Walking into Nando’s Peri-Peri in Addison isn’t an easy feat. The restaurant softly opened in December as part of the maze that is the Village on the Parkway, where almost every corner looks the same and the parking lot becomes a battlefield. But that hasn’t kept fans away from the Afro-Portuguese chain. Those who want a plate of the restaurant’s peri peri chicken and chips will take the time to seek it out.
Nando’s arrival was anticipated by many, including our dining critic. Their specialty menu item is peri peri chicken, grilled, bone-in chicken marinated in lemon, salt, onion, garlic, vinegar, and African bird’s eye chiles. It soaks up the seasonings for 24 hours before meeting a hot grill. It is basted with sauces that range from mild, such as mango and lime, to hot sauce with a garlicky, lemony kick. The menu includes grilled chicken breast sandwiches, bowls, wraps, and snacks. What people come for is the spicy bone-in chicken.
The restaurant was dine-in only when we walked in Sunday afternoon, and almost every table was full. I was confused at first by the presence of the host and the sign next to him that instructed us to order at the counter. To dine, you have to be seated first, and then you may order your food at the counter or by using the QR code at the table. The website says it’s focused on dine-in only for now and will offer take-out over the next few weeks.
The wait to get a table inside was up to 25 minutes. The wrapped outdoor patio was starting to fill up with people who didn’t want to wait for a table inside. My party chose to dine outside, which was a smart move. Halfway through our lunch, a crowd was waiting outside for a table. We ordered through the QR code and a server brought out our dishes as they were ready.
Oh, if you manage to get a table inside, take a minute to look at the art. Nando’s has a huge collection of South African art, some of which are displayed above the bar inside. This summer, an exhibit called If You Look Hard Enough, You Can See Our Future was on display at the African American Museum at Fair Park, and the exhibit pulled 62 pieces from Nando’s corporate collection. (It’s not clear if any of those works are on display at the new location.)
Our meal started with halloumi cheese sticks, which were cut into small rectangles and grilled. It came with a tangy, fruity chile jam for dipping. The cheese sticks had plenty of real estate for scooping up the jam, and the cheese was so delightfully spongey that it squeaked against my teeth. One of my lunch companions called the snack “healthy mozzarella sticks.”
We ordered the full platter, which includes one whole peri peri chicken—two breasts with wings and two thighs—and two large sides. We chose to baste half the chicken in mango and lime sauce and the other in medium peri peri hot sauce. Two tiny paper flags were staked in a piece to designate the flavors.
The chicken was hot and freshly coated in sauce when it landed on our table. Black grill marks formed a grid on the skin of the chicken. I had a smoky, juicy bite of the mango and lime chicken, but I had a hard time figuring out if the bird had been marinated prior because it wasn’t as flavorful as I thought it’d be. Same with the chicken coated in the medium sauce—the peri peri flavors hardly penetrated past the skin. The sauces, though, were excellent. Mango and lime were appropriately tangy and mild, and the medium hot sauce delivered a comfortable heat with the restaurant’s signature citrus-garlic flavors.
In addition to the chips (their fries), which were fried and excellently seasoned, we added the spicy kale Caesar salad and the macho peas, a side dish made with whole peas, parsley, mint, garlic, and crushed chile flakes. I’ll have to experiment with the sides next time, because I’m not sure if mashed peas were the right move for me. The chips definitely were.
We washed everything down with Rubro iced tea, a canned South African rooibos tea only available stateside at Nando’s. The bar sells cocktails (sangria, froze), beers on tap (Karbach Love Street and Super Bock, Michelob Ultra, Saint Arnold Art Car IPA) and draft and bottled wines from California and South Africa.
Peri peri chicken is not new to Dallas. The dish is served at Port of Peri Peri, Street’s Fine Chicken, and Poblanos Piri Piri, to name a few, but Nando’s arrival will surely put a spotlight on the dish. Even though the chicken felt under-marinated, it was juicy and delivered the right amount of smokiness. There were extra bottles of all their sauces at the condiment station, although they started to blend together because of the same garlic and lemon base.
But with how good the peri peri sauce is, you might not need to venture beyond.
Nando’s Peri-Peri, 5100 Belt Line Rd., Ste. 728, Addison.
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