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Nando's, A South African Spiced-Chicken Chain with Numerous Area Locations


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Just heard that Nando's is opening their first US store in Chinatown at the Asylum Skate Shop space at 819 7th St NW. Don't exactly know when it will open though, but in the near future. Will update as I find out.

If you are not familiar with Nando's, it is a South African chain that specializes in Peri-Peri Chicken. Their sauces have been on sale at Whole Foods and elsewhere for a while. This will be their first US restaurant. I've had many an enjoyable meal there in South Africa and the UK. Pretty excited to have another cheap dining option in Chinatown.

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Just heard that Nando's is opening their first US store in Chinatown at the Asylum Skate Shop space at 819 7th St NW. Don't exactly know when it will open though, but in the near future. Will update as I find out.

If you are not familiar with Nando's, it is a South African chain that specializes in Peri-Peri Chicken. Their sauces have been on sale at Whole Foods and elsewhere for a while. This will be their first US restaurant. I've had many an enjoyable meal there in South Africa and the UK. Pretty excited to have another cheap dining option in Chinatown.

YESSSSS!!!!! So delicious. I always make a stop when I'm in the UK.

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I have been wondering what was going on in that space (and on that block really). Kam Fong (?) moved, the CVS says it's undergoing renovations, but there are also "for lease" signs. I started thinking they were going to demolish the block like at Connecticut and K!

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I visited Nando's in Canada and have to say that I do not share the sentiment of Adam and synaesthesia. The location I visited was nothing more than a fast food chain restaurant with average chicken and a couple spicy (but not terribly interesting) sauces. I was actually pretty disappointed when I heard that they were opening a Nando's here as opposed to another good bar, which Chinatown is still in need of to go along with Proof and PS7s. Hopefully this location turns out better than the one I went to, but my hopes are anything but high.

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Looks like they'll be opening at the end of June. They're starting to look to hire some staff. Peri peri sauce and delicious chicken in my tummy.

Was talking to the manager today, opening date is 7/3. Also looks like they are putting one in near Daily Grill on Conn above 18th and M.

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I visited Nando's in Canada and have to say that I do not share the sentiment of Adam and synaesthesia. The location I visited was nothing more than a fast food chain restaurant with average chicken and a couple spicy (but not terribly interesting) sauces. I was actually pretty disappointed when I heard that they were opening a Nando's here as opposed to another good bar, which Chinatown is still in need of to go along with Proof and PS7s. Hopefully this location turns out better than the one I went to, but my hopes are anything but high.
I went to one in Brisbane, QLD while studying abroad in Australia many years ago. My experience corresponds with yours. The piri-piri sauce was boring, and the chicken was flacid. :lol:
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Nando's is now open! I just called over there to find out if it will be open on July 4th and it will. I went to Nando's in London and loved it!

I tried to stop by for lunch a few minutes ago, and line was almost out the door. They apparently got the word out, but I didn't have time to wait so it'll have to be next week :lol:

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What sides are recommended? Looks like they have two classes -- regular and fino/deluxe.

Neither of the fino are that impressive or worth the extra $, imho. Haven't gone through the regular ones yet.

The chicken livers, although listed in the "sandwiches" section, are just grilled chicken livers. Quite good at medium heat level, but a bit weird by themselves.

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What sides are recommended? Looks like they have two classes -- regular and fino/deluxe.

I really enjoy the butternut squash dish--especially the cranberries and onions. The mashed potatoes and the corn are solid, but nothing earth-shattering. The coleslaw is good and wet (but something I'd rather enjoy slathered on a pulled pork sandwich!). I'd avoid the spicy rice--it's not only not spicy, but mostly bland and flavorless.

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Thanks for the feedback. Probably trying it at lunch today.

The Washington Post initial report (click) didn't have many good things to say about the sides, although they did note the squash side. That'll probably be my default choice unless some new information comes to light when I get to the place.

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Had a decent lunch there. Even the mild sauce has a little kick. The only negative aspect was that my friends' chicken was a lot bigger than mine. But I guess chickens are like people, they come in all shapes and sizes.

I had the squash side, which was good, although a little bland. I threw in some extra peri-peri sauce and that kicked it up a notch.

I also sampled the chunky portuguese salad -- I think I'll get that next time. It was very tasty.

