Three Portsmouth lads set up Fratton takeaway The Grill Kitchen selling handmade burgers, piri piri chicken and thick milkshakes

Brothers Anhar and Rumen Uddin joined up with cousin Azmol Hussain to open The Grill Kitchen in Fratton Road.

The business has proved popular with customers snapping up their handmade burgers, piri piri chicken and thick milkshakes.

The trio, who all went to Priory School, were all working at takeaways across the city when they decided to use their experience to set up their own business.

Anhar, 27, Rumen, 24, and Azmol, 29, spent months fine-tuning their menu and refurbishing the unit, after they got the keys in November.

After an initial soft launch in February, the business finally opened properly on March 15, and they say they are delighted to see their food and drink go down so well with locals.

Anhar, from Southsea, said: ‘The response has been really good. We looked at what everyone else was doing as we didn’t want to be doing the same.

‘It was a very thought-out process. Covid gave us a lot of time to fine tine things.’

When they spotted the premises, which used to be an Indian takeaway, up for rent last year, they knew they had to take the chance.

Anhar said: ‘Our family has always been in the takeaway industry. This unit became available and because of its location, in central Fratton, we knew it was too good an opportunity to miss. We love being right in the heart of Portsmouth ’

Anhar said the top sellers so far have been the loaded fries, which come topped with chicken, chilli beef or chorizo, the triple bacon cheeseburgers, and their chicken, which is coated in spices.

He also said their thick milkshakes, which use a special recipe involving soft-serve ice cream and can also be made with a vegan recipe, have also been extremely popular – especially the Lotus Biscof, Oreo and bubblegum flavours.

Anhar said: ‘It’s totally different, no one in Portsmouth does that.’

SEE ALSO: Jobs up for grabs as Slimming World plans for a return to in-person meetings

The takeaway opening has created six jobs, which saw more than 500 people apply.

They have tried to stay away from delivery websites to avoid extra charges, instead setting up their own website, Facebook page and Instagram account.

They have already built up a good following - and Anhar said he hopes more people will join them when they hear about their story.

He added: ‘We are a new local business and we are trying to get some support from our city. It has been a long journey, and a difficulty one, to get here, but we are finally open and hope that people will support us.’

For more go to thegrillkitchen.co.uk/menu

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

You can subscribe here for unlimited access to our online coverage, including Pompey, with 70 per cent fewer adverts for less than 20p a day