Not the obvious choice....for a veggie! (Nandos)

Member Name: excelsior81

Product:	Nandos
Date:	18/08/09 (54 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great selection of veggie dishes

Disadvantages: Shame about the chicken!

As a vegetarian a Nandos is actually not the first port of call for any of my meals as the restaurant chain specialises in chicken dishes from Portugal. Prior to becoming a vegetarian, I had visited Portugal and enjoyed Piri-Piri (or Peri-Peri) chicken, mostly because of the blends of spices and tatses. I enjoy my food with a bit of heat as I think it brings out all the flavours in a meal.

I was in Covent Garden and in a bit of a hurry with a friend as we were on parking meter and she suggested that we visit Nandos. She had been there previously and was wax lyrical about the vegetarian options, reluctantly, I decided to give it a go.

The first thing I noticed was the calm atmosphere of the bar area and the huge array of drinks on offer. It was a welcoming place and the staff were very polite and helpful when we entered. We said we wanted a table by the window so that we could 'people watch' and they were able to find one.

The menus were clearly organised and yes, the chicken did dominate, but with the selections for burgers, wraps and salads, there was a good choice of vegetarian options. The bean burger was my choice of meal and I added two sides to it, my friend chose two different sides but had the burger also (but in a wrap). We added corn on the cob, spicy rice, chips, garlic bread and halloumi...yes we were hungry!!!

We waited about twenty minutes for our food to arrive and whilst waiting we enjoyed a bowl of spicy nuts and 'bottomless' diet coke... a great idea and one that enabled us to get very good value for money!

One of the options I really liked was the sauce that your burger is cooked in. Obviously, spice is a feature, but as a customer, you get the chance to have it as mild...or as hot as you like. I obviously chose the hottest and waited with anticipation and also a forboding sense of dread, it could be too hot that I would not enjoy it!

When the food arrived it was very well presented. Vegetarian burgers are notoriously hit and miss, but I am pleased to say that the burger was delicious. The sauce hot...but very tasty, the bread frsh and filling and the accompaniments...delicious!

A particular favourite was the corn on the cob. We were served two giant pieces of corn that had been very well cooked. The butter just melted into the corn flesh and it was a great extra with our meal.

We enjoyed eating at Nados because;

* It was very clean
*Had helpful and polite staff
* Was quick to serve, but it did not feel like it was all processed rubbish
* Was reasonable priced for a central London location (approximately £28 for two)

Usually when I am in London, I avoid places like this and prefer to eat at smaller more intimate venues, but Nandos has really surprised me.

If you want a surprisingly good Veggie choice...give it a go!

Summary: A surprisingly good find