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So I'm headed to Nandos for the first time on Thursday...what should I know about the heat levels? I like spicy, but I also want to be able to taste the chicken and the flavor and not be gasping for some milk. I was leaning toward getting "Hot," but am open to advice.

Medium should actually be just right. You can also mess around with their sauces. Man, I wish the Nando's on Connecticut Ave would hurry up and open already.

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So I'm headed to Nandos for the first time on Thursday...what should I know about the heat levels? I like spicy, but I also want to be able to taste the chicken and the flavor and not be gasping for some milk. I was leaning toward getting "Hot," but am open to advice.
Hot is the way to go. I will also say, however, that I had lunch there today, and there were some execution flaws. My chicken pita sandwich, which I have always loved, had too much sauce and not enough fresh veggies (and the cilantro seemed to be completely missing). Also, the distribution was flawed, leading to bites of all veggies and other bites of all sauce. Hopefully it was just an anomaly, because that's one of my favorite quick lunches around here...
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So I'm headed to Nandos for the first time on Thursday...what should I know about the heat levels? I like spicy, but I also want to be able to taste the chicken and the flavor and not be gasping for some milk. I was leaning toward getting "Hot," but am open to advice.
Well, I'd suggest that you order your chicken without sauce on it initially. That was the default in England. They only put sauce on as they're grilling it, and it's pretty much the equivalent of dipping it yourself. The same sauces are in the bottles in the front. It will also maintain the skin, etc. without glopping it all up. I like getting different cups of each of the diff ones and jumping around. And I also really dig the spicy salt. Mmm...
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Now I just go to El Pollo Rico, which is always correct and is far better anyways.

If I had the option to do this at work, Nando's would never see a dime of my business. They are the model of inconsistency, sometimes delivering a perfectly fine breast of chicken with their spicy (and masking sauces) and a nice Portuguese salad, and other times painfully overcooked chicken wings that are an absurd rip-off at $10 for dried out, meatless chicken bones and limp french fries. I would say that 'you get what you pay for', but I spend around $10-13 when I go (Proof bar lunch special is $12!) and I don't feel like I'm getting the value for that price, at least not every time I go.

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Nando's wasn't bad- had the spicy quarter chicken, fried halloumi, and butternut squash/cranberries/onion dealie. The spicy was indeed spicy- not painfully hot, just flavorful. Once I'd eaten the spice off the skin, tried the garlic peri-peri sauce. A little of that goes a long way, as the garlic is pretty strong. Actually, top that off with the pickled cloves of garlic that come with the spiced olives appetizer and it's a good thing I'm not likely to sweat until March.

Two complaints- most chicken joints ask whether you'd like your quarter dark or light. It's my fault for not stating that I prefer light (my wife thinks about adopting to prevent my genes from poisoning the world with another person who prefers the front half over the back half, so I've suffered enough if you're planning to pile on me) but dark appears to be the default. Second twinge- the extras seem a little steep. Three dollars for a portabello cap? I know I'm cheap, but still...

Otherwise, looks like a fun place for lunch or dinner with non-adventurous relatives.

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I agree about not getting the choice between light or dark meat. I too prefer light, but my leg and thigh ended up being pretty tasty, although the quarter chicken was somewhat smaller than I was expecting.

I took the advice of the above posters and ordered my chicken naked so I could try an array of sauces. I enjoyed the "Extra Hot," but I'm not sure I could handle it on the entire piece. If I were to order one sauce for the whole thing, I would maybe stick with "Hot." All of them were very tasty though. I think I liked the "Wild Herb" (or whatever it's called) better than the "Garlic" though. My friend's pita looked good, so I might try that or one of the sandwiches next time.

I went with the butternut squash side too and it was quite good. A nice combination of chunks of tender butternut squash, onions, dried cranberries and corn. I also added some garlic bread (I had seen it at a neighboring table and couldn't resist). It certainly didn't disappoint. Two huge pieces of buttery, garlicy bread.

All in all, Nando's is a good option for the area and definitely will be in the affordable eats rotation.

