Peri Peri Opening Up at 1210 18th Street
01 December 2008 2:00 PM | By Prince Of Petworth in Restaurants
Thanks to Amanda from DC Metrocentric for the tip. I’ve always liked this spot near 18th Street Lounge. People were very saddened when the hardware store at this location closed, if memory serves. Anyway, I know a Peri Peri also opened up in Chinatown but I haven’t checked it out yet. I saw on the window of this location that they were also getting an alcoholic beverage license. So is Peri Peri like a proper sit down restaurant? Is it any good?
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01 December 2008 2:13 PM | Markus Said:
Nando’s Peri Peri is okay. It’s somewhere between a sit-down restaurant and a Chipotle, but probably more towards Chipotle.
01 December 2008 3:02 PM | Herb Said:
Nando’s Peri-Peri is made of the awesome! After having their spicy chicken I understand now why they have a cult following around the world.
As far as atmosphere, I would say it is more like a nicer Cosi’s. The host seats you at a table but you go to the counter to order. Someone brings your food to the table later.
MMM…I may go there tonight! I need some spicy food after a weekend of Thanksgiving!
01 December 2008 3:09 PM | michelle Said:
it’s only okay. peruvian chicken is better and sweet mango cafe is a gazillion times better.
01 December 2008 3:26 PM | eva Said:
I’d say it’s pretty good. Definitely a good value for what you get.
01 December 2008 4:09 PM | Mt P Said:
I miss Candey Hardware, the store that used to be in this location, but times change. Here is an article from the Post last year about it: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/25/AR2007072502337.html
01 December 2008 5:04 PM | bwk Said:
Had that stuff while I was living in Capetown, got hooked. Stoked it’s in DC. Nothing fancy, but good stuff. Really good stuff.
01 December 2008 5:30 PM | Anonymous Frustrated Lawyer Said:
My favorite place in Penn Quarter.
It’s diff than Chix (u-street) or any of the Pollo places.
01 December 2008 5:36 PM | ColHeightsChic Said:
Nando’s is all the rage in South Africa and Kenya (although in Kenya, it’d be pronounced peli-peli by some….) It is somewhat entertaining for me to see what I considered gas-station fast food in Kenya to hit Dupont Circle. But people seem to love it!
01 December 2008 6:32 PM | CB Said:
Loved the Peri Peri chicken while in ZA. But never quite figured out whether their spicy sauce was as fat-laden as it looked.
I note that their US web site is hardly forthcoming with specific nutrition numbers (and has an obnoxious flash-based interface, to boot).
01 December 2008 7:04 PM | Anonymous Said:
I wouldn’t call it a “proper” sit down restaurant, but “Cosi +” seems an apt description.
The chicken is good, but to me it is not remarkably better than Chix, the Peruvian places, or even a good take-home rotisserie. The distinguishing feature is the sauce, but for anyone who’s tried it overseas, you should note that it’s probably an Americanized version of what they serve elsewhere when you get into the spicy end of their spectrum. Just my conjecture based on my experience with the Chinatown location and one I barely survived in the UK that was much, much hotter.
01 December 2008 10:28 PM | MPinDC Said:
I’ve had Nando’s in Botswanna and Zimbabwe and agree with those who say we’re being served a version seemingly catering to American tastes. Neither good nor bad, just different.
But isn’t that the case with many fast foods restaurants? McDonalds in Germany serves beer, in the Philippines you can enjoy McSpagetti (with banana catsup sauce no less) and I’m sure there are lots of other examples.
01 December 2008 10:30 PM | oliveskinnednica Said:
Nando’s is amazing! Got hooked when i lived in London with my two South African flatmates. Order extra Perinaise sauce with your chickena and fries…mmmmmm