Nando's

[fauxklore]

Just in case anybody else out there is a fan of South African fast food, the very first Nando's in the U.S. has finally opened. It's on 7th Street, right across from the Goethe Institute (and a block from the Gallery Place metro). I am glad to say that it is just like South Africa, too.

Well, except for the prices, but such is life.

Comments

[joeylemur.livejournal.com]

What, I must ask, does South African fast food consist of?

I also wonder how many anthropology papers have been written discussing a culture and its fast food.

[fauxklore]

Nando's sells grilled chicken - very moist, tender and delicious grilled chicken. You can get lemon-pepper or peri peri varieties (the latter being a Portuguese influenced hot sauce, in various degrees of heat). Choice of sides includes stuff like fries, rice, or an odd but interesting butternut squash dish.

You can get either platters (1/4, 1/2, or full chicken) or sandwiches. They have some other stuff too, but the chicken is what everbody knows them for.

The other major South African fast food is Pizza Inn, which is mostly normal pizza, but you can also get pizza with abominable toppings like banana. I'm not sure if Something Fishy (a fish and chips place) is just in Durban or in other places, too. We used it a lot in Durban because it was around the corner from the hostel I was staying at.

The best South African fast food is unique to Durban and thereabouts and is not a chain but is available at truck stops and market stalls and such. Namely, what is called "bunny chow." That's a hollowed out piece of bread, filled with curry. Usually you order by asking for, say, a half veggie bunny. (That is, a half loaf of bread filled with vegetable curry.) If only 7-11 here did bunny chow...

A risk of travel is the desire for exotic fast food. If there were any justice in the world, there would be as many khachipuri (Georgian cheese bread) stands as there are pizza places.