Nando's

It’s hard not to smile as you walk into a branch of this chicken chain-restaurant. If the kooky poultry cartoons fail to tweak the funny-bone, the punsome slogans and relentlessly chirpy atmosphere will fail to cheer only the grouchiest of diners. Despite the abundance of such comical decor, we are soon made aware that Nando’s take their chicken very seriously indeed. As well as poultry, the chain’s big thing is its ‘world famous’ peri-peri sauce, ranging in intensity from mild lemon-and-herb to screamingly hot chili variant. After brilliantly fiery olives set your taste buds in motion, it’s chicken all the way.

A chicken espetada (Dhs36) is as good a choice as any, with chunks of juicy, brownedged, peri-peri chicken on a skewer over a bed of roasted vegetables. It’s juicy, perfectly cooked and absolutely delicious. We also like the chicken breast burger, which has a natural, rather than processed feel, and comes in a crispy, fresh bun. The fries too, are just about perfect. Overall, this is a cut above your average chicken joint and is well worth a visit if your taste-buds are looking for a serious tickling.