Last night we decided to try a new Chinese and somehow decided on the one in dickens heath.
For those who live in solihull and who have never been to dickens heath, be warned it is a maze of narrow roads, be prepared to get lost and have trouble parking.
The first impressions of this restaurant were that it was clean and smart, if a little small. There seemed only enough room for about 25-30 settings.
The menu gave a wide selection and the prices per dish ranged from around $7 - 9.90 The majority being closer to £9. This was not a problem but it meant that we expected the food to be better than takeaway standard.
We skipped starters and tucked straight in to the main course with a selection of dishes. While the size of the portions were definitely good, the size of the rice portions weren't and although we were told two portions would be enough for four people we ended up ordering another two and I was with two senior citizens that don't eat that much!
Our next gripe was the sauces the food were in were actually gelatinous and it was quite off putting. The chicken curry looked awful due to the viscous consistency and tasted very bland.
The duck in Kung Po sauce was also disappointing. While the Kung Po sauce tasted more authentic than most I have tried (it actually had chillies in) the gloopy texture was horrible. The duck was also mainly gristle, bone and fat and was definitely the worst duck I've ever been served at a Chinese (including takeaways).
The other dishes were similar and unexciting.
Willing to give the restaurant another chance we asked for a dessert menu, which they did not have but they did inform us that they offered fruit fritters and also ice cream. Being completely uninspired by this choice, we decided to move our small dining party to a nearby pub for dessert.
The bill came to a reasonable £45, but on leaving the restaurant I noticed that exactly the same menu, but for takeaway, was available at approximately £4 less a dish. On seeing this I was very glad that I had not left my normal 10% tip.
My advice is if you still want to try this place is to order a takeaway, it’s much cheaper.
