Lantern House

I’m house-​sitting just around the corner from Lantern House this week, but even when I’m at home, if I have car access I often come the extra two or three miles to get my Chinese takeaway here, because they do the best chicken chow mein in town. It’s a little greasier than some places, so I can’t afford the calories too often, but it’s an extremely tasty recipe, packed full of noodles, onion, plentiful bean sprouts and slightly smoky chicken. Yum.
On other occasions, I’ve had excellent Szechuan (Sichuan) beef, good egg fried rice, and very good spring rolls, though I’d advise you make sure you have sweet chilli sauce in the fridge, as the spring rolls don’t come with it.
The dessert menu is a little sparse, but the banana fritters are delicious if you have a sweet tooth.
All of their food is cheap and comes in generous portions. Usually a portion of chow mein lasts me two meals, whereas a main dish with rice lasts three. Obviously YMMV, depending on your appetite. It reheats well in a wok, or tastes reasonable cold. It does NOT microwave well, unlike some takeaways.
Staff are professional and the shop is clean and well-​lit. Parking can be tricky, depending what time you’re there, but the Morrisons car park is less than a 5-​minute walk. You’re not really supposed to park there if you’re not using the supermarket, but I’ve never been told off — I think in the evenings they don’t care.
I’ll miss you when I move abroad, Lantern House!

Friendly service, delicious chinese curry, roast duck chow mein and free prawn crackers. Was the busiest takeaway on Hatfield Road when I went so they must be doing something right.