New Lotus

I used to use this take-​away because I lived so near that they could walk the meal round to me. Why didn’t I just go and pick it up myself? Who knows? These days I’m a fan of Ruby Garden in Hall Green, but I’ve searched for the menu in my kitchen cupboard and done extensive searching on the internet for half an hour but they are shy in putting their phone number up there for some reason, and I don’t fancy the impersonal nature of ordering take-​away food on-​line…
I can remember the phone number for New Lotus as it contains my lucky number, (43), and the year of The Indian Mutiny (1857).
I order Char Sui (Roast pork) curry and Jeni has chicken satay, and we have the obligatory fried rice and prawn crackers too. When the food arrives I’m missing Ruby Garden already. The price is the same but the portions are half the size at New Lotus. And the prawn crackers…
My uncle always used to ask at Chinese restaurants ‘Are the prawn crackers fresh?’, which used to irritate my dad. ‘Of course they’re fresh!’ my dad would mutter to me under his breath, ‘Who wouldn’t serve fresh prawn crackers?’ Well, it seems New Lotus have taken that tack on this occasion. They are not only cold but also stale. ‘The ones in a bag from a supermarket are better than these!’ Jeni cries. I’m hungry though and while I chuckle I’m using them as little more than cutlery to scoop up the curry and rice with, rather than for their (non-​existent) taste. Though it is enough to put a dent in my faith in my once-​favourite Chinese take-​away.

Sometimes you just want a good, regular Chinese takeaway, if you’re in the Kings Heath and Moseley area it’s definitely worth checking out New Lotus.
50 minutes was the suggested delivery time and the food arrived in 30, the delivery guy was chipper and friendly, all good so far. The food? Exactly what you would want, good, comforting hangover food! No surprises but certainly nothing to complain about. The portions were large, very tasty and did the job perfectly.
It’s all very reasonably priced too, there’s a £1.50 delivery charge and £10 minimum order but you can get enough for 2 people easily.
You know what you want from a Chinese meal, New Lotus will definitely deliver. I think I’ve found my new local hangover cure!

We are spoilt for choice when it comes to Chinese takeaways in the Kings Heath area. I have no great reason for my loyalties to particular ones, however I still have them. The food, as long as it meets the criteria of greasy, sweet and flavoursome I don’t care a great deal about.
New lotus meets my criteria for acceptable takeaway food, however it has nothing else beyond that. Curiously, I haven’t developed a loyalty to it despite its tasty egg fried rice and spare ribs. It’s a mystery as to why. Perhaps this is a phenomenon that stretches beyond that of Chinese takeaways and should be inquired into as maybe having greater implications?
Nonetheless, it does nice food for a reasonable price. For those who just want a Chinese in the comfort of their own home.