If you have been out and about the city, you would know of Nando’s from all the witty advertisements they do, using references from popular culture. Their Peri Peri chicken is literally always the talk of the town and also your go-to meal when you are seeking something that never disappoints. Recently, they have opened up a new outlet at Khayaban-e-Seher and we went to try it out.
First Impressions
Nando’s Pakistan | Source
One of the immediate things that strikes you about the new outlet is that it has very little of Nando’s popular branding. The signature red and black is very minimally seen in the exterior and when you walk inside, quite a few abstract paintings hanging on the wall greet your eyes. Even the menu card has an abstract print on its cover and it’s basically not what you would usually expect a Nando’s menu card to look like. However, this is how you know they have been working to change things up a bit.
Our Order
Nando’s Pakistan | Source
For our order, we asked for the Peri bites as a starter, Chicken Butterfly with sides of Peri Wedges and Grilled Vegetables, Chicken Trinchado and a coffee cake slice for dessert.
Service
Nando’s Pakistan | Source
The servers were very prompt in showing us to the table and handing us the menu cards, although it took them a while to bring the bottles of Peri sauces. They took our order correctly and food was served to us approximately ten to fifteen minutes afterwards. They checked to see if the meal was delivered fine, twice.
The Food
Nando’s Pakistan | Source
Of the food we ordered, it was all well done and served hot. We particularly liked how the Peri Wedges tasted. They are the new sides on the menu. They were crispy on the outside and soft in the inside. They were peppered with spice which gave them a great kick of flavor. The grilled vegetables side was also quite delicious. We spotted eggplants and capsicum, and made a little game out of who got what.
The chicken, we found much to our relief hadn’t lost its classic flavor and it was still cooked in Peri sauce as we like it. The Trinchado chicken had quite a bit of sauce, unlike the chicken butterfly steak. The former was also served with a single helping of rice. It was the rice that we felt had changed a little. It was more chewy, though we are not sure if it was done deliberately or it was just an one-off instance.
The best thing about ordering a chicken butterfly steak is that you don’t have to worry about freeing the chicken from the bones. It is an easy meal to have and when ordered with your favorite sides, quite delicious.
Nando’s Pakistan | Source
The coffee cake slice is what dreams are made of. We know because we wake up in the middle of the night craving cake from Nando’s and well, so we made the most of the dessert.
Something Special
Nando’s Pakistan | Source
As for something special, we recommend you try the Espeteda Carnival. It’s flame grilled Peri chicken thighs stuffed with feta and parsley, and is skewered with green peppers. Sounds delicious right? It’s definitely on our mind.
The Presentation
Nando’s Pakistan | Source
I particularly enjoyed the presentation at Nando’s. The fact that the outlet had an artistic vibe going on with its interior decor strengthened the aesthetic appeal of the place. We already think the Peri sauces were a pretty sight on their own! Have you ever seen the Wild Herb sauce bottle stand against the sun in all its glory? Yep.
Value for Money
While prices have gone up slightly in the new menu, they are still not high enough to discourage ordering. We found they had quite a few deals up and running as well which if you order will help you save costs. The Peri Bites were for Rs.300, the Chicken Butterfly meal was for Rs.740 and the cake slice was for Rs.295.
Overall Verdict
Nando’s has changed quite a few things about the food. Our favorite things however remain the classic Peri bites, chocolate cake and flame grilled chicken.
Tell us what you like about the new Nando’s!
Nando’s
Address: Khayaban-e-Seher, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
Opening Hours: Mo-Su, 12:00pm – 01:00am
Click here to order online
Riffat Rashid is an independent content and social media strategist who believes in the power of Sherlock Holmes, a cup of Doodhpatti and Burns Road’s Nihari. Interested in pop culture, good food and everything Karachi
