Arundel Mills - Pompey Ranger Review

This store which is the first stop in my Nandos mission of America is in part of a very large shopping and leisure centre on the edge of the food court and backing onto a casino with masses of free parking provided all around the complex. The front door opens onto the main seating area for the other food restaurants and Nandos is one of only 2 premises not sharing the central table and seating area which is a major relief given the hubbub of the court and the quiet and calm of the Nandos. The rear door is onto a hot sun terrace between the centre and it's neighbouring casino with the round Nandos tables and chairs shielded from the hoi polloi of passers-by with large plant pots and shrubbery.

The store is well turned out with much artwork on the walls, bright yellow padded seating configurations along side wooden school style chairs and a mixture of wood block and flagstone flooring with colourful brick tiles on many walls including the counter. The toilets are at the front and consist of a single cubicle with black slate walls on 2 sides and a colourful tile wall on the other.

The menu is very similar to that of the UK and all the crockery is imported from the UK and so gave the store a homely feel, the main difference being the chips have skins still left on which I liked greatly. Another welcome addition is a beverage station similar to that used in some UK BK's with a amazing range of drinks on offer and a definite draw which we should have in UK Nandos. They also have a Nandos collectors card scheme where you get a initial upon each us$7.50 (£5.00) spent, the second stamp gives a free frozen yoghurt, the 5th free olives or nuts, the 7th a regular side and the 10th a whole combination meal.

The staff were exceptionally friendly especially the manager and they furnished me with a table near a electric socket so I could recharge my phone and checked back on me during my stay for quality of meal including the post meal "do you want dessert or coffee".

I ordered a 1/4 chicken breast (there is a charge of 50c difference between leg and breast) chips, corn and bottomless beverage from the delightful machine which came to $11.50 but infuriatingly the Americans like to add tax on post pricing which bumped it up to $12.19 and always made it difficult to work out what I would be paying as this rate varied. Come on Nandos be trend setters and show the true price in your menus!!!!!

I enjoyed being able to use the free wifi in store.

The food took a little while to come out, when it did the chips were of a good size portion nice and hot and with the skin still on which both improves flavour and makes them much healthier. The fresh whole cobb of corn was juicey and the chicken was ok but slightly tinged on the outside but with good flavour, a very enjoyable start to my mission of America