Nando’s Bulawayo is cheerful and friendly

Wining & Dining
by Le ConnoisseurNot being fast food fans, it was only an unexpected delay in town that saw us heading in the direction of Nando’s on Jason Moyo Street one hot and sultry day. The rain clouds had been threatening all morning so we decided to tempt the gods by having a meal indoors. Nando’s was a favourite haunt of many in Bulawayo looking for a quick meal and this still seems to be the trend, as we queued to place our order. Although one can sit to eat, no waiter service is offered and therefore at lunch time there is quite a throng of customers for both sit-down and take-away meals.

When we got to the front, we were greeted in very friendly terms and proceeded to place our order. Having had a fair while to check out the overhead display of meals offered, it was a bit disappointing to be told that the only veggie meal available was the burger; both the wrap and pita off the menu that day.

 

All dishes at Nando’s come with four flavour choices depending on one’s ability to cope with hot stuff. We opted for lemon and herb as we didn’t really feel like adding to our already wilting bodies. My partner chose a chicken wrap, the lemon cheese cake for something sweet and galaos by two. Once we had paid, we were given a novel table number stand and asked to take a seat as our lunch would be brought to us. As we moved into the depths of the eating area, so the temperature dropped to our delight and surprise. We sat down at a table for two and placed the table number in a strategic spot so that our food could find its way to us and we did not have to wait very long before it reached us. My partner’s wrap was filled with strips of chicken, finely shredded lettuce and some slices of tomato, all well-seasoned with lemon and herb. My veggie burger came on a very fresh Portuguese-style bap with the same style of salad and dressing. The burger was actually quite tasty,with identifiable bits of vegetables such as corn, carrot and peas. However, the presentation was non-existent— just food on a plate. We had hoped for at least some chips or an extra bit of salad, just to break up the monotony of a plain white plate, but all these come at an extra cost.

As we were finishing our main dish, a waitress came bearing our galaos and apologised for the delay, but as we had notice a small group of employees closely inspecting the coffee machine earlier on suspected that there was a problem.  As with an Irish coffee, the galao comes in a glass cup which shows off the three layers.  And this was the highlight of our meal – a coffee we would go back for unlike the very artificial-tasting cheesecake and chocolate duo mousse.  The only other dessert on offer was a hot sticky toffee, which just did not appeal on a day with the temperature almost hitting 30ºC.

Nando’s on Jason Moyo is a very pleasant take-away if you have to take a load off your feet and need to refuel your body and chicken is usually quite tender for such an establishment.  The staff is well-trained and always presents a smiling face and cheerful greeting.  And as mentioned before, the coffee is A1.  Go check it out for yourself.

Speciality Restaurant – Afro Portuguese4 PlatesExpect to spend US$5 to US$12 per headJason Moyo Ave, Central Bulawayo.