8 photos of Southsea's new restaurant Chicken Mania which has replaced Brazilian bar Carioca

Chicken Mania opened at 88 Clarendon Road, Southsea on Saturday, June 17 after the owners of Carioca Bar and Kitchen decided to completely revamp the premises. The new eatery will specialise in chicken based dishes with a ‘Brazilian touch’ to eat in or takeaway.

NOW READ: Southsea's Brazillian bar Carioca to reopen as Chicken Mania restaurant after dramatic makeover

Owner Monica Souza, 57, who moved to the UK from Brazil in 2014, has realised her dream of opening her first full-scale restaurant having run Carioca at the premises for the past year.

Speaking ahead of the opening, Monica said: ‘I came here to Portsmouth and I fell in love. I think Portsmouth is the Rio de Janeiro of England and Southsea is fantastic – I love the atmosphere.

‘I had support from the Brazilian community for the whole year and support from the English community. We will sell chicken but I will still have my bar at night because people love to stop here and have a drink – to bring life to Southsea close to the sea. We are a small place with a big heart. Never give up – if you can dream it, you can do it.’

Chicken from the restaurant, which will also offer takeaway, is available charcoal-grilled and fried and in flavours like peri peri, JD barbecue and house herbs. Monica compared the business to Nandos and added that it will featured recipes from around the world. On Fridays and Saturdays the venue will stay open until 2am serving alcohol alongside food like chicken wings and nachos. During the rest of the week, it will served food from 11am to 9pm.