AN UNEXPECTED result of coronavirus has been the creation of an entire new genre of food - the takeaway tray.

Initially roast dinners and homely meals were translated by necessity from existing familiar menus, but now the concept stands alone.

We picked up our trays from The Grill, Newport. Back at home, Cat gasped at the presentation of her lobster (main image above); here was a whole tail bisected with white flesh seductively on display.

Despite the novelty of takeaway lobster, it was really the greens which had drawn her to make her selection from the many sides on offer. And The Grill's veg did not disappoint. Biting into a spear of local asparagus, char-grilled and seasoned to perfection, Cat involuntarily expelled a moan of delight.

This was an exquisite way to eat her greens; both the asparagus and its companion purple-stem broccoli temporarily stole focus from the lobster. If only school dinners had included vegetables like these instead of insipid white cabbage, boiled to death before being scraped uneaten into the pig bin.

Despite its street food presentation, this was a meal that Cat would have been happy to pay premium money for in a restaurant. Plenty of delicious spring veg, a copious amount of succulent garlicky lobster and a side of crunchy slaw to add variety to the vegetable medley. Frankly it would be hard to know how this could have been better.

Isle of Wight County Press:

The crispy chicken tenders with smoky mac and cheese proved popular.

Boneless crispy chicken tenders were well-named. Gorgeously soft chunks of chicken meat came swaddled in a spicy, southern-style crumby coating alongside buttered corn-on-the-cob seared under the grill.

Four massive bang-bang prawns were similarly tender and full of flavour, and underneath the whole thing was a thick and cheesy smoky mac and cheese studded with chorizo chunks.

This was a meal that made us realise what a travesty of food we have become accustomed to from big-chain takeaways.

Maybe we're over-excited after months of eating from cartons, but we can't overstate how much pleasure we got from a generous tray of Isle of Wight lobster, asparagus and char-grilled broccoli.

No, fried chicken does not have to be bland. Yes, take-outs can include fabulous vegetable options. And no, we don't have to put up with the golden starches any more when local talent such as The Grill is on hand to feed us.

Matt & Cat's bill:

IW grilled lobster tail £25

Boneless crispy chicken tenders £15

TOTAL: £40

RATING: Five stars - Exceptional – one of the very best places we have tried.

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