Ealing - Common - James RYN Review

Parking was very easy in a side road, and it was free! I think you might have to pay during the day though.

This was my 99th Nando's and an interesting one since it was the first UK Nando's branch. This shows, since the restaurant is very small (similar in size to the 2nd branch: Earl's Court), and it has some interesting writing above the grill to mention its historic interest.

Staff and decoration were distinctly average. The branch had clearly had a refurb in the last couple of years, but there wasn't anything particularly eye-catching, and the tables had that sticky Nando's feel to them!

Speed of service wasn't great considering how empty the branch became as we waited for food. It seems that like Gloucester Road, this branch gets a lot of takeaway orders, and has trouble prioritising these with sit-down orders. We kept seeing people coming in and getting their food, while we had to wait for a disappointingly long amount of time.

When the food eventually came, the annoyance at the wait was compounded by my chicken being luke-warm at best. I tried it, and immediately sent it back for a reheating. This was done promptly, and the chicken was then as it should be. It was covered in sauce and a big piece, so I was quite happy. Rice was slightly above average, chips were piping hot but without very much peri-spice. This again had to be corrected by the waitress. My girlfriend also complained that the chips were cooked in a different oil to normal, making them not as nice.

Overall, not a bad branch...but given how many other Nando's there are to be visited, I won't be returning in a hurry. Now which one should I visit for branch 100?!