I was speaking today with Daveytoolz, a man who has spent too many hours alone in a very cold environment. It was lucky for me that he retained his sanity long enough to tell me about a wonderful secret held within the boundaries of fair Stanley town itself.
I am no fan of Wong's or The Jade House Chinese Take-Aways, so I was surprised to learn of a new one. It's up at the top end of Stanley, where I rarely go, and it's called The Tasty House.
I am glad to say that it lives up to its name.
Not only is the food tasty, it's also cheaper than the others, by a good couple of quid per person.
I ordered a similar meal to the disaster from Wong's. The result this time was food that pleased my palate and left me feeling full and contented.
Chicken And Sweetcorn Soup
I love soup and care about it. This was quality soup. Nice and thick, full of flavour and with generous chicken pieces. Outstanding.
Prawn Crackers
These were light and crispy, still warm from the fryer. Obviously cooked in fresh oil. A delight.
Fried Onions
I love onions, and the fried onions item is handled differently by every establishment. These were offered in a very bland corn sauce, and not really that good. I prefer them caramelised slightly and offered in a chillie sauce. So, not bad, but could have been much better.
Shredded Crispy Beef in Cantonese Sauce
This is one of my favourite dishes, and one rarely featured on take-away menus. It's often on restaurant menus though, with very varied quality. This one was superb. Served with carrot and sweet pepper sticks and just a small amount of sauce, the beef itself was crispy without being hard, and again, the oil used was fresh. Fantastic! This dish is not easy to do well.
Chips
These were OK, not great. The ones on Monday were dry and cold. These were more moist, but not too hot, and maybe a bit too greasy. Hard to do chips well. A lot is to do with how they are packed and carried, I think.
So, thank you Davey - I truly appreciate the tip. His next tip is the pizza shop, “Leonardo's”.
I'll let you know.
Glad you enjoyed it Andy, It is the best chinese takeaway locally, as you now know,It has the most wide ranging menu I have ever come across from a takeaway.
The pizzas from "Leonardos" are well worth trying, Their "Quindici" is superb, as unlike many local pizzarias they actually remember to add the topping, as well as a substantial base, nice and firm, not too soggy, but not so hard as you break your teeth........like some other local pizza houses I could mention......Enjoy!!!!!!
Pleased I could be of assistance......maybe I've found my place in life - directing people to good eateries - sad, I know.
Posted by: Dave | December 01, 2005 at 08:24 AM
Yes, I now see you as some sort of unofficial take-away guru.
It suits you.
Posted by: AndyC | December 01, 2005 at 01:24 PM