I tried the takeaway that Uber Eats says is the best in Derbyshire
As awards go, to be named by Uber Eats as one of the best restaurants in the UK is some doing, but Bouffage in Heanor has managed to fend off the 70,000+ other businesses to make the final 10 in the East Midlands category.
Takeaways are a peculiar thing. I remember the rare takeaway nights growing up as a special event in my house - almost a second Christmas for a greedy little boy like me. But as I grew older, the access to platforms like Uber Eats and Just Eat, as well as takeaways seemingly opening on every corner, turned this special event into an alarmingly customary routine.
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But let's not make this a diary of my poor life choices, as we could be here a while.
I was surprised to see that the only Derbyshire inclusion on the list was a little takeaway in Heanor, a town that I've only visited a handful of times. I thought Derby might have an inclusion or two, maybe even somewhere in Matlock, or even Chesterfield up north.
I had to order for collection as I was a little out of range, so I opted for the old-fashioned "give them a call" option, which is about as foreign to me as typewriters and record players. Before I even looked at the menu, I was sure this would be the kind of place to offer a "box meal", something I'm led to beleive is a bit of a modern necessity for takeaways like Bouffage, much like "smashed" is now the go-to style of burger for many takeaways.
They offer five box meals at Bouffage: the Greek one kebab (£15.85), the tandoori king kebab (£15.85), the Greek two kebab (£15.85), the Netflix and chill box (£38.50) and the mixed grill (£38.50) - with the latter two serving two people. They also offer a wide variety of wings, loaded fries, burgers and a few desserts.
So I called, and opted for the tandoori king, which included two skewers of chicken tikka, their "bouff" salad, a flatbread, peri fries, a tub of mint raita and an unknown tub of spicy red stuff. If you saw a picture of me, you'd quickly assume I'm a man who likes his food nice and plain, so the spicy red stuff didn't really get a say, although I did try it and can confirm it would be a hit among those who enjoy a kick.
The construction of the wrap was the important bit and requires delicate hands, albeit with a little bit of firmness. I took out one of the sticks of chicken, added the chips, salad and raita, and tackled it like you would with any other wrap.
Even after a short drive home, the wrap was still fluffy and hadn't gone soggy, the chicken was still warm and the chips were still crispy. I was particularly impressed by the flavour of the chicken, which was really pungent and dominated the wrap.
They also added a few bits of what seemed to be pickled cabbage, adding a bit of zinginess to the meal, and chips were generously seasoned.
Although I mentioned before that takeaways are unfortunately somewhat of a routine nowadays, I am usually well-behaved midweek, so a heavy and calorific meal like this on a Thursday night was definitely a treat. I also didn't get any indigestion or a dodgy stomach the next day, in fact, I felt pretty good, so calling it a "dirty takeaway", even though it was a little dirty - but in a good way - would be unfair.
Overall, I was really impressed with the food, the service, and the overall experience at Bouffage. From easy ordering and happy staff behind the till, to the attention to detail with things like the salad and the presentation of the box, it's clear that the Heanor takeaway is no-nonsense.
Would I travel from town to town, or even from Derby, to try it? Possibly not. But if I was in the area, I wouldn't think twice about paying a visit. Also, I wouldn't be surprised to see another Bouffage opening somewhere like Derby sometime soon, so remember the name - and keep your eyes peeled.
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