In Simon Hopkinson’s top selling recipe book ‘Roast Chicken and Other Stories’ he comments that ‘there is chicken, and then there is chicken’, proclaiming the French chicken from Bresse to be ‘the finest in the world’. He’s obviously never tried that other ‘chicken’ that pops up in many a takeaway meal or pre packed supermarket chicken pieces. The type with unnaturally round edges and a smooth surface. I imagine it cut from those rubber chickens they had on Spitting Image years ago.
I guess they use it to keep down costs, and no doubt it keeps longer, but for a foodie this type of ‘chicken’ can make or break a takeaway meal. I’m optimistic on finding a selection of takeaway restaurants that don’t use it, so in my hunt I decided to try Peking House on Plains Road, Mapperley.
Peking House is one of three Chinese/Cantonese takeaways all together within a short distance, along with Cheungs restaurant who also offer a takeaway service, so competition is high. The difference with Peking House is that it has an open kitchen so you can view your food being prepared should you wish.
The outside of the takeaway is not especially inviting. A faded menu sits on display in a large steamed up window but the options are readable so I go inside.
The staff are young and the pleasant young man who takes my order has reindeers on his jumper. There are also a couple of large Christmas baubles hung over the counter. I check the calendar on the wall, yep it’s definitely mid January. Taking a look around at the decor it seems that time is possibly not of importance. Terracotta cushions await you on varnished pine high backed benches in front of yellow papered walls. Terracotta stained flooring leads to the varnished pine counter behind which is a green kitchen with stainless steel splash backs. It has a dated, somewhat tired look but if the meals good then it can be forgiven.
As a test of the food I order different types of dishes from the menu. From the Appetiser selection I opt for Crispy Duck Rolls. You get four small rolls for £2.80. They look like spring rolls and in fact are but with duck encased in a crisp golden pastry. They’re ok. They’re not big enough to offend but small enough to not offer a huge amount of duck.
I ordered two differing mains. The first – A Chicken curry! (£4.00) We opened the little Tupperware container with anticipation upon getting it home. Would it be real chicken? Would it? Please! Alas no. From the dark curry sauce peered those circular edges of ‘fake’ chicken. The sauce itself was ok and not acrid like some other takeaways but a standard curry sauce with a few mushrooms and onions in the mix which went well enough with plain boiled rice. In expectation of this I had also ordered a Thai Green vegetable curry (£3.70) It could have done with a bit more sauce but it was at least fairly warm and flavoursome. The vegetables were a bit of a letdown. The selection of mushrooms, onions, water chestnuts, carrots and baby sweet corn seemed a little like tinned or frozen veg.
The prices are cheap so you can’t complain too much and last time I tried a couple of the other Chinese/takeaways on Mapperley top they used the same chicken so Peking House is as good as it gets. We also got free prawn crackers, saw huge flames in the kitchen as they cooked, and the server called me ‘Miss’ I like that, ‘Madam’ can make you feel so old.
We received a singular fortune cookie which said something about prosperity and success. It should have wished us well as our chicken mission continues.
So tell me. Where is our favourite takeaway?
For more information or to place an order contact:
www.pekinghouses.co.uk
0115 9857600
Tanya Raybould
