Fancy a Portugese?? (Nandos)

Member Name: xxfoxyredxx

Product:	Nandos
Date:	22/08/08 (814 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: No artificial colours or preservatives, the food is what it is!

Disadvantages: Can get boring if you go to often

I do enjoy eating out and way back when I was following the weight watchers diet it actually presented me with alot of problems in this area. To eat out in lots of places meant to eat either free vegetables all day long and even then watch what I was eating or drinking when out or eating not alot out at all and having to watch dressings hidden on food and stuff and quite frankly I became a real bore to be with as I was so rigid (had I not of been though I wouldn't have lost 6 and half stone!). One place I was more than happy to eat at though was Nandos. I had a little weight watchers eating out guide that told me all the restaurants and their points on my diet and Nandos was listed so I could work out what to have before I went out so it was stress free and I found at Nandos I could actually eat rather alot in comparison to anywhere else and I liked the food!

The Restaurant....

I've eaten in alot of them actually. My local one used to be on in Victoria, London and I now go to the one in my home town which is Coventry. The restaurant chain first opened in 1987 and although I can't find a list of how many restaurants there actually are shall we say there are alot of them scattered all over the place!

In my experience the restaurants are all pretty similar looking. Sure some are larger than others etc but basically there isn't much of a difference. Wooden floors, wooden chairs and table some have benches some don't. All the one's I have been in have an open kitchen area which isn't too close to where you eat and you can see the food being cooked on a hotplate by chefs.

My now local restaurant is spread across 2 floors. As you walk in staff dressed in navy blue t-shirts with something catchy written on the front and navy trousers greet you asking have you been in the restaurant before. If you say no then they tells you bits of information that will actually point you in the right direction of where to get things you need from I.E cutlery and sauces etc. Also as you walk in a well stocked bar where of course you can get alcoholic beverages from, teas coffees etc and close to that there is a leather seating area where you can walk in and order a take away from and sit whilst it is being prepared for you. One great thing about this is for £1.70 you can order a soft drink glass and it's bottomless and you can choose from a variety that you help yourself to.

Our restaurant has quite alot of tables and in the centre of the restaurant is where you go yourself to get cutlery and sauces etc. So when you are seated and have a red chicken on your table (to signify your waiting to order) you can nip off and get what your table needs. So along with cutlery and napkins and the soft drink and frozen yogurt area (I'll come on to that later!) you can grab a bottle or as many bottles of sauce as you desire all free of charge. I can't quite remember all of the sauces but if I recall there was garlic sauce, mild sauce, hot sauce and very hot sauce,olive oil and tomato sauce. All very nice and really nice with the chicken but test them first as I found the garlic sauce hotter that the very hot sauce! A nice touch is you can keep them on your table to the end of your meal. You haven't got staff coming and taking them away mid way through your meal which can be annoying and the sauces are always well stocked in my experience.

Simply laid out our restaurant is cream in colour with lots of plants etc. Although a large and usually busy restaurant it still feels quite intimate. The 2nd floor of the restaurant has toilets (disabled as well a stand on lift is available) and baby changing area via some steps and go down some more there is a seating are if you wish to eat outside. The toilets are incredibly clean and quite modern, never have I seen them manky.

The Staff...

Friendly, professional and helpful. They know their jobs and their food. They are always busy and on the ball!

The Food....

Chicken, chicken and more chicken.

If you don't like chicken then don't bother going is probably the best advice I can give you. All of the chicken is marinaded in Nandos special peri-peri spices giving it a really nice seasoned taste then at the point or ordering (you order at the bar) you choose whether you would like your chicken further marinaded in lemon & herb, Mango & lime, medium, hot or extra hot (if it's chicken). Careful what you choose here as it really does flavour the chicken as it's a baste and make a difference to your overall experience.

The menu is fairly vast considering the main courses are of course chicken I always have an appetizer (starter) and my personal favourites are houmous with peri-peri drizzle which is exactly what it says it is with a toasted pitta bread (£2.95) or I like the spicy olives which are black and green olives with garlic and peppers but do be careful I nearly chipped a tooth last time I had these! (£2.80). There are three other appetizers/starters on the list which are explorers mix which is a mixture of cranberries, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, peas, beans and corn (£2.50, Peri-Peri Nuts (£2.50) and red pepper dip With Warm Pitta Bread (£2.95). I think these things are exactly what they say they are. Appetizers. Great with a drink before your meal and you do get a decent size as well. Great for sharing.

