Between Christmas and New Year, we visited Ocean Palace in Darwen, Lancashire; this is a Cantonese restaurant we have dined at many times and it has rarely disappointed.
Sometimes we simply get takeaways but as it's a 20-minute car journey one way this is not as often as 
Going inside to eat is a much less frequent event and why I have not covered the restaurant in previous 
It was dark when we arrived, hence the outside view photograph that shows just this.
We had to wait around 10 minutes in the bar before being seated despite pre-booking. I'm not a big fan of this practice but it seems to be normal at Ocean Palace and so we tolerate it.
We chose a weekday to visit knowing weekends are very busy, but the main area was still around half full despite the early arriving time.
The menu was in a hard-backed cover but inside is the usual restaurant style paper copies protected by cellophane sleeves.
Today it was Deep-Fried Won Ton as a shared starter at £5.60 followed by Duck in Orange Sauce at £14 and Roast Pork in Black Pepper Sauce at £13.
The latter item is not on the menu but available on request as we have eaten it many times as a takeaway item.
Add some Yung Chow Special Fried Rice (that’s the ‘top’ rice with prawns and all kinds of other goodies) for two and we were all set!
Service at Ocean Palace is on par with other such quality restaurants and the Deep-Fried Won Ton arrived in good time. You don’t get much but boy is it good!
A crispy exterior with a prawn filling and a dip of sweet chilli sauce makes for a good start.
I have ordered both main courses previously so knew what to expect. I do love a bit of crispy duck and when it is ordered and consumed on the premises it always seems to taste better.
I persuaded her to go for the Roast Pork this time. It was a little spicier than usual but seemed to hit the spot.
By this time the restaurant had started filling up so I was grateful that I took my table snaps earlier. I didn’t want any more strange looks like I seem to get from other diners.
I was more than full by the end of this meal, and
After some hot towels and oranges to freshen up the mouth I was presented with the bill.
Almost £53 for the two of us is a little above average but there’s also a takeout of Chicken Fried Rice at £7 on there.
We can’t go to Ocean Palace without fetching this for
This is another restaurant I can recommend without hesitation and fits the
Ocean Palace
98 Bolton Rd, Darwen BB3 2TT, UK
Ocean Palace - A Tasteem Review
This post participated in the Tasteem contest The Palatable Beauty of Chinese Cuisine
