Review: I tried a takeaway dubbed the best in Oldham

On Wednesday (February 28), I found myself stood in the rain as I waited for a potato - and surprisingly I wasn't alone.

Just four months ago we wrote about a takeaway that received a one food hygiene rating, but that didn't matter to our readers - 58 of whom got in touch to tell us that Pickwicks Potatoes do the best spuds in town, and even Great Britain!

Six customers including The Oldham Times' Joe Yates queuing in the rain (Image: Newsquest)

If you've parked on the Tommyfield Market Car Park before, chances are that you've either walked past the hut or more likely, visited it.

As the heavens opened up shortly after 12.30pm, I joined the back of a five-person strong queue with no rain cover – six including myself.

Notably while waiting I spotted Pickwicks new and shiny five food hygiene rating sticker, which they received following a health inspector’s review at the beginning of last month, proudly on show by the till.

Pickwicks Potatoes was awarded a five food hygiene rating in February (Image: Newsquest)

In less than five minutes I was sheltering from the rain in my car, with my steaming hot jacket spud topped with cheese and chicken curry.

First impressions weren’t great, I opened up the stylophone box and really all I saw was what looked like a mountain of chicken curry.

Hungry, I buried my fork through the curry and out came a fluffy, stringy mouthful of spud – so that’s where the cheese and potato was hiding.

Huge portion sizes that did not seem big enough for reporter Joe Yates who devoured his chicken curry and cheese spud (Image: Newsquest)

That one forkful has enlightened me to a whole new world, a hot, soft, creamy and delicious world – this is the reason I was queuing in the elements on a miserable day in Oldham.

While the portion seemed excessive before I dug in, with each bite it felt quite the contrary; the tomato-based chicken curry tasted as if it were slow-cooked while the skin of the spud just peeled off the spud delicately.

Cheese buried underneath the chicken curry the soft and fluffy spud (Image: Newsquest)

It was a taste of home, despite previously admitting I tend to go for anything but a jacket spud, it felt like I had moved back in with my mum – a home comfort.

Although it filled me up, by the time I finished it left me wanting more – for £4.40 it really is a bargain and one that I will take up again, and again, and again.

To see customers queuing in the rain did shock me, but I understand now! Thanks for opening my eyes Pickwicks.