Nando’s peri-peri: A spice so nice they named it twice

By The Standard | May. 20, 2013

From humble beginnings in Rosettenville, southern Johannesburg, Nando’s has rapidly spread around the world; from Bangladesh to Botswana,

From humble beginnings in Rosettenville, southern Johannesburg, Nando’s has rapidly spread around the world; from Bangladesh to Botswana, Namibia to New Zealand, India to Iceland, you can find your Nando’s fix conveniently close by.

By Le Connoisseur

It’s not difficult to figure out the reason for their phenomenal success. They do one thing and they do it extremely well — chicken. But it’s not just any chicken, it’s their special brand of South African/Mozambican chicken, in particular peri-peri chicken, from a mild lemon and herb flavour to an extra-hot, blow-your-head-off and clear-your-sinuses version. They have a great formula which they stick to and do very well. They’re not just a take-away; they’ve been working on making their outlets more attractive as a sit-down-to-eat option too. Nando’s Pomona has outside seating, a covered veranda area and inside tables as well. The décor is slick and modern, kind of trendy but relaxed enough so you don’t have to get dressed up and a cool place for kids too.

The menu, of course, offers multiple chicken options: ¼chickens, ½chickens, full chickens, burgers, pitas and wraps. There are also some salads, an option of chips or spicy rice and a kiddie’s menu. There’s a selection of drinks, non alcoholic of course and a couple of great desserts. If you don’t feel like a full meal try a cappuccino and a cheesecake. They’ve also made some concessions to the health conscious and weight watchers — and there are a couple of vegetarian choices as well.

We ordered from the main counter and sat down to wait for our food, opting to try the chicken burger (mild), a ½chicken and chips (hot) and the saucy chicken strips with spicy rice. The burger was good — a grilled chicken breast in a fresh roll garnished with some lettuce and tomato, simple but tasty. The ½chicken was also delicious but a bit too hot for my taste, although the brave soul who ordered it said it was just the way he liked it, while wiping the sweat from his forehead and trying not to cough too loudly. I enjoyed the spicy chicken strips which came with rice and a selection of vegetables in a kind of stir fry. It’s a guilt free version of fast food!

The only disappointment and I think it’s quite a serious issue, was that the chips were not really up to par. They were abysmal, and I’ve certainly had a lot better. They weren’t cooked through, looking OK on the outside but the insides were hard, tasting raw and floury, and they were solid and greasy.

I’ve had bad chips a few times at various different take-aways and restaurants and I really can’t understand why. Chips are not exactly rocket science to get right. For most take-aways chips are an important part of the meal, not just an add-on or an accessory. One place where I ate recently and complained about the horrible chips blamed the problem on their potato supplier. I don’t think that’s the real root of the problem (root, potato, get it?). Other venues are making great chips that are crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy inside, the way they’re supposed to be. I think Nando’s should look at the way their chips are being prepared or they should change their supplier. The chips really let them down.

However, dessert and coffee helped compensate.The cappuccino was frothy and strong and one member of our group had a hot chocolate drink which was also good, rich and comforting, a great pick-me-up on a cold winter’s day. For dessert they offer two kinds of cheesecake, a hot sticky toffee pudding or a duo of chocolate mousse. I chose the lemon cheesecake which I really enjoyed — the lemony taste went well with the sweetness of the creamy filling and the biscuity crust. The desserts come pre-made and individually packed so they’re convenient as a take-away too. The food came quickly after we ordered and apart from the chips it was pretty hot stuff, especially the peri-peri chicken, and the prices are reasonable. The only thing left to say is Bom Proveito — Enjoy!