New Cathay Gardens

There are a fair few Chinese Takeaways in Formby, as I’ve already explained probably too many for the actual amount of people who live here, but only two actual sit-​in Chinese Restaurants of which this is definitely my pick of the bunch — the bunch being the two places that I just mentioned. A small bunch, really.
This is the spin off eatery of Southport’s Cathay Gardens — where memorably (to some anyway) a recently married Princess Diana and Prince Charles ate — although the décor in here (paper lanterns, wildflower wallpaper, horrible pearlescent pictures of waterfalls) would do little to impress a prince or princess, unless they happened to be disgraced boxer ‘Prince’ Naseem Hamed or girl-​rapper and minor celebrity ‘Princess Superstar’ in which case you’d probably be impressed that you were eating somewhere that didn’t serve food in portioned plastic trays.
What would impress genuine royalty is the standard of the food which is still fantastic, with a reasonably priced and very delicious banquet — available for 2 or more people, or just yourself if you were being greedy I suppose. The crispy duck here is absolutely the best I have ever tasted, guaranteed.