By Pramod Prabhakaran
After two months of extensive renovation, Nando’s, the South African casual dining restaurant chain, has reopened its Salwa Road branch. The very first Nando’s is resplendent with a brand new look reflecting its cultural identity and background as an Afro-Portuguese restaurant.
In 2001, Salwa Road became home to the first Nando’s restaurant in Qatar. It seats 160 persons, with a dedicated family area on the first floor. The new décor brings the open kitchen right into the centre of all activity. The restaurant is more bright and roomy and has a peppy feel to it. The service is as pleasant and the food as tasty as before.
The new-look restaurant places the kitchen in the forefront and in view of the customers, who can be sure that their meal is being freshly prepared in a hygienic environment. And, of course, they get to savour the aroma of Nando’s famous flame-grilled Peri-Peri chicken before they tuck in.
The menu retains all of the chain’s signature dishes, including Cataplana, Espetada, and Peri-Peri chicken, which Nando’s is known for. In addition to these, there are many new dishes, like Spicy Mixed Olive, Sweet Potato Mash and Algarve Salad. They have also introduced Veggie burger, Pita or Wrap, in case you are not in a mood for chicken. The Chicken Livers and Portuguese Roll is a must try along with the Peri-Peri Hummus and Perinaise dip. The only thing missing is a few more options in soups.
The new Butterfly Chicken Breast meal is a steal for QR52. A succulent butterfly cut chicken breast, crispy potato wedges, fresh side salad and a Rosa Fresca designer drink fills you up.
“Because it is our joy to not just offer a delectable experience to our customers but also a memorable one, we have concentrated on our interior décor. We have made use of a lot of earthy colours, natural wood, fabrics, and traditional African artefacts. We are a family-friendly restaurant and insist on providing an atmosphere that is inviting and warm, so that all members of the family can feel comfortable enough to roll up their sleeves and eat with their hands. We invite all our customers to visit our new-look Salwa Road branch as soon as possible — we think they’ll be very impressed at the changes we’ve made,” Francois Rousseau, general manager of Oryx Group for Food Services, said.
“Nando’s is proud to source fresh local chicken from the Arab Qatari Company for Poultry Production, so customers get fresh, quality products as Nando’s actively supports local business.”
“We have plans to expand and renovate other branches also. We will open a new branch soon at The Pearl. The feedback for the new look is very positive and everyone has liked the new decor. We had got all the artefacts from Africa to give an authentic feel to the restaurant,” said Layal Kobti, brand manager.
The Peninsula
