Nando’s

Opened: 2016
Address: 1029 17th Ave SW
Kid Friendly: Kids Menu/High chairs
Website: https://www.nandos.ca/
Google Pics: Link
Menu: Link

Something a little different today, for the most part I want to avoid franchises or corporate restaurants here on Choosing Urban. If that’s the case then why Nando’s? It’s a little different, not quite the regular here in Calgary. At the end of the day it’s just chicken, and they do have fries, so maybe not that different.

When the building that was a TD bank was renovating and expanding, I was hopeful for a clothing retailer, something unique, with men’s and women’s clothes. While we didn’t get that, we got a relocated H&R Block (from down the street) and later Nando’s. I was pleased to see the investment along this block, and the south side of 17th. It’s less true today, but for the longest time it felt like the north side got all the love.

When ever our daughter sees this she says “Red Chicken Daddy” “You wanna go there?”

Nando’s is a restaurant chain originating in Johannesburg South Africa in 1987. Over the years they’ve gone through extensive expansion mostly in Africa, Asia and the UK. However they have a presence here in Canada as well as the US. Their food is Mozambican-Portuguese on account of its peri peri spices. Peri-peri being a Swahili word adopted by the Portuguese for hot peppers. Their signature dish is flame grilled peri peri chicken served in quarters, halves and whole. Traditional sides are rice, corn, macho peas, coleslaw and peri-peri vegetables.

Nando’s round booth, our daughter calls it “sitting in an egg”

Nando’s atmosphere and presentation fall into the fast casual category. Inside are wooden surfaces and lively colors. Their seating has a mix of tables, booths and a single long table at bar height. Seated at your table you can go over everything at your leisure. They have a selection of appetizers, salads, chicken dishes, sandwiches and wraps. All of their chicken dishes can be ordered with one or two sides. As well they have platters to share which we’ll have to try soon. Nando’s is reasonably priced, but it is easy to get carried away with addons. Your biggest decision will be how hot do you go? All dishes can be made with five options for heat and flavouring. And while hot it hot, it’s not coated in hot sauce, it’s not wing night at the pub. Meaning if you enjoy hot food you’ll find the “xtra hot” is easier to make it through. Once you’ve decided take your table number up to the counter to order.

Nando’s here’s a good sense of their decor

At the counter you can order any alcohol you’d like with your meal, they have red and white wines, Sangria and beer. I was surprised to see their beers are on tap and not bottled. With your order placed at the counter you need to make one more stop on the way back to your table. The stop at a side station allows you to pick up additional sauces, cutlery and any fountain drinks you’ve ordered.

Nandos’ has just recently added some new items to their menu, which prompted our most recent trip

We’ve been to Nando’s five or six times since they opened. I always look over their dessert items but in honesty I order to much food to have room for a dessert. Of note they have a Portugese custard tart called “Pasteis de Natas”, as well as a chocolate cake, a cheesecake, ice cream and a bottomless frozen yogurt.

I really enjoy their chicken it’s cooked right, flavourful and spicy. The spiced rice is really nice and on our last visit I had corn on the cob for a side. Our daughter likes the fries and the rice and it depends on the day if she’s up for chicken, but we get the same at home regarding chicken. I know these are showing up in more and more places but we first saw it here, self serve pop machine with flavour mixing options. My wife loves this thing, and I too like getting a lime ginger ale.

Nando’s calls these their “PERi-PERi Chippers, I’ve seen something very similar at a few places now, and they are always very good, with Nando’s being no exception, except here you can dip them in spicy PERi-PERi sauces!

Nando’s ¼ Chicken (Leg + Thigh) $7.95 on it’s own or $12.95 with 2 sides, here shown with PERi-PERi vegetables

Nando’s Kids Chicken Strips with Fries $8.50

Nando’s double skewers shown with spiced rice $9.35 on it’s own or $14.35 with two sides

Is it good for kids? Yes. They have a kids menu, high chairs, and more non pop drinks than water, with apple and orange juice, milk and chocolate milk. I like that there’s some new flavors for our daughter to try and we can skip the fries if we want.