Two Norwich chefs have reopened the city’s former Micawber’s pub for rotisserie takeaways.
Roger Hickman, who runs Hickman’s restaurant, in Upper St Giles, and Andy Rudd, head chef at Stoke Mill, in Stoke Holy Cross, have got together to launch The Chick Inn at Micawber’s’ in Pottergate.
It will offer rotisserie chicken cooked in a special oven installed at the pub which has been closed since August, 2019.
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The new venture was due to open on November 1, but that plan was scuppered by the announcement of the four-week lockdown.
Now the chefs, who both offer collection menus from their own restaurants during the Covid closure, are set to open for takeaway meals from the new venue from Thursday to Sunday evenings.
The takeaway menu features a range of chicken dishes with imaginative names including ‘The Mother Clucker’ (a whole rotisserie chicken with fries and coleslaw) to ‘Chicken Sees A Salad’ (half a chicken with coleslaw, salad and Caesar dressing).
Mr Rudd said: “Because we are such a new business, we are not eligible for any of the government support during lockdown. We have invested heavily in refurbishing this historic pub and in the equipment to offer a really top quality rotisserie chicken, so we have decided to open for takeaways during lockdown – and we plan to open fully as soon as lockdown ends.”
The pub dates to 1722 when it was known as the Duke of York and later became The Alma from 1857 to 1977. It was then Micawber’s from 1977 to 1995. After that, it became an Irish theme bar called Seamus O’Rourke’s from October 1995 to November 2000 when it became The Micawber’s. It was renowned for its dark green glossy painted exterior and the sign showing a cartoon representation of Mr Micawber from Charles Dickens’ 1850 novel David Copperfield.
The character Mr Micawber was known for asserting his faith that “something will turn up” and his name has become synonymous with optimism.
Chick Inn at Micawbers will be open from 5pm–8pm, Thursdays to Sundays kicking off on November 12 and details of how to order can be found online.
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