A NEW poll has found that Chinese food has now overtaken fish and chips as the UK’s favourite takeaway.

Fast growing Chinese takeaway chain Hotcha which opened in Winton, Bournemouth at the end of April intends to be the first national brand in the Chinese takeaway market to become "the Domino’s of Chinese".

The menu features a range of 'lite bites and starters' such as satay chicken skewers, crispy seaweed, salt and chilli ribs, crispy aromatic duck and spicy chicken balls.

There is a wide range of main dishes divided into 'inspiring sauces' (hot and spicy, curry and black bean) and 'dry dishes' most of which can be enjoyed with chicken, pork, beef, prawns, calamari, tofu and fresh vegetables (prices range from £6.75 for chicken through to £8.95 for king prawns).

A selection of some of Hotcha's most popular dishes were delivered to the Daily Echo offices for a taste test last week.

Dishes included classics like chow mein - a generous serving of egg noodles mixed with crunchy beansprouts and spring onions in a tangy soy sauce, fluffy egg fried rice, and black pepper beef which was fired up with fresh chillies, onions, peppers and spring onions.

We also tried one of the house favourites Tian La which certainly raised the temperature in the newsroom with a tongue tingling mix of chicken in a sweet, spicy and peppery sauce with crunchy mangetout and slices of dried fiery red chillis - not for the faint-hearted! Our only complaint was that the broccoli was a little under-cooked.

There are set menus available such as a 'feast for two' for £19.99 including one starter, two mains and a large side served with a choice of rice or noodles and prawn crackers.

Hotcha is open from 11am to 11pm daily and offers a takeaway service as well as seating for up to six customers inside the store in in Wimborne Road.

Customers can get 40% off main dishes when ordering online until June 29. Simply use the discount code HOTB40 when placing your order at www.hotcha.co.uk. Offer only applicable for orders from the Bournemouth branch.