China Palace

China Palace trades from the southern stretch of Nottingham Road as it runs out of Ilkeston towards the Erewash valley, in a small parade serving the surrounding residential streets. It is a long-standing local Chinese takeaway with its own website, a small but consistent following and a menu that goes considerably further than the entry-level house specials.

The kitchen runs a Cantonese-led repertoire alongside a Hong Kong and Peking section. House specials include Wandering Dragon and Happy Family with satay sauce — the standard sizzler-style mixed-meat platters — alongside the crispy lemon chicken breast, sweet-and-sour pork balls in light batter, and an aromatic crispy duck served with pancakes and the proper garnish. The starters menu is broad: salt-and-pepper ribs and prawns, sesame prawn on toast, mixed combination starters for two. Set meals run from one to four.

Trading is evening only and the shop accepts orders by phone and through the China Palace website for collection and delivery across the southern end of Ilkeston, into Kirk Hallam and out towards the Erewash. Reviews on Restaurant Guru and Tripadvisor are quietly positive — repeat customers cite the consistency of the cooking and the size of the portions.