Nando's Peri-Peri

Did the lunch thing there last week. Overall it was pretty good, the chicken was definitely the highlight, sides were serviceable. Had the 1/2 chicken in hot sauce, skin was nicely crisped and the available dipping sauces made for a nice combination of tastes. Looks like they designed it to be popular....

953 W Randolph Street
Chicago
60607
(312) 488-3062

Will have to go!
Woodman's grocery in Kenosha stocks bottles of the Nando Peri Peri sauce and caught my eye and interest but I didn;t realize Nando;s was coming to Chicago.-Richard

I tried it today (extra spicy, 1/4 dark), and was very very happy with it. This is the first peri peri I've had in Chicago that's reminded me of the stuff I had back down in Johannesburg. (Peri-peri/piri-piri comes in countless variations, from my experience.) The only criticism is that the chicken I got could have been a bit crisper on the skin, but the flavor was exactly what I've been missing all these years: spicy lemon & garlic with distinct grilled flavor. I'm ecstatic to finally see Nando's here.

Binko wrote:I tried it today (extra spicy, 1/4 dark), and was very very happy with it. This is the first peri peri I've had in Chicago that's reminded me of the stuff I had back down in Johannesburg. (Peri-peri/piri-piri comes in countless variations, from my experience.) The only criticism is that the chicken I got could have been a bit crisper on the skin, but the flavor was exactly what I've been missing all these years: spicy lemon & garlic with distinct grilled flavor. I'm ecstatic to finally see Nando's here.

Binko, I totally agree. My experience there totally matches yours (minus the Johannesburg flavor memories). As I was leaving I thought about asking them to sell me some raw, marinated chicken and some of the sauce so that I could grill it at home over charcoal to get a crispier skin and a smokier taste.

stevez wrote:

Binko wrote:I tried it today (extra spicy, 1/4 dark), and was very very happy with it. This is the first peri peri I've had in Chicago that's reminded me of the stuff I had back down in Johannesburg. (Peri-peri/piri-piri comes in countless variations, from my experience.) The only criticism is that the chicken I got could have been a bit crisper on the skin, but the flavor was exactly what I've been missing all these years: spicy lemon & garlic with distinct grilled flavor. I'm ecstatic to finally see Nando's here.

Binko, I totally agree. My experience there totally matches yours (minus the Johannesburg flavor memories). As I was leaving I thought about asking them to sell me some raw, marinated chicken and some of the sauce so that I could grill it at home over charcoal to get a crispier skin and a smokier taste.

Well, Nando's does sell their marinades in a bottle, in addition to their sauces. I wouldn't know, though, if that's exactly what they use at their restaurants, though. I've only tried the sauces myself. I might have to find a bottle of marinade or mail-order it (I can't remember if I've seen them here at retail or not--I want to say I have, but I can't say for certain. Their bottled sauces are definitely available, and you've probably seen them.) Still, I wish they'd sell their sauces by the bucketful rather than in the small bottles. In one of the piri-piri threads (might have been one I started about ten years ago when I first got here), somebody (looking it up, it appears to have been leek) posted a link to this piri-piri sauce, and it's pretty darned good and a nice place to start. I've researched a gazillion piri-piri/peri-peri/pili-pili/peli-peli sauces, and they're all over the map, from as simple as olive oil, garlic, and dried hot peppers (which is quite good, but different than what I was looking for), to more complex concoctions that include any or all of lemon, thyme, oregano, black pepper, onion, vinegar, ginger, etc. The one I fell in love with was something like Nando's style, which is forward in lemon, garlic, and bird chiles (and it looks like a bit of onion, according to the ingredients list). And I think oregano.

The one on Diversey looks pretty close to opening.

riddlemay wrote:The one on Diversey looks pretty close to opening.

Yeah, the server mentioned one of the two additional locations opening up in the next couple of weeks.

An interesting thing (to me anyway) is that I discovered the Nando's version looking for the Portugese version. The Portugese one I had in Lisbon is the garlic/dried peppers/oil type. The recipe you linked to worked well for me.

leek wrote:An interesting thing (to me anyway) is that I discovered the Nando's version looking for the Portugese version. The Portugese one I had in Lisbon is the garlic/dried peppers/oil type. The recipe you linked to worked well for me.

I made some today and it came out quite well. I followed the recipe as stated, except adding a few more hot chiles and a bit more lemon juice. I marinated the chicken overnight with about a 50-50 mix of that sauce and mayo, then cooked it up on the grill for lunch (got lazy and used the propane), basting with the sauce straight at the end and finishing with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Came out really well--even the breasts were nice and juicy. That recipe is definitely a keeper. Pretty similar to Nando's style and the types I encountered in South Africa.

