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Blackpool - Ryan Review
How Helpful?:
Number of Visits:
This was my first visit
How Busy?:
Almost Full
Date of Last Visit:
Monday, May 2, 2011
Time of Day:
Weekday Lunch
Comments - Stand out in our monthly competition! What did you eat? Unique aspects? Parking/transport tips?:
Ahh - what a glorious sunny Bank Holiday Monday in Blackpool. After a few rides in the Pleasure Beach it was time to get some lunch. Loads on offer - but just a couple miles stroll along the promenade to Blackpool Central and to the newly opened Nando's! :-)
I'd parked at the pleasure beach for the day, so didn't have to worry about parking... but I did see loads of back streets here and there if you can get a space for free, otherwise parking is generally reasonable in some of the car parks dotted along the promenade at about £1/hour - with a short walk (up to a mile) into the town centre from there.
There were three of us who arrived at about 2:30pm - and it was pretty busy. A smallish downstairs with about 20 tables, with a larger upstairs (nearly 40 tables) and almost every table occupied. We were seated straight away with no wait to order, so all good stuff.
Sadly, it took 21 minutes for the first meal to arrived and notched up over 25 minutes for the last meal to arrive between the order. We were expecting a wait as it was busy - but would have been nice to have been told of the delay (like other branches do). Apart from this, the staff were very friendly. Handled the till very well and always somebody on hand to immediately clear the tables and to always check things were okay. Good stuff.
It gave me plenty of time to scope out the decor though in this brand new branch, and generally it was very nice - and very clean, as expected. Before you enter the branch there's a large potted plant in the doorway (not sure if that's to do with the council though...) which sets the tone. Inside as soon as you go in, you have the Nando's logo below a glass pane (which is the end panel of the booths) in the middle of the restaurant. Either side of the booths are some tables and chairs fort he 2/4 seating. Above the tables are red panelled light shades that come, probably, a little too far down to the table. Anyone over 6 foot watch your head! Likewise over the booths, some nice funky coloured, much smaller spot lights that again probably come too far down to the table - but at least make the area nice and bright. Some nice bright artwork on the back wall too.
Upstairs, as with downstairs, the front is all windowed and so lets a lot of light in (especially on this sunny day!) and is great for people watching going up and down Church Street. More booths upstairs than down - and more sculpture than anything else up here. Straw/wicker effect walls or walls completely taken up with pots/vases all the way up to ceiling.
Upstairs again are the toilets and the nice decor continues here: large planted pots and wicker odd-bits outside the toilets (but in plenty of space) and very clean, all-tiled toilets complete with Dyson hand-dryers.
The food was good too. I had the chicken fillet burger and a large chips. The chicken was moist and soaked in peri-peri! Almost didn't need any extra sauce - but had to get the extra spice ;-) The chips were crisp and hot too - and at least four bottles of each sauce on display. Back to the Pepsi Max Big One!
Comments
Went there as website says it
Went there as website says it is halal but unfortunately it is not. Staff is friendly, he told me it is not halal then he went to manager and confirmed it is not halal.
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