Sues Kitchen

Sue's Kitchen has become the long-standing Chinese and Cantonese takeaway on Cotmanhay Road, the through-route that links central Ilkeston with the Cotmanhay estate to the north. Run by Sue and her family, it has built up a quietly loyal following over the past few years and now averages around 4.2 stars across hundreds of Uber Eats and Just Eat orders.

The menu sticks to a properly cooked Chinese and Cantonese repertoire — sweet-and-sour pork balls and chicken in the crispy orange batter, beef in black bean and oyster sauce, chow mein in the heavier Cantonese style, and a small set of curry-flavoured dishes for the people who want their satay or kung po with a bit of edge. Egg fried rice and the sweet-and-sour crispy chicken balls turn up in nearly every review. Set meals and family banquets aim at the household trade; portions are generous and the kitchen avoids the watery-sauce trap that can dog chain-style takeaways.

Sue's Kitchen runs an early-evening through to mid-late shift six days a week, with the kitchen closed on Wednesdays. Delivery covers up to about five miles, with a small minimum order, and Cotmanhay and central Ilkeston customers can usually expect a reasonable turnaround. Cash and card both accepted at the door.