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I agree about not getting the choice between light or dark meat. I too prefer light, but my leg and thigh ended up being pretty tasty, although the quarter chicken was somewhat smaller than I was expecting.
goodeats and I stopped by tonight. Again, not being asked what type of meat we were getting, we assumed we were getting dark meat. And were happy to do so, being the good Chinese gals that we are. We laughed when we were served white meat, as we could complain the opposite of what everyone else was. The skin had a nice char on it, but we both found the meat on the rather dry end. It really is much better outside the US. Maybe it's those halal chickens in the UK.
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I stopped by the Dupont location for dinner. It was the first night, and the chicken was spot on. The white meat was moist and delicious. The skin was crisp and with just hints of char.

They don't have booze yet, but will soon. The layout isn't nearly as good as the one in Chinatown (there's a weird little angle to the entry way that makes people cluster), but it's a little less bright which is nice for the location. The only thing that was a bit weird was the guy who brought us our food - he seemed really put-upon when we asked for an extra plate for the whole chicken and salad that we ordered.

The one thing that I've found really weird is they assign you a table first, which makes it seem like there's table service. But then you have to get up an order. This is a bigger annoyance here because the restaurant has a second level of seating.

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I love Nando's Peri Peri--LOVE IT! Not only because of the juicy, fire-grilled chicken, the roasted butternut squash, or the couscous salad. Not only because of the happy hour pitchers of fruit-filled sangria or the selection of good, affordable wines and beers. I love Nando's because, clearly, so much love has gone into it's vision and execution. The smooth wooden chairs in the front of the house are stylish and comfy. The farmhouse table in the window is perfect for large groups. The cushy booths in the back have extra lumbar support. Rustic chandeliers hang from the high ceilings. Latin music caresses the ears. The bathrooms are paragons of usability--with a sleek, beautiful design, water that comes out of the faucets at just the right temperature for getting your hands clean, and a high-tech hand dryer that gets the job done in seconds.

Nando's is just north of the Chinatown Metro on 7th. Mine, all mine--but not for long.

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Had Nando's today for lunch. The quarter chicken "medium" was nice with a pleasant kick. It was flavorful and tender (I had white meat, but didn't ask or didn't care either way), and the side of pleasantly minty peas was an enjoyable diversion from the typical sides that come with quick Washington DC lunches. I'll happily put this place in my lunch rotation when I'm in Verizon Center neighborhood around lunch time. The emphasis on spiciness can make this an interesting stop for those adventurous times when I need to numb everything from my lips to my tongue to my throat to my stomach....and beyond....

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The one thing that I've found really weird is they assign you a table first, which makes it seem like there's table service. But then you have to get up an order. This is a bigger annoyance here because the restaurant has a second level of seating.

Don't know if that started in South Africa or it started in the UK, or if the habits are the same between the two countries in regards to that.

In the UK that isn't all that unusual as many places on the lower-end of sit-down food you find a table and then order food with your table number (pretty much every pub in the country). The slightly odd thing is them taking you to a table in the first place. May have been something that migrated over as part of their process or maybe they had some good reason or another for it.

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They are the model of inconsistency, sometimes delivering ... painfully overcooked chicken wings that are an absurd rip-off at $10 for dried out, meatless chicken bones and limp french fries.

On a whim (and being starving after an early afternoon meeting) I thought i'd try their wings for lunch yesterday and I received the opposite of your concern. My wings were sadly underdone and painfully fatty. They do the wings on the grill, which when done correctly is fantastic. But you definitely can't undercook them, especially considering they leave the wings whole. The end result was a mess of undercooked skin at the joint.

My fries were definitely on the limp side as well. Consistency is definitely a major issue with this franchise.

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On a whim (and being starving after an early afternoon meeting) I thought i'd try their wings for lunch yesterday and I received the opposite of your concern. My wings were sadly underdone and painfully fatty. They do the wings on the grill, which when done correctly is fantastic. But you definitely can't undercook them, especially considering they leave the wings whole. The end result was a mess of undercooked skin at the joint.

My fries were definitely on the limp side as well. Consistency is definitely a major issue with this franchise.

That is so sad, the wings are my favorite thing to order there, and you are right when done well they rock! We normally go to the Chinatown location. I don't know if location plays a factor though as I haven't been to any others, but am excited to take my Mom to Annapolis one.

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Had wings again the other night and they were really good. Crispy and nicely seasoned. I got Medium which wasn't hot at all, but that is good for my stomach and the lemon pepper which are my favorite other than hot. Got them with a side of mashed potatoes and the peas. The peas were really fantastic, I love peas, but these were on the next level of peas for me. Nicely mixed with some mint, but not in an overwhelming way. Went well with mashed potatoes.

