Nando’s Casa
Level-2, Mall of India
Noida Sector- 18
Meal for two: Rs. 1,500
Situated on level two of Mall of India, in Noida’s sector-18, Nando’s opened its new Casa on 9 February this year. They have been around for barely a few weeks, yet the numbers to be found at Nondo’s enjoying hearty meals is quite large. This is the ninth Casa to have been opened in India by this Afro-Portuguese international chain.
The interiors have been set to the all pervading African theme, with vibrant colors used against the light brown shades of timber furniture. To the décor is also added local art from the Southern reaches of Africa. The music, of the Afro-Luso genre, is aired from Africa — the interesting thing is that each song played in the Nando’s Casa simultaneously plays in all the Casa’s across the globe. The crew which manages the restaurant and serves the customers is made of enthusiastic and hospitable faces, along with a mascot, of sorts, who is dressed as a Barcelos Cockerel.
The Casa endorses a semi-self-service program, which involves customers placing their own order at the counters, along with helping themselves to the “selfie station” where one find warmed cutlery, spices, a whole range of peri-peri sauces, a machine that serves unlimited or as they call it “bottomless” cold drinks for the price of one along with another machine where one can get bottomless sweet vanilla yogurt. It is a semi-self-service model since after the first order the staff looks after your needs.
The food is divided into courses, and Nando’s encourages customers to enjoy their meals in courses. They serve both vegetarian and non-vegetarian varieties of their peri-peri dishes. You roll into your meal with “Appeteasers” and then have the liberty to choose from a wide range of options: Sharing platters, pitas, burgers and wraps. The primary segment is the one titled “peri-peri” along with sides.
The peri-peri chicken is grilled, and marinated for quite a while, as can be discerned by how deep the flavor seeps into the meat. The peri-peri wedges along with the garglic peri-peri sauce from the selfie station are a match made in heaven, to say the least. Furthermore, the customer has the option of choosing what level of spiciness or heat they would like their food to have. Starting with “Plain..ish”, one can go all the way up to “Extra Hot”. The peri-peri chicken, even though I’d chosen “Hot” as the level of spice, wasn’t really as spicy. I’d encourage those who seek flavor along with a punch to opt for the “Extra Hot” level of spice. And the bottomless coke is surely a necessary evil at the table.
The meal can be ended with a dessert of your choice from the menu. The Natas, which are a traditional Portuguese dessert with a centre filled with custard, are surely a choice worth making. Nando’s has a lot to offer for those willing to make a stop at it.