‘HOW many calories?’ I asked the chef. ‘A canny few, like,’ he laughed

IT’S been 20 years since I last tucked into Middlesbrough’s iconic dish, but within a couple of bites I was transported back to parmo paradise.

According to legend, it was first served by Nicos Harris at The American Grill in 1958. Nicos and his restaurant have long since gone, but plenty of places on the same street offer the dish, costing from £6 for a takeaway to £15 for a sit-down meal.

At Olivello restaurant, owner Cemal Ocak has his chefs rustle up not one, but three different varieties of parmo.

‘You’ve come to the right place,’ he says, pointing at the nine parmo combinations on his menu. ‘Middlesbrough is the spiritual home of the parmo.’

As well as the traditional dish of flattened deep-fried chicken covered in melted cheese and bechamel sauce, I try the Ultimate Parmo (with pulled pork, streaky bacon and crispy onions) and the Surf ’n’ Turf (topped with king prawns and garlic butter sauce). It’s not the prettiest dish you’ve ever seen, but the smell and taste are heaven.

Heaving at my waistband, I commend head chef Peter Rafferty for his efforts before asking the million-dollar question: ‘Just how many calories are in each parmo?’

He gives a wry smile, shrugs his shoulders and replies: ‘There’s a canny few, like.’

That’s an understatement. It might take me 20 years to work them off.