Nandos, Glasgow
“The neighbours think I am sellin dope…sellin dope”
It was exactly like that when the Foodwala family visited for a not so cheeky Nandos…the place was mobbed and I am sure the empty restaurant neighbours in Springfield Quay thought they were selling dope.
As well as Mokee Foodwala thought he had spotted J. Cole and his entourage leaving the restaurant
However, this is was the highlight of our visit…
As I mentioned previously the restaurant was very busy and the person in front of me spent an inordinately long time placing her order, she kept humming and hawing and asking for explanation etc… I felt like interjecting and telling her that it was not rocket science and just order, and they should have had more cashiers on.
The Chicken breast with extra hot sauce was dry and “crunchy”, the crunch of the breast occurs when farmed chicken breast is used which has been pumped with saline and hormones to accelerate the chicken’s development thus leaving a dense and crunchy breast where the marinade does not soak in.
The mint peas were well seasoned.
The sum of the parts of the Ceaser Salad was all there, the Cos Lettice was crunchy, the croutons were not soggy, the parmesan cheese had an earthy robust flavour and the dressing was light and creamy, however, the chicken was yet again bland and crunchy.
The hot chicken Pitta came with a side of peri rice and a whole lot of attitude, the chicken thigh was gristly and bland, Mrs Foodwala brought this to the attention of the passing harassed waitress and received a whole lot of attitude for her trouble, eventually she rolled her eyes and took it away to bring back the same pita without any changes!
Mrs Foodwala yet again brought it to her attention and yet again she rolled her eyes and took it back…and it came back this time with hot sauce and by now cold chicken.
The Wing Roulette yet again hit and miss, some of the wings were marinated and grilled to perfection, however, some wings were under grilled giving the skin an almost slimy texture, which was rather off-putting.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that Nandos is very successful and now even part of popular culture as a “cheeky Nandos”, however, in my opinion, the chain is either resting on its laurels or its growing so fast that its recruitment of staff is not keeping abreast and a substandard product is being served. It also gives out an impersonal corporate vibe lately.
The service was also rushed and panicked and with some attitude, again its entirely possible that the predominately Pakistani clientele can be demanding and abrupt thus leaving the staff indifferent with the customer’s needs.
The bill was just short of £100 so it definitely not a cheap night out and there are far better options out there.
The Artisan fire and feathers on Fulham Road, London was far better and friendly.
Food – 4 out of 10
Atmosphere – 7 out of 10
service – 4 out of 10
Cleanliness – 4 out of 10(the washrooms were filthy, with wet toilet paper all over the floor)
Total Score – 19 out of 40