of tater tots covered in chili, cheese, jalapenos and fire habanero sauce in one hour. Winners get a free T-shirt and their photo on the Wall of Fame, but still have to pay for the $24.99 burger.
South Street Steaks
At South Street Steaks, 4856 Cordell Ave., Bethesda, if you finish the “Misteak Challenge” in 45 minutes you win your meal, a T-shirt and a $50 gift card. Just eat two 2.5-pound Misteak hoagies with steak, bacon, pepperoni, fried onions, three cheeses and loads of fries.
Sprig & Sprout
Sprig & Sprout, 2317 Wisconsin Ave. NW, has a “Pho Challenge.” Eat two pounds of noodles, two pounds of flank and lean brisket, 3.5 quarts of both and one pound of sprouts, onions and cilantro in a custom-made bowl in one hour, and you win your meal free and get your photo on the Wall of Fame. There have been only six winners so far. If you lose, it costs you $40.
BR Frozen Custard and Sweets
If just wouldn’t be fair if we didn’t end this on a sweet note. And so we offer you the “Outrageous Split Challenge” at BR Frozen Custard and Sweets, 2145 Merchant Plaza, Woodbridge. This nearly 6-pound dessert features nine scoops of frozen custard, nine toppings, three bananas, three cherries and whipped cream. Finish it in under 30 minutes and you’ll get it for free along with your place in history on BR’s Wall of Fame. Fail and you get brain freeze.
Editor-in-Chief Mark Heckathorn is a journalist, movie buff and foodie. He oversees DC on Heels editorial operations as well as strategic planning and staff development. Reach him with story ideas or suggestions at dcoheditor (at) gmail (dot) com.