A SOUTHEND restaurant received an unexpected endorsement on national television.

Countdown’s Rachel Riley, who went to Southend High School for Girls and lives in Thorpe Bay, praised Mangetout on the air while comparing it favourably to former nightclub Churchill’s.

The Tylers Avenue nightclub closed at the beginning of January and was taken over by brothers Will and Frank Fishenden, who moved their barbecue restaurant from Chichester Road to the larger venue.

Speaking to Nick Hewer on Countdown, Miss Riley, 29, said: “There was a horrible club when I was growing up and I remember a few times hitting some men in there with my handbag, because it was really sleazy and not very nice, but now it’s a lovely restaurant called Mangetout.

“They do this thing called a Manwich, which is a sandwich for a man, a real man, because it’s taller than it is wide. It’s got everything you could possibly think of in it and it’s amazing.”

Will Fishenden said: “Rachel is lovely, she used to come into our old restaurant quite a lot and loved the bits and bobs we do for her.

“She’s mentioned us once before and I consider myself really lucky.”