Main Meals....

1/4 chicken £3.15, 1/2 chicken £5.60, whole chicken £10.85. 3 5 10 chicken wings £2.60, £4.25, £7.90 respectively. Then there are a selection of chicken burgers and chicken in pitta bread.

There is also quite a large selection of veggie burgers and pittas such as Mushroom & Halloumi Cheese Burger (£5.30) and a beanie pitta (£4.95). There are also 4 salads all of which are vegetarian and the most expensive is £5.50.

On the menu there are also 4 platters to choose from, ideal for families. Full Platter which costs £16.55 and consists of Whole Chicken + 2 Large or Fino Side Dishes or Meal Platter which costs £16.70 which is a Whole Chicken + One Large or Fino Side Dish + 2 Bottomless Soft Drinks or Jumbo Platter £35.80 which is 2 Whole Chickens + 5 Large or Fino Side Dishes or a Wing Platter £13.95 which is 10 Chicken Wings + 2 Large or Fino Side Dishes. If you don't want chicken or salad there are two dishes available. Chicken Livers and Portuguese Roll (£4.95) or Prego Steak Roll (£6.85).

When you've picked your main meal of course you need side dishes and in some cases there are deals on the menu that for a set price you can can have two side dishes to your meal and it works out cheaper. In come cases you can't so the side dishes can be purchased separately. Regular chips, spicy rice, coleslaw, corn on the cob, garlic bread all priced at £1.70 each and all of those side dishes are available in large sizes too at £3.35. Fino side dishes have recently been added on the to the menu and fino apparently means posh. These three dishes are all vegetarian and are ratatouille, sweet potato mash (both £3.25) and a mixed leaf salad £3.60. There are a few things on the menu that are listed under extras on the menu. So if say you are having a beanie burger and want cheese you can get a slice. Pineapple is on there along with chilli jam and a couple of other things and portuguese rolls and pitta bread (70p each).

Yes there is a kids menu for the Nandinos (kids under 10). The chicken dishes are milder for the children or you can request they are not basted in anything or you can pick from the usual spice range if your little uns like it hot! All of the meals come with one regular side dish (as I've listed already), and either a bottomless frozen yogurt or a chilly Billy Lolly. The meals available for the kids are chicken breast burger, 3 chicken wings, veggie burger or bean burger and all are priced £3.95 each.

Of course desserts are also available also in the menu for and there isn't a huge selection. couple of cheesecakes, ice-cream, sorbet and pastries priced in the region of £1.25- £3.55 and the yogurt is frozen and you help yourself and it's bottomless so you can eat as much as you wish!

Drinks as I mentioned at the beginning of the review are vast. There is a good selection of wines available by the glass or bottle and all drinks can only be purchased along with meal. I was going out with someone who was a wine connoisseur and as I was about to order a cocktail pitcher he over rode my decision by a bottle of wine and it was lovely!

In my local restaurant things are on sale behind the bar such as t shirts, marinades, sauces and dips though I haven't seen them on sale in any other restaurants to be honest but of course nowadays you can buy the sauces etc in places like Sainsbury's and the ones I have tried have been excellent.

The Website....

Yes there is a Nandos website www.nandos.co.uk and it is brilliant. Locate a restaurant, full comprehensive menu list and prices, and an online shop to purchase nandos products online, lots of information on Nandos, and job vacancy information. It's a really excellent site and put together really well!

Overall....

The restaurant is clean and tidy and service in my experience has always been really quick and your not rushed. The Portuguese music plays softly in the background and you can hear yourself think. The sauces are always we;l stocked and there's always a member of staff on hand to help you out though they are not in your face the whole time. The food is nice and always cooked and hot but it can get really boring if you fancy a change and go regular but this is Portuguese and chicken and that's is really which it is fair enough really!

The prices are fair and I feel the food is value for money. It's fresh tasty and well presented and there's plenty of it. Impressed? I am if I'm in the mood for it.

The only thing that isn't great about it is that it isn't waitress service. So you do have to get all your own stuff and get up to place your order and get up again and pay for it which of course isn't a massive problem unless there is a queue and alot of the time there is one in my local restaurant as it's so popular. Excepts all major credit cards and cash of course!

Very popular with families thought it isn't really kid friendly though will on request provide high chairs and things and if your kids to run around to be prepared to get told off!

Summary: A nice enough meal if you feel like chicken tonight!