26 May 2016

Dining:

No Excuse Needed, But Hey: Nando’s Has a New Menu

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The custom chandelier and Nando’s delicious offerings. Photo by María Helena Carey

I am going to write something so shocking– so baffling, really– that a couple of my fellow blogging PICs (that’s “partners in crime” for the “uncool”) may have a tough time talking to me after this disclosure: Until a few days ago, I’d never eaten at Nando’s Peri-Peri.

I know. I’ll give you a second to catch your breath and consider whether you’ll talk to me again.

Anyway, as you may know, the popular fast-casual chain recently opened a location on H Street, 411 H Street NE to be exact. They were warmly and instantly greeted by the neighborhood, especially since they did a cute promotional stunt with a Nando’s Trolley that ran at the same time as the DC Streetcar, when it first started allowing passengers. (My, how time files– that was February!)

But recently, Nando’s added a few wonderful things to their already-delicious menu, and they were so kind as to invite us to taste it. A few things I learned about Nando’s:

The Nando’s Peri-Peri chain originated in South Africa, inspired by Portuguese style chicken. The peri-peri sauce that coats every single delicious piece of chicken is named after these adorable itty-bitty peppers which are also known as Piri-Piri. Nando’s first started in DC on 7th Street. Obviously, the rest is tasty history. Sepanta Bagherpour, who is Nando’s marketing director and was one of our hosts for the afternoon, told me that as a chain, Nando’s has one of the world’s largest collections of contemporary African art. The H Street location is no exception, with bright paintings and walls that put you in a warm climate frame of mind, mixed in with original fixtures from the two houses that once stood there in neglect for decades, such as wall tiles and turned spindles painted in bright turquoise. The upstairs and downstairs rooms are tied together with a particularly beautiful chandelier: a custom designed fixture, which was a collaborative effort by Aria Group Architects, New Metal Crafts, Virginia Architectural Metals, Paul Punke, and Nando’s Restaurant Group.

But we need to talk about the menu for a hot second. Naturally, the chicken still is center stage, but it’s presented in new ways: kabobs with fresh veggies and a sandwich served in bread that comes from an authentic Portuguese bread bakery (yes, bread matters!) were among the offerings we tried. The sandwich comes dressed with Peri-Peri sauce, and the most delightful pickled onions that bring out the spice without overwhelming each bite with their onioniness. The Brussels sprouts are roasted and looked delicious; and a new salad with avocado and quinoa is a welcome and palate-cooling addition to any lunch or dinner. I loved it because it paired perfectly with the food, although I could have used the dressing on the side. But the cole slaw, you guys. I am not sure if this is a new fixture in the menu, but their cole slaw is so good I want to make plans to Netflix and chill with it. It’s that good.

Welcome (again) to the neighborhood, Nando’s, and thank you for hosting us!

If you go:

What: Nando’s Peri-Peri’s newest H Street Location, and their new menu (which you can check out here: Nando’s New Dine-In Menu)

Where: 411 H Street NE– very close to the DC Streetcar’s 3rd and H platform (hint, hint!)

When: Since late February, you guys!

Why: Because I just solved dinner for you. You’re welcome

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