So, it was my mother’s birthday. We were a small gathering of seven, and wanted to go somewhere special. My immediate reaction: Either KFC, McDonald’s, or Pizza Hut. To tell you the truth,
I was getting a bit sick of all these fast food chains where you walked in amidst a huge crowd and placed your order at the counter, and took it and went. But then somebody suggested Nando’s, and off we went.
When we arrived, I found that there were quite a few people, but Nando’s was a bit more spacious than your average McDonald’s. The floor and walls were not of a sickly white colour; instead, they were made of smooth, polished wood. There were small sayings on the walls, and colourful signs on the wallpaper that told the story of how Nando’s was invented. To add to the cosy decor, instead of flashy signboards showing a picture of items, they were written down on a blackboard in colourful chalk. I found this to be quite an innovative idea.
We took our seats. Surprisingly, we all fitted comfortably into one booth. Deciding our orders, we sent away the waiter. And then we waited... and waited. I read all the sayings on the walls, drew faces on the free balloons and played one game on my mobile. As soon as I was starting to feel really hungry, our food arrived. I took my burger and bit into it.
Whatever words I use, I cannot do justice to the tender, succulent burger of theirs. I had ordered my burger as Mild Peri-Peri (the other choices are Lemon ’N’ Herbs, Hot Peri-Peri and Extra Hot Peri-Peri). I would recommend Extra Hot Peri-Peri to Indians, Pakistanis and any other people who enjoy spicy food. The food is always hot and not dripping with oil.
Unlike most fast food chains, the burger was different. For example, in KFC, the burger is pre-made. They heat and serve. Sometimes, this causes the burger to be greasy, stale and sometimes it might even have an odour emitting from it. Not so in Nando’s! They may take time for the preparation, but the end result is always fresh and delicious. The fries they serve are also very lip-smacking. Not like other places, where the fries are all crunch and no munch, the fries are really tasty.
I think I must make one more point about the cleanliness. The last time I visited another fast food chain, namely McDonald’s, the tables were very dirty, with small bits of chip and some drink spilled. We had to clean it up ourselves. But in Nando’s, the tables are always sparkling.
Another point about the ambience; do not come to Nando’s if you want to sit in a loud, noisy, tubelight-lit room with grease on the table. Also, the Drive-Thru service is not available in Nando’s. The fun in eating Nando’s in the place is one of the best points itself.