All in all a really nice, cheap dinner.

I still think the sit down then go order thing and have servers is a little odd.

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Had friends from out of town who came in for a conference this week (no idea why you would plan a conference this week of all weeks, couldn't have gotten a great rate with the high demand during Cherry blossom time) and we made the mistake of going downtown this weekend to see some of the Smithsonians that opened back up since they had left DC. We thought well everyone will be out seeing the Cherry Blossoms, and they were until it rained. Then they all came packing in. We made it through some exhibits at the National American History, but some were just too crowded with lines down the hall.

And I just don't like it when there are lots of people crowding around around me, so we took that as a sign to vacate for a late lunch. (I also had been a very bad hostess and forgot to feed them breakfast then marched them all over town) So we went to Nando's as everywhere was just packed and we were HUNGRY! We sat down within a few minutes of going in and ordered a whole chicken with fries and peas and cole slaw. We got the chicken medium. The whole thing was very tasty and perfect for us to share as we were all hungry and that made it all very affordable. Guests also were happy they could get a beer. And we could hang out a bit longer and rest our feet than at some of the other places like Chopt or etc.

I thought the Medium chicken wasn't too spicy, but very well flavored, great with the sauces, their hot sauce is almost a little too pasty for me, but I like the herb and garlic and some of the others. Fries were nice and crispy and I just love their peas here. Anyway it ended up being just perfect, we then wandered over to the White House to get their picture and etc.

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We've been to the Silver Spring location four times, and my enthusiasm for the place has gone down with every visit. I'd prefer a veggie side option other than coleslaw. Pea mash and the mashed potatoes have been very salty. The salads are boring, expensive, and the last two times have featured less-than-fresh greens and cut vegetables. The fruit in the sangria tastes fermented, as if it was made with fruit that had started to spoil. The "deluxe" sides I've tried haven't been worth $3-4 extra.

Ordering the chicken in my kids' meals "naked" is fine, but what the menu doesn't tell you is that it's already marinated in a very spicy mixture, and the past two times it's been so spicy that the kids couldn't finish it. I tried a piece of Ian's tonight and it was as spicy as mine, ordered "medium." Lesson learned, and we probably won't be back.

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We've been to the Silver Spring location four times, and my enthusiasm for the place has gone down with every visit. I'd prefer a veggie side option other than coleslaw. Pea mash and the mashed potatoes have been very salty. The salads are boring, expensive, and the last two times have featured less-than-fresh greens and cut vegetables. The fruit in the sangria tastes fermented, as if it was made with fruit that had started to spoil. The "deluxe" sides I've tried haven't been worth $3-4 extra.

Ordering the chicken in my kids' meals "naked" is fine, but what the menu doesn't tell you is that it's already marinated in a very spicy mixture, and the past two times it's been so spicy that the kids couldn't finish it. I tried a piece of Ian's tonight and it was as spicy as mine, ordered "medium." Lesson learned, and we probably won't be back.

I ate at the Chinatown location last night and shared a few 'jugs' of sangria (the 7.95 happy hour special) with my tablemates. The fruit has definately been marinating in something strong, and for longer, than the wine/sprite mixture that is made when you order the drink. While they may certainly use fruit that is starting to turn, but if its marinated in a wine/liquor mixture that is often found in sangria, that could also explain this fermented taste.

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We've been to the Silver Spring location four times, and my enthusiasm for the place has gone down with every visit.

I went only once and was quite disappointed, especially since I enjoyed my first couple of visits to the chain in Chinatown about a year after it opened. Expensive for what you get, in my case, a tiny little leg for the 1/4 chicken special for which choices of sides are limited. Smashed potatoes were great but the minty peas were just frozen peas with a thing or two added, none of which was fresh mint, so they didn't taste at all as described on the menu.

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I saw an announcement on Bethesda Row's facebook page that it is supposed to open.

We've tried the Gaithersburg location twice. The service is terrible. Both visits have required the intervention of a manager to right things. The sides are unappealing and not very diverse. The kid's chicken is insanely spiced. BLPreschooler detected the lemon in it immediately and protested.

He hasn't asked to go back a 3rd time. I think he is pinning his hopes on the new Cafe Deluxe scheduled to open at the Rio Center soon-ish.

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