Nandos dos the best chicken ever !!! (Nandos)

Member Name: jazzypinkpuppet

Product:	Nandos
Date:	21/08/09 (93 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Delicious food, relaxed atmosphere, great prices.

Disadvantages: Sometimes a queue, limited desserts.

It was only a matter of time of me writing reviews before I got to this little gem - Nandos. I am basing my review on my experiences at the Crayford Nandos, Crayford is a small town in Bexley, Kent.

So what is Nandos ?
Nandos is a portuguese themed resturant, their focus is on the customer enjoying themselves in a relaxed environment, the actively encourage you to eat with your hands and think nothing of you licking your fingers after!!
Although Nandos is a Portuguese restaurant it was actually founded in South Africa in 1987. Five years later they opened their first U.K branch and today there are over 200 restaurants all over the U.K.

What food will I find there ?
Nandos is famous for its peri peri Chicken, this is the heart and soul of the restaurant. Chicken dishes come as either a breast in pitta or as a half or whole chicken, you can then chose your level of heat, for the meek and mild there is Mango and lime or Lemon and herb, for the middle of the road kind of guy there is 'medium', for the hot peeps there is 'hot' and for the red hot smokin' person or the person that is trying to act cool in front of their friends / first date there is the 'extra hot'. A small piece of advice only go for hot or super hot if you really like it spicy.
There are also other options available such as salads, rice dishes and vegetarian wraps although I can't comment on these as I have never eaten them.
They do have a selection of starters such as olives, houmous or their famous peri peri nuts. There are also side orders like garlic bread, corn on the cob and Grilled Halloumi Cheese - yummy.
I tend not to have any of these though as the main portions are huge.
The desert list is not too exciting, there is frozen yoghurt, icecream, and a selection of Portuguese pastries.
One of the best things about Nnados is that their fizzy drinks are bottomless, meaning you can refill them as often as you want via the slef service machines.
There is a special Nandinos menu for the little children, this includes things like chicken wings and rice or chicken in pitta and chips.

Whats the environment and service like ?
Nandos restaurants do vary depending on location, some are small with tightly packed plastic tables and chairs, others like the Crayford branch are large and roomy with big round oak tables and comfy leather chairs.
The whole experience is very laid back and relaxed, you wait to be seated and are given a menu and a red rooster sign. When you have decided what you would like to eat, you make a note of your table number and order at the till point. You pay for your food when you order, this saves time waiting for the bill but it means if you decide you want another dish or a desert you have to go and queue again. Luckily the drinks are self service.
Your food is brought to your table, a little while later a member of staff will come and make sure everything is OK, if it is you are given a green rooster and the red one is taken away.
The staff are not on your back and apart form the above interaction there is very little contact.
The toilets are always spotlessly clean as is the restaurant in general.

I want to go, but how much will it set me back ?
Nandos can be a great budget night out, a meal for two including soft drinks and dessert usually costs us about £30, of course there are cheaper options and it would be more expensive if you had alcoholic drinks.

Overall opinion

I am a big Nandos fan, I love the relaxed feel to it and the delicious food, perfect for a pre night out or just a evening out with friends.

Summary: brilliant for a relaxed informal meal.