My first encounter with Peri Peri occurrred on a wet weekday afternoon in December last year. We happened upon Nando's on the recommendation of a colleague of mine. We were a group of 4 gals who had just come to Leeds for the day to sit a 'very important examination'. So we indeed needed to chillout at the end of it.-din't we? And what a HOT CHILL it happenend to be!!!
Location Location Location:
They say its important when buying a property, but I think its important too when siting a Nandos. Somewhere easy to get to, and fast. As when the roar for a nandos erupts, you have to get there as soon as possible. In Leeds the address is Unit 4, The Light, The Headrow, Leeds, LS1 2QS and the phone number is 0113 242 8908 .
What is Nandos???
Nandos is a restaurant. Simple answer. And it serves Chicken. Nothing exceptional about that too. Then what is so special about Nandos?? If you are like me and abhor the Bland and Beautiful, but love the Zing and Spice, you cant do much better than Nandos in Britain! Forget the Indian Currys, they dont bear a torch to the Peri Peri in Nandos Chicken.
What happens when you get there?
We were greeted by a lady dressed in Black (that is their uniform) who very politely asked us if we have been there before. We said no. She then showed us to a table for 4, gave us our menu cards , and went on to explain how to order etc.
How to order and what to order?
You order Chicken as there is precious else there. But there are starters too. Some olives or some spicy nuts.Chicken, you can have it spiced to various degrees. For the unadventurous there is the Lemon and Herb. Then comes Medium and Hot and Extra Hot. The Extra Hot should under no circumstance be tried out by the uninitiated! The Chicken is made over a grill, fresh, before your own eyes and sauced to you specifications. You can order it with 'sidelines' like corn on the cob, or spicy rice, or chips. You can also buy the chicken stuffed in Pitta bread. They do have a large menu offering different combinations of Chicken. You have a choice of what you would like to drink. You can buy some fruit juice and stick with the bottle or you could buy a glass for a softdrink and keep replenishing it as much as you want!!! Might be a wee bit unhealthy, but who cares. You really need lots of fluids to wash down that Chicken!! After making your choices you go to the counter and place your order and pay. Collect your drinks, spare plates and cutlery if you wish.(finger licking serves me best). The order gets served to your table, so just go back to your seat and wait in anticipation.
History and Taste:
The chicken is spiced with Peri Peri Chilli sauce. Peri Peri or African Birds Eye chilli was discovered by The Portugese in Mozambique I think. Nandos have combined this Chilli with a unique combination of herbs and spices to make their sauces. This Chilli is HOT HOT HOT. And the chicken is Awesome to say the least. My advice is to start with a level of heat that you can manage. And then if you are comfortable with that try the higher level next time. Or if two or more go together you can buy it in different heats and try them all. I can assure you it would be an experience that you wouldnt forget easily.
Disadvantages:
The place is overcrowded. Seats are placed quite close to each other. It was OK for us as we were a group of 4 so we had an entire side table with benches all to ourselves. But if you are a couple dont expect to be able to share sweet nothings in that environment. Its pretty warm in there, both with the cooking and with the number of people.
Conclusion: Nandos Chicken is an experience that should be tried, and where other to try it than in the Heart of Leeds.
Hope you found this review interesting.
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Cleanliness
Good
Family Friendly
Good
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