Binko wrote:

riddlemay wrote:The one on Diversey looks pretty close to opening.

Yeah, the server mentioned one of the two additional locations opening up in the next couple of weeks.

Nando's Peri-Peri continues to storm Chicago with today's opening of its second location in the city. This time fans of the South African spicy-grilled chicken can get their fix in Lakeview. The globally-known chain opened its first Chicago location last month in the West Loop.

http://chicago.eater.com/2015/6/24/8839 ... ew#4776124
670 W. Diversey Pkwy.

Milk and More - a fun corner store type place on Diversey that has more organic/natural/local products - is offering a promotion right now with the Nando's on Diversey. Any time you shop there, you can get a coupon for a free 1/4 chicken at the Diversey location, and be entered into a drawing for a giant basket of Nando's-brand sauces/spices/goodies.

Milk and More
702 W Diversey Pkwy
Chicago, IL 60614

DClose wrote:Milk and More - a fun corner store type place on Diversey that has more organic/natural/local products - is offering a promotion right now with the Nando's on Diversey. Any time you shop there, you can get a coupon for a free 1/4 chicken at the Diversey location, and be entered into a drawing for a giant basket of Nando's-brand sauces/spices/goodies.

Milk and More
702 W Diversey Pkwy
Chicago, IL 60614

I'm glad to see this. Milk and More is a "convenience store" that shoots considerably higher than most. But I was worried for it when the Trader Joe's opened up catacorner. Not that they're in the same business, exactly, but I anticipated them losing some trade to TJ. I'm happy M&M is hanging in there and doing a cross-promotion with a place that's getting some buzz. More power to it!

I remember eating at one in South Africa a long time ago, they gave away free balloons.

Quick lunch at Nando's Diversey. Open space, clean as a whistle, everyone friendly, well groomed and polite. Easy to understand ordering system, quick service and, incredibly, I found parking 30 feet from the door.

Chicken was moist with Hot being mildly spicy, corn tasted more boil than grill and rice skewed bland. I liked the extra hot peri peri sauce I took on the side, but the chicken itself was neutral flavored. No marinade penetration, no char, without the topping of peri peri sauce the bird could have been served at a small town church supper.

Quarter chicken hot, rice and corn. Nando's Diversey



Above $12.68 including tax.

Have to agree with Gary, that picture looks about as appetizing as it was. The chicken was no better than the average grocery store rotisserie chicken, and even smaller. Splitting a half chicken and a side between two of us was barely even a snack. I even thought the "extra hot" sauce was pretty mild, laughably so considering all of the warnings about the heat level throughout the place. Oh, and flavor-wise it tasted to me a lot like Taco Bell's "fire" sauce, a bit of garlic powder, a slight chili flavor and a lot of vinegar.

I see that photo and I think, a chicken quarter, a cup of seasoned rice, an ear of corn, and a glass of Coke for $12.53? That's a pretty hefty markup.

Nando's Lays Foundation for Fourth Chicago Restaurant

http://chicago.eater.com/2015/9/17/9347 ... restaurant

The Nando's location at 22 S. Wabash opened up last week. Not bad for a sub-$10 loop lunch. There's a bunch of decent options right on that block; Goddess and Grocer, Good Stuff Eatery, Naf Naf Grill, and a few others. Just in time for it to get cold enough that I don't feel like walking that far...

Tried Nando's tonight (Clybourn location) and it was much better than I was expecting. Hot sauce had a decent kick, hottest sauce even more so, and pretty good flavor. Yes, they're using very mild tasting chickens here so most of the flavor was in the sauce, but the chicken was cooked very nicely. Rice was fine, but fries were much better and I also liked the accompanying mayonnaise-based dipping sauce. I'm just getting acquainted with peri peri chicken so I'm anxious to try Fat Rice's version.

BR wrote:I'm just getting acquainted with peri peri chicken so I'm anxious to try Fat Rice's version.

They have 2 versions. I'd recommend the Fatracha, which has quite a bit more zip to it. But if you're in a position (with a few friends) to have both, they're definitely both worth ordering.

=R=

Nando's Peri-Peri, which focuses on flame-grilled chicken and chips, plans to occupy 1138 Lake St. in Oak Park, a 3,700-square-foot space that formerly housed Penzeys Spices.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/o ... story.html