I Feel Like Chicken Tonight! (Nandos)

Member Name: cazkins

Product:	Nandos
Date:	07/10/08 (119 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Mix & match your meal to suit you, different spice heat to choose from or plain, reasonable prices

Disadvantages: Could have a wider range of appetisers and desserts

I like my chicken and I quite like some spice now & again so Nandos is a great straightforward restaurant choice for me.

... General ...

Nandos, a restaurant chain dedicated to flame grilled chicken, was first launched in the UK 1992. It now has around 190 restaurants over here and it's a popular choice for dining out as there always seems to be plenty of people in there enjoying their food.

... The Restaurant ...

I'm writing this with my local Nandos in mind, but they're all very similar. When you go in there's a good, positive atmosphere - it's not too loud and bustling, but it's not quiet and awkward either. I'd say it's very comfortable so it's a great place to eat and actually be able to relax and enjoy your food. It has a fast-food feel to it as you order and pay for your meal at the till. I've found the service to be swift and helpful and have never had any problems.

... The Menu ...

As I've said, this is primarily a flame grilled chicken restaurant, so the main ingredient is...yep you guessed it...chicken! Nandos specialises in piri piri flavours, so you can choose your chicken with one of 4 levels of spice, from subtle to stronger: lemon & herb or mango & lime / Medium / Hot / Extra Hot. I prefer my chicken with medium which is just lightly flavoured over the chicken which is a very good thing, the first time I went to Nandos I was worried I'd end up with a river of disguisting sauce all over my plate! If you're not one for spices, you can ask for your chicken plain.

The restaurant does have a Portuguese theme which is reflected when, for example, looking at the appetisers. These include things like humous & spicy mixed olives. I'm quite a boring eater, and when coming for chicken and chips/rice, I'd prefer to have a wider choice of more boring/plain/'normal' starters.

For the main course, you can have your chicken pretty much as you want it which allows flexibility with mixing and matching your sides. Chicken on its own comes in different sizes (eg. 1/4 chicken, 1/2 chicken and chicken wings), or you could opt for it in the form of a burger or pita. If you're a veggie, there's also an option for you with the vegetarian burgers and pitas. Salads are also an option so there are healthy alternatives to chips. If you're going out with a couple of other people you may want to choose a platter which costs around £14-17. Children, aka 'nandinos', are also catered for with an under 10 menu where meals are around £4. Desserts are available, such as tarts (£1.35) and ice-cream (£2.55). As for sides, you can have as much or as litte as you want from regular, or fino, sides. These include chips, spicy rice, coleslaw (ick), corn on the cob, garlic bread, sweet potato mash, salad and ratatouille.

For drinks, there's the usual soft drinks like pop, water, lemonade and orange juice. The really good thing here is that the soft drinks like pepsi are unlimited, so you can refil as you like :) Hot drinks like tea and coffee, beer & cider (mainly just Portuguese varieties), and wine are also available.

... Quality ...

I've found that the food is served quite quickly and they give you good portions. It always tastes healthy, especially as the chicken is flame grilled. It's hot, fresh and very tasty and I've never had reason to complain. The prices are relatively good too so you can get a good sized meal with drink for £10 or under usually (depending on how hungry you are!).

... Overall ...

I really like Nandos, but it does have it's limitations being Portuguese-themed if you're looking for traditional chicken and chips, with a British starter and English beer. That said, you can mix and match your food to suit you which is a great idea. If you're into your spices you'll love the hot piri piri, but if not you'll still enjoy the tasty food as you can get your chicken plain.

One thing I really like is the fact that you can browse their menu and calculate your bill on their website (www.nandos.co.uk) so you can get a feel for the place before you go.

I'd recommend this restaurant, although it's not extra special as such it's still a great place to go with yummy food that wont burn a hole in your purse :)

Summary: A place for people with an 'Appetite For Life' :o)