When me and Helen from Mummy to the Max headed off to our weekend away in London for BritMums Live 2013 in June we had pre-planned most of our weekend activities, this included our Friday night dinner. I started speaking to Helen a few month's ago, every now and again she would message me informing me of a Disney offer for Spud she had come across, I thought she was a kind loyal reader, in fact she was actually a blogger herself.
A blogger friendship started and we speak everyday, nothing is a no go on our list, okay, maybe spiders for me, but that is all. I can't remember how it happened, but we got on the subject of Nando's, I was amazed to discover Helen had never visited a Nando's restaurant in her life, never ever. To me, that is totally shocking, where I live (Reading) we have two Nando's in our town center, and I was pretty sure everyone in the country had been to Nando's, that was of course until I heard otherwise from Helen. We decided we would locate the nearest Nando's to our London hotel, and dine there on the Friday night.
Using the Nando's online restaurant locator we found the nearest restaurant to our hotel would be Nando's Spitalfields which has baby changing facilities, disabled access and a takeaway service available. The closing time on Friday is midnight, giving me and Helen plenty of time to have a shower, get dressed and make our way to the restaurant without rushing off as soon as we had ate our food.
We was greeted on our arrival by a member of Nando's staff and asked if it was just the two of us dining, I thought that was great just in case we had other dinner date members joining us shortly, as it was just the two of us, we was took to our table which we both noted was clean and presentable. We sat down to feast our eyes on the delicious menu, I knew this was the case but as it was shockingly Helen's first time ever in a Nando's restaurant she studied the menu for a while longer then me.
Nando's is known for its beautiful spiced chicken, you choose what spice you want your chicken to be, or you can even choose plain. I have included the spice guide below to show you what your chicken can potentially be, your choice of course.
Although I've been to Nando's hundred's of times, I'm never sure what I want until I get into the restaurant, its then that I look at the over familiar menu and decide what I am in the mood for. After not eating all day, I went for the double chicken breast fillet wrap with added cheese and two regular sides; Nando's famous spicy rice and chips. Nando's have plenty of sides to choose from which include, spicy rice, chips, coleslaw, macho peas, side salad, garlic bread (I love it!), corn on the cob and creamy mash (one of my favourites). Each side can be purchased as a regular or large side, most of the sides are priced at £2.25 for a regular or £4.15 for large, this is all sides except from the creamy mash which is £2.55 for regular and £4.85 for large.
My food meal come to £13.75, the wrap was £13.25 with two sides, and 50p for the added cheddar cheese. I could of however got the wrap and one side which would of cost me £11.60 or the wrap on its own without any sides for £10.30, I was very feeling quite peckish so went with the two sides, and was glad I did as the whole meal got demolished and my belly was left full and happy with my decision of dinner.
I am a very fussy eater, and like my wrap without no lettuce and tomato the Nando's staff was only too happy to make my order personalised to me, I always feel like I'm being a pain when I ask for amendments and in other restaurants I've had the stare of really, but at Nando's they was very friendly in making changes and even asked if I'd like something else in the wrap instead, it was then that cheese was recommended, and I love cheese, so that was the best recommendation of my night!
Along with my meal I purchased a soft drink priced at £2.45 which is bottomless (free refills), but at Nando's you are given a clean glass, and then you help yourself to unlimited soft drink, the choices available that I can remember was Coca Cola, Diet Coke, Sprite and Fanta. Found next to the drink dispensers is a duel ice and water machine, press one button for ice, and one for ice cold water. This gives you the option to add ice if you would like too.
Our food arrived within about 12 minutes, it was presented nicely, smelt beautiful and tasted amazing! The chicken was cooked perfectly, in fact just right. Helen went with the same as me in the end, apart from she wasn't fussy and had everything in the wrap with added cheese, and her two sides were side salad and chips. Nando's have a selection of sauces available including lemon and herb peri peri, wild herb peri peri, garlic peri peri, medium peri peri, hot peri peri, extra hot peri peri, x extra extra hot peri peri and a few more sauces, as I am fussy as I said, and not a fan of spices, I politely requested some peri-tamer sauce which is a sweet sauce used on their children's dishes, the manager was only too happy to fulfill my request, and even topped up my bowl when it ran out!
Throughout are 90 minutes at the restaurant we was made to feel really welcome and was asked on a few occasions if everything was alright, if we wanted anything else etc, I can confirm that this was not because we was reviewing, I am a regular Nando's customer and I've never experienced a bad service at Nando's. My only fault with Nando's is that they cant reserve tables, but understandably they are a well known restaurant with lots of happy returning customers.
I rate my food and experience at Nando's Spitalfields 10 out of 10. I'd like to thank the staff including the chef who cooked my food and the manager on duty for making me and Helen feel very welcome and satisfying our stomachs that night. I'd recommend Nando's to everyone, they have children dishes available and highchairs are available if you should need them.
If you're on a diet, never fear, use Nando's online calorie counter depending on what you plan to eat and see the calorie counting, Nando's also have other nutritional information available online.
Jada x
Disclaimer: I got in touch with the Nando's PR team to see if they was interested in a review as I am a big Nando's lover. I was delighted when a chicken cheque for two landed on my doorstep. The chicken cheque (a food voucher) covered the cost of both mine and Helen's meal which come to £32.40 altogether. This review is my own and honest opinion, I have only written about my latest Nando's experience because I received a Nando's voucher for doing so, however, my opinions would of been the same weather I was a paying customer or not. Nando's is my favourite restaurant and always my first choice of eating out and dates of course ;).
