There's no denying the success of Nando's PERi-PERi ( Nandos.com ), named after co-founder Fernando Duarte.
The fast-casual chain, which originated in Johannesburg, South Africa, has more than 1,200 restaurants in almost 40 countries—and it's slowly moving west throughout the United States
I had to try this myself to see if all the hubbub was worth it—and it does seem that there's a good reason Nando's PERi-PERi has all this success happening: the food.
However, here's a warning: The fare definitely packs a kick, thanks to the African bird's-eye chili ( or PERi-PERi ) that's used to flavor a lot of dishes.
We hit the West Loop location ( 953 W. Randolph St. ) but there are also restaurants in Lincoln Park ( 1500 N. Clybourn St. ) and Lake View ( 670 W. Diversey Pkwy. ). ( In late November, a fourth location will open in the Loop at 22 S. Wabash Ave. ) According to General Manager Jason Reese, each is decorated in a different way and I was previously told that the spot my friend and I went to is the "most vibrant" of them—and vibrant it is, with punchy colors, African patterns and intriguing portraits decorating the walls.
The menu centers around the Portuguese/Mozambican flame-grilled chicken that can be basted in lemon and herb, mango and lime, or medium, hot or extra-hot spices. Knowing how sensitive I am to spices ( and not wanting to sweat while eating ), I opted for chicken in mango and lime—and it was pretty tasty and moist. My friend also enjoyed his whole chicken, which was on the spicy side. ( There are also bottles of mild, lemon & herb, and mango & lime sauces to add even more taste to your experience. )
As for the sides, they're also intriguing—but, again, watch out for the kick. The hummus is harmless enough, but it comes with a tiny bottle of PERi-PERi drizzle—and, as the saying goes, a 'lil dab will do ya. Even the peas ( called "macho peas" ) can be challenging for the uninitiated, being a combo of whole peas, parsley, mint and chili. The same can be said for the butternut squash-and-grilled corn combo, with chili dotting that as well—but the corn was especially tasty.
If you can somehow put away that food ( or are smart enough to allocate some of your stomach for later ), try the desserts. Options include chocolate spoon cake, cheesecakes and, yes, chocolate-chili cookies.
By the way, vegetarians have choices as well, including butternut squash-and-couscous salad, veggie burgers and various wraps—and you can bet the chili isn't too far away.
The women sitting next to us really admired our dishes. I asked them if they were longtime customers. They said they were first-timers, but they definitely plan on returning soon. Take it from them ( and me ): Nando's is certainly worth ( re )visiting.
