Eastern Sea
Quick info
About Eastern Sea
On Norwich Rd, Eastern Sea is a Chinese takeaway serving the menu in the evenings, closed on Tuesdays. The sweet and sour sauce stands out for its bright red colour, closer to what some call radioactive pink than the usual shade, alongside sweet and sour chicken balls, chow mein, and duck pancakes. Chilli beef or chicken and beef in black bean sauce round out the options, with special fried rice served alongside. Orders are taken on a walk-in basis, and payment is cash only. The counter staff handle service at the front. Many dishes carry a generous amount of onion throughout the cooking.
Reviews
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention sweet and sour sauce, chicken balls dry, cash only no card and chow mein.
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention sweet and sour sauce, chicken balls dry, cash only no card and chow mein.
Customer Review Summary
Sweet and sour is the dish most reviewers zero in on, and opinions split sharply over it: some call the chicken balls and beef in black bean sauce good, while repeated complaints describe the sauce as an odd bright or "radioactive" red or pink, and often watery or bland rather than sticky. Chow mein and duck pancakes draw praise as tasty, but overcooking and dryness recur, with several describing chicken balls as rock solid or like bullets, and rice variously called dark, dry, or reheated-tasting. Blandness is the most consistent complaint, with multiple reviewers using the word directly and one calling the meal "a world of beige." A few also flag heavy onion use and missing vegetables like broccoli, undercooked prawns, and one order that arrived twenty minutes late and no longer hot. Staff are frequently called friendly, though one reviewer describes curt, grunted service, and payment is noted as cash only by one customer.
Customer Review Summary
Sweet and sour is the dish most reviewers zero in on, and opinions split sharply over it: some call the chicken balls and beef in black bean sauce good, while repeated complaints describe the sauce as an odd bright or "radioactive" red or pink, and often watery or bland rather than sticky. Chow mein and duck pancakes draw praise as tasty, but overcooking and dryness recur, with several describing chicken balls as rock solid or like bullets, and rice variously called dark, dry, or reheated-tasting. Blandness is the most consistent complaint, with multiple reviewers using the word directly and one calling the meal "a world of beige." A few also flag heavy onion use and missing vegetables like broccoli, undercooked prawns, and one order that arrived twenty minutes late and no longer hot. Staff are frequently called friendly, though one reviewer describes curt, grunted service, and payment is noted as cash only by one customer.
Featured reviews
- Josephine Bentley
“Yuck, given this Chinese 3 tries now because it’s close by. All barely edible. Time to review. 2 stars being generous.”
- Tom Buck
“Super friendly staff, never had an order wrong. Food is good, sweet and sour balls are great, beef in black beans also is good along with chow mein. Curries can be a bit hit or miss often not as thick as I'd like it.. One thing I would say is all the food has a lot of onion in it, stir fry veg also had a lot of onion, there is no broccoli which surprised me especially living next to fruit and vegetables shop. Overall very good but food is slightly dated Chinese menu with a lot of onion in pretty much all dishes Ive tried bar chow miens.”
- Colin Sanders
“The takeaway meals I purchased brought a new level to the word bland. Absolutely tasteless and dry. Won't be trying again. And cash only Why?”
- Ron Finch
“Take notice of the bad reviews which are accurate and I can't add anything to what has already been written. This has to be the worst takeaway ever. Soggy, fatty, inedible spring roll. Chicken balls dry and like bullets, sweet and sour sauce a weird and flavourless bright red colour. Egg fried rice dry. didn't eat most of it so waste of £14. I hate giving negative reviews, but this one is well deserved and a poor advert for Aylsham. On a positive note, the lady on the front desk was very nice.”
- Lucy Evans
“I have never had such a wet and soggy takeaway. Cauliflower diamond, prawn chow mein and sweet and sour all swimming in wet sauce. Not sticky sauce - watery sauce! I know you get a sweet and sour expecting the colour to be bright red, but this was radioactive pink. Prawn chow mein was made with the tiniest prawns I have ever seen! Won't be going again. Plus, the guy who took my order gave zero care to the customer and communicated in grunts. And they don't take card! Avoid!”
Hours
- Monday
- Tuesday
- Closed
- Wednesday
- Thursday
- Friday
- Saturday
- Sunday
Good to know
- ReservationsWalk-in only
Location
Restaurants near Eastern Sea
- Amber Bar & Restaurant4.52359.3 mi away£20–30Wheelchair accessibleGood for kidsReservations
sunday roast, generous portions, whitebait starter
- Gibson's4.84529.6 mi away£10–50Vegan optionsVegetarian optionsWheelchair accessible
scotch egg, sticky toffee pudding, yorkshire pudding
- Browne's On Bond Street4.83469.6 mi away£10–20Outdoor seatingVegan optionsVegetarian options
homemade quiche, lamb kofta, crab salad
| Place | Rating | Distance | Price | Mentioned in reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Sea | 4.0112 | — | — | sweet and sour sauce, chicken balls dry, cash only no card |
| Amber Bar & RestaurantWheelchair accessible · Good for kids · Reservations | 4.5235 | 9.3 mi away | £20–30 | sunday roast, generous portions, whitebait starter |
| Gibson'sVegan options · Vegetarian options · Wheelchair accessible | 4.8452 | 9.6 mi away | £10–50 | scotch egg, sticky toffee pudding, yorkshire pudding |
| Browne's On Bond StreetOutdoor seating · Vegan options · Vegetarian options | 4.8346 | 9.6 mi away | £10–20 | homemade quiche, lamb kofta, crab salad |
The 3 nearest restaurants by distance. Ratings, hours and review terms come from public business profiles.
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