Pretty much what it says on the box (Nandos)

Member Name: mgoldman

Product:	Nandos
Date:	24/08/06 (305 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good food, cheap, a bit different

Disadvantages: Can get crowded, may alienate older customers

I had always noted that the Nando's chain had received favourable reviews in the trusted Time Out guide to eating in London, so had been waiting for an opportunity to try one.
Nando's specialises in piri piri chicken, a Portuguese dish which essentially means Chicken that has been marinaded in hot piri piri sauce.
My experiences of piri piri chicken in Portugal had been mixed to indifferent, and this was mainly due to the scrawny nature of Portuguese Chickens, and the somewhat alien way the bird is portioned ie apparently randomly. I thought that some plump factory farm chicken in the UK might be a better bet, and I was right.
I first tried to get into the Finchley Lido branch in North London on a Saturday night. They don't take bookings, and you have to wait. Nando's at that location is part of the local 'yoof' culture (because it is cheap), and my life is too short for a half hour wait for grilled chicken. Strike one.(Three strikes and your'e out)
However, we passed the Goodge Street branch early on a wet Wednesday night, and this was a good time. Other reviews spell out the mechanics, that you are given a table and a number, and you place your order and pay for it advance. This is presumably a sensible measure, based on the proposed customer base, as it means there are no bill runners at the end. However in our case, there was a slight misunderstanding and overcharge (noticed after payment), but the staff willingly corrected this and refunded money, with no dispute.
There is a limited choice, but this can involve vegetarian food. Naturally the emphasis is on PiriPiri. You choose how much you want, how hot you want it, and what you want to go with it. The main choice seems to be either spiced rice or chips. There is not much in the way of starters, and these could be omitted.
Food arrives quickly and hot, and is exactly what it says on the menu. Portions are excellent. We found the two person platter to be more than enough for two people with healthy appetites. Chicken was flavoursome, spicy, and good quality. There were no negative comments about the other accompaniments, recognizing that this is fast food.
We chose a bottle of wine (Cheapest is about £10, and was adequate), but the emphasis seems to be on soft drinks, which are in huge refillable glasses. Deserts are a bit synthetic, but no problem and coffee was reasonably priced, and came in a huge mug.
Service was good, and staff came to check that we had no problems.
Atmosphere is not very Portuguese, but is relaxed and good humoured.
Our bill for two, including one desert, coffee and wine came to just over £30.

Summary: The better end of fast food restaurants. Good food that is a little different.