I’m still making maiden visits to Walsall eateries. Here is another 4 reviews.

Burgerz And Bunz, 166 Stafford Street, Walsall.

Bob Geldof doesn’t like Mondays. I do because I usually have to be somewhere on the night, no time to go home beforehand so it’s a good chance to get a review in. There are 3 takeaways in close proximity on Stafford Street, two of which I’ve been in under previous names so both eligible for re ticking under this feature but this one I’d not set foot in before despite being open as Food Hut whilst I was living around the corner.

The lad serving was decent. I felt like we bonded as he took my order. He called me “bro” 3 times and I responded by calling him “top man” around the same number of times.

I opted for fish burger, cheese fries and Apple Tango. Something nagged at me though so I opted to check that Tartare Sauce, listed as a component on the fish burger was actually available. I was assured it was. A couple of minutes and after a discussion backstage it turned out that it wasn’t. They offered mayo as an alternative and with my Belgian heritage from my mom’s side of course I said yes.

The food arrived quickly, it was hot and I could see steam coming off it. It was nice but with apologies to my Belgian ancestors the mayonnaise on fish didn’t quite work and I can eat mayo with most things.

There was no music and during my meal a somewhat scary robotic voice started saying “new order, new order”. I sat there awaiting True Faith or Blue Monday to star playing but this wasn’t the case. Scary robot lady at getting no attention from the staff changed tack and started saying “you have a new order instead”. I started to hum Crystal (New Order song, the video of which inspired the band name The Killers) to fill the void.

Good visit this, and if I still lived on Lewis Street I’d be popping in to see top man more often.

Chad’s Chippy, 176 Bloxwich Road, Leamore.

Do you ever have those days when you leave work and you just can’t be arsed to do anything? I had this on a recent Thursday. I didn’t want to cook and after having cold hands all day I really wasn’t feeling them mooching around in the freezer. I’d recently seen an article on the Express & Star website about the former Mr Chips on the way to Leamore being taken over and now the chips were being cooked in beef dripping. This needed investigating. https://www.expressandstar.com/news/business/2023/01/30/couple-take-on-new-business-venture-after-opening-doors-of-fish-and-chip-shop-in-walsall/

My work colleague Bull gave me a lift so I was there in no time. First impression as I walked in is that everyone waiting were sat silently on their phones in the u shape around the shop that the furniture lay out allows. It felt a bit doctors waiting room but without the token pile of Woman’s Own that you usually find in these places.

It’s a bit odd that the shop is light and dingy. I really couldn’t read the specials board as it was too dark so this is a good place to test your vision before you head to Specsavers. I could however see the sign offering battered black pudding and battered Babybel. I love both of these but didn’t fancy them with this coating on. I went for mini fish and chips with curry sauce. The chips were lush and the fish divine. Good visit this but I tend to only ever pass this place on the bus but I must make an effort to visit again.

Sidechick, 71 Stafford Street, Walsall.

Located on Stafford Street close to the karate centre so en route I had to pass numerous people dressed in that attire giving the proceedings an 80’s arcade platform game feeling.

I was a regular in this place under it’s previous guise Chicken.com. The 1 star hygiene rating it held in those days was of little concern to me as the food was nice. I don’t know what rating it holds these days and didn’t bother looking for it in the window as I ventured in.

The one side has a big display which is a bit too much like graffiti to me. I don’t like graffiti save for the Maximo Park song of the same name. Had I been involved in the decor of this place I would have suggested plain Parma Violet Purple paint and lots of pictures of me, a scheme that works very well in my Living Room.

Anyway half the place has swings to sit on, the other side chairs and benches. I started on the swings but moved quickly due to the fact that I’m not 8 years old.

I went for the chicken burger meal, and a side of chicken wings (which also came with chips – result). The meal didn’t come with a drink and I could have done with one after all that carbohydrate, thankfully though the Black Country Arms was calling so after this good visit I scurried off there.

Morgan’s Coffee Shop, 59 High Street, Brownhills.

About a week and half ago this place posted a picture of an amazing looking hot chocolate to the excellent Brownhills Bob Facebook group. I love hot chocolate. A quick bit of research revealed they also do full English breakfasts and that was it. I wanted in and went yesterday.

After a bizarre no 10 bus journey, where our vehicle was stuck opposite the arboretum for over 10 minutes, I arrived ready to drink a gallon of hot chocolate or anything to be honest. A sign on the wall advised “coffee is always a good idea”. Tea, coffee or hot chocolate. I’m parched, if it’s wet lavish it on me. Anything is a good idea right now.

I opted for a full English and a pot of tea. It arrived quickly. The tea in pristine white crockery, nice to have it in my favourite colour and a ceramic tea pot rather than a metal one with a loose flappy lid like you get in most places. The breakfast was perfectly presented on a square plate. I love a square plate and I’m not sure why. Huey Lewis must have had similar experience when he wrote Hip To Be Square.

Wilson Philips “Hold On” was playing on arrival and the music was decent throughout. The breakfast was quickly eaten and the tea pot drained. Now what? Well ths was a free hit Saturday as I’d been expecting to be working but that was cancelled, and I had no plans for drinking ahead of the Walsall v Newport match so time was on my side. Well, that hot chocolate had to be done. I needed cake also. They list Orange Drizzle cake on the menu which I have never heard of but it had to be the lemon equivalent.

Unfortunately they had no lemon drizzle cake so I opted for lemon cream instead. Upon ordering the hot chocolate with cream the pleasant lady serving asked “do you want marshmallows as well?”. As you know I’m not good at being put on the spot so I panicked and said yes. Both the cake and hot chocolate were superb. This was a very civilised hour and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Toilets are upstairs and there is a blackboard and chalk outside of them for feedback. I resisted the urge to put a childish slightly rude thing like I did on the blackboard in the toilet of Katz on a couple of occasions.

Great visit this. I’m due to visit Brownhills again in the next week or so on a mission so I may tailor in another visit here, and hopefully will break my orange drizzle virginity.