Stoke Newington - Marc Joss Review

Marc RYN's picture
How Helpful?: 
Average: 5 (1 vote)
Author: 
Number of Visits: 
This was my first visit
How Busy?: 
Half Full
Date of Last Visit: 
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Time of Day: 
Weekday Lunch
Rating: 
4.13 / 5
Friendliness of Staff: 
4 (Good stuff. Very polite)
Speed of Service: 
4 (5 - 10 mins - Some conversation had begun)
Quality of Food: 
4.5 (Great - Very tender, piping hot, not at all burnt, dripping in sauce)
Decoration & Cleanliness: 
4 (Very clean, newly furnished, impressive artwork and lighting)
Comments - Stand out in our monthly competition! What did you eat? Unique aspects? Parking/transport tips?: 

Parking was £1.20 an hour in the Wilmer Place car park a 5 minute walk away. All side roads are permit holders only until 1.30pm on Saturdays if not until 4pm.
The branch itself is rather quaint (less than 20 tables) yet has a true Nando's atmosphere. The first unique aspect I noticed was the selection of coloured chairs which encircle the tables near the front (see photo below). There are 3 or 4 booths on the left towards the back of the branch and the tills are on the right. We were warmly greeted on walking in and were offered our choice of table as is custom when a branch is far from full.
Today's visit coincided perfectly with the Arsenal match which kicked off at 3pm (it is incredibly easy to be dropped off right by the Emirates from this branch without encountering match day traffic, tip for fellow Gooners) as it allowed the team to visit a previously unrated by veteran branch together for the first time in months.
We placed our orders almost robotically and within minutes, the team's favourite Appeteaser (houmous with pitta) had arrived. It was sumptuous and although the peri drizzle was no spicier than normal, what was to follow would quite literally blow our minds:
I have been ordering extra hot since I can remember and have to say that today's half chicken was one of the biggest challenges I've ever faced in my long-lasting Nandoer career. Our main courses arrived just as we finished our starter, great timing Stoke Newington Nando's! The chicken was covered in sauce and with my extra extra hot/mayonnaise concotion on the side to complement it, I could finally say it was exactly what I ordered. The large chips portion was staggeringly generous and would prove a step too far for me (I hang my head in shame) as I ended up leaving quite a few on my plate. The only reason the food doesn't get a 5 is that the peri on my chips was forgotten about initially and there was no extra extra hot sauce available (until manager Dikash brought some over to me, thumbs up even though I think it was extra extra extra hot sauce!) on the shelf.
The other décorous observation to make is that the curved ceiling as you walk in allows for a variety of impressive chandeliers to hang down in a mesmerising formation. Great stuff all round. If only parking was easier and cheaper!

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