2008 Dining Guide 2008 Fall Dining Guide By Tom Sietsema Washington Post Staff Writer Sunday, Oct. 12, 2008 "Putting the chic in chicken" reads a sign above the open grill. No kidding. A self-service import by way of South Africa, Nando's Peri-Peri serves its fast and sometimes fabulous food in a Penn Quarter space that bucks the usual corporate design formula for pendant lights that look like shooting stars, splashy African art and chairs that resemble Eames pieces. The signature ingredient is grilled to order and served at whatever degree of zip you desire, from a simple lemon-and-herb baste to "extra hot," which is true to its word with an emphasis on birds-eye chili peppers, or peri-peri. The eating is sublime no matter your choice, since the chicken (available as wings, a quarter, a half or a whole) is fresh and first marinated in vinegar, lemon juice and olive oil. Adding to the pleasure are generous side dishes (I'm partial to the sweet and creamy coleslaw and yellow rice speckled with minced bell peppers) and such novelties as the chicken liver and feta salad. Trust me, you'll love it. You'll also appreciate the big public sink in the middle of the dining room, for freshening up if you've used your fingers instead of a knife and fork. Less amusing: salads that sometimes taste as if they were pulled directly from the refrigerator (they're freezing) and spacey clerks to take your order at the counter. Even so, this is the rare chain (800 locations in 30 countries) where you might find yourself wanting to linger; the music combines African and Portuguese rhythms; there's wine to be had; and the booths are padded in leather. Coming soon: an even hotter sauce, Triple XXX, and a second location in Dupont Circle this winter.
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