In a Nottinghamshire Live poll, we asked our readers where the best Chinese takeaway in the city is and the verdict was clear. Community reporter Keimae Blake went out to see just how good it was and felt like it definitely lived up to its reputation as she reports…
Finding the perfect Chinese takeaway, somewhere where you know isn’t going to disappoint you, is something you can’t take for granted! Usuall, a Chinese takeaway for me would be an end of the week treat however, I went to the Willow House on Mansfield Road in Sherwood on a quiet Tuesday night - and I would definitely go back.
Our readers determined Willow House has the best Chinese food in the city so I put it to the test. Sherwood is filled with takeaways, dine-in restaurants and pubs.
I hadn't previously had a Chinese takeaway from the area so I was eager to try one. Just across the road from the Willow House is a development which involves new homes, the reconstruction of Sherwood library and new shops. I entered the Willow House which is currently slightly hidden with scaffolding with my friend, Megan.
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The shop open every day, from 4:30pm until 10:30pm, and it has a waiting area
Greeted by a member of staff behind the counter, I thought I’d switch up my usual order and instead of having prawn chow mein, I ordered duck chow mein with prawn toast and sweet and sour chicken balls.
My duck chow mein was £6, the sweet and sour chicken balls were priced at £4.70 for ten and four pieces of prawn toast was £2.30.
The pineapple and chicken also sounded nice along with all the different fried rice but I played it safe. Taking my card out to pay, it was cash only so after dashing to the nearest cash point, we placed our orders.
Megan, who is a vegetarian, ordered a few sides: five samosas for £1.80, salt and chilli chips for £3.04 and vegetable pancake rolls for £2.20. Alerting us that Megan’s order of samosas had hardly any vegetables inside the pastry, a member of staff took them off the order and let us have them for free.
Once the food was ready before walking away with our many bags, I asked for two forks (to save us from the washing up of course) and happily, I shared my food out of the foil containers and into my clamshell takeaway box.
With free prawn crackers too, every smelt divine. Stealing a few of Megan’s chips, I started with my chicken balls which were crunchy on the outside with soft chicken inside and even better of course when you dip them inside the sweet and sour sauce.
The portion of the duck chow mein was plentiful, I couldn’t eat it all but it was heavenly. You could hear the crunch of my prawn toast as I took a bike into my first piece and sesame went everywhere but it wasn’t a problem because it tasted so good!
The free samosas were also delicious. - crunchy and crispy. As the member of staff said, there was hardly any vegetables in them, but nonetheless, they were demolished.
Not much of a Chinese-takeaway-eater, Megan enjoyed her sides and since I had pinched a few of her chips it was only right to share my prawn toast with her. All in all, you get a lot for your money at the Willow House and the food is everything you want a Chinese to be.
All of it was 10/10 - including those prices!
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