I WOULDN’T say my usual Tuesday night routine is particularly spicy.

The bleakness of winter can be a bit depressing, can’t it?

It’s easy to want to curl yourself up in to a duvet and not leave until spring.

But it was time to wash away those January blues in a sea of peri-peri sauce.

And the end result made me peri-peri happy.

Now, I’m going to be honest, I’m no Nando’s first-timer.

I keep hoping one day I’ll be famous enough to earn myself a black card (if you like Nando’s, Google it. You’ll soon want one.) But I was interested to see how the new Nando’s in Dorchester’s Brewery Square would stack up to those more-established branches.

On entering, it took me by surprise how busy it was.

Being somewhat of a self-proclaimed Nando’s connoisseur, I know that there can be a bit of a wait. But that’s in the middle of town on the Saturday before Christmas/Easter/a big football match (delete as appropriate).

Rather than annoy me, which queuing tends to do, I thought how nice it was to see so many people out on a rainy weekday evening supporting a new venture in the town.

The restaurant was clean and warm and the decor is rustic.

Despite how busy it was, we were seated at our table for two quickly by a friendly member of staff. We decided to have some olives whilst we waited for the mains and these were delicious.

I ordered the chicken breast fillet wrap with spicy rice (when in Rome – or a Portugese-themed restaurant) with chips and peri-peri salt, of course.

My other half went for the prego steak roll, which he said was ‘sensational’.

We both went for the medium spice because we like to think of ourselves as a little bit daring.

But not crazy, like the extra-hot sauce lovers out there.

There is a wide selection of sauces available and these were all clean and full.

The chicken was tender and the rice was perfectly cooked.

Dorset Echo:

We both had refillable soft drinks, which cost £2.35 for as much as you like.

There are three beers, one cider and several wines on the menu, all hailing from Portugal, Brazil and South Africa. The alcohol selection isn’t the widest, but I daresay alcohol isn’t the reason you go to a Nando’s restaurant.

It’s definitely for the chicken.

Or is it for the atmosphere? Or the fact it’s a good choice for any occasion? I just can’t decide.

  • Nando’s Dorchester, 2 Dray Horse Yard, Brewery Square, DT1 1GS. Tel: 01305 250258.