How often do you receive judgment before you eat?
Do you also feel some people easily label you by what you eat or drink? Neither I can blame them nor give importance to what they think. I know my palate so well that their words do not affect my appetite. But I had my widest smile upon receiving my ordered plate in one of our dinners at Nando’s. I almost burst into laughter after reading the label of the Lemon and Herb Chicken with “NOT SO BRAVE” tag. I cannot agree more! I and Tina (and Gabby of course) had developed the aversion to severely spicy food that others prefer. To each his own, I guess.
We had our very first taste of Nando’s from one of their branches near Botany Mall in Auckland, New Zealand when we stayed in that beautiful city with our family and relatives for 7 week-break in 2005. And since then, that flavorful flame-grilled chicken goodness remained a memory for a while until we enjoyed it again here in Penang.
Nando’s became one of our favorites and usually serves as one of our default restaurants whenever we feel like induluging a bit over affordable casual dining particularly when Gabby allows us to skip his fast food preferences.
“Nando’s is a restaurant group originated from South Africa with a Portuguese/Mozambican theme. Founded in 1987, Nando’s operates in thirty countries on five continents. Nando’s specializes in chicken dishes with either lemon and herb, medium, hot, extra hot or extra extra hot Peri-Peri marinades (properly known as Galinha à Africana). In some countries, Nando’s has other flavour options like mango and lime or Mediterranean.” (sourced via Wiki)
“Nando’s specializes in flame-grilled Peri-Peri chicken. Peri-Peri is the Swahili word for the African Bird’s Eye chilli, a chilli indigenous to Africa.”(sourced via Wiki)
Without a word, you know who ordered this plate, and he enjoyed it, i think.
Gabby likes chicken dishes too but he favored those peri-peri flavored processed delights than those grilled ones. He paired it with a plateful of creamy chicken soup…
Now, children, altogether say, E S P E T A D A! 
“Espetada has been a favorite in Portugal for years. In fact, it has been rumored that it was one of Christopher Columbus’ favorite meals! Espetada means, “pierced”, referring to how the meat was pierced onto skewer. Undoubtedly, Espetada is the most famous dish to emerge from the Madeira region.”
It was quite an experience eating Espetada. The presentation was apparently appealing to the senses. I just felt short of its serving.
At Nando’s, there’s always a reason to engage in protein & carbo-loading
(as if we’re diet-conscious, hahaha! *evil laugh*)…
Tina and Gabby love french fries while I will dunk my fork onto potato salad at any given time!
We can’t handle too much spicy foods but that doesn’t mean we wouldn’t try a little…
After all, we can always wash it down with cold beverages. Gabby’s iced Milo (or as they say it here, Milo Ais; pronounced as meelo ice) and iced tea never fail to be refreshing.
And end it with irresistible melt-in-your-mouth-textured-chocolate cake…
Regardless where we eat – be it on our humble dining table, at Nando’s or somewhere else, we make sure our dining experience is always simple yet memorable and less ordinary.
OPINION COUNTS…