Is Nando’s S’pore’s PERi-PERi Bowl with 1,792 combinations too much of a good thing? We find out.

I visited one of Nando’s six restaurants recently to try the newly-launched PERi-PERi Bowls.

Asian rice and noodle bowls served hot

It’s a new range of menu items that incorporates new Asian flavours along with the grilled PERi-PERi chicken and sides for which Nando’s is best known.

As you might expect of a bowl meal, all of the PERi-PERi chicken served in Nando’s Bowls are boneless — either strips of chicken breast (which Nando’s calls “tenders”), or boneless chicken thigh.

One thing that caught my attention is that Nando’s rice bowls are served up as a freshly-made hot meal, something less commonly done for usual meal bowls. This distinction was very welcome to me.

Another difference you’d likely notice would be the local and Asian influences — for one, there is a new PERi-Laksa sauce on the menu that can only be ordered with the bowls.

These locally inspired bowls recipes were crafted by Nando's in collaboration with Chef Shen Tan. The menu is exclusively available at Nando's Singapore outlets.

Prices from S$10 to S$20 nett

I had the chance to try just about the whole menu between my visit to their Bugis Junction outlet, and by ordering in delivery on a separate occasion.

Prices range between S$10 and S$20.

And if you’re like me, you might be pleasantly surprised by the nett prices. Yes, GST included, and no service charge.

Although there’s still service when the waiters serve you your food as you chill at the table. This means that if you choose to dine in, you’ll enjoy a restaurant setting without quite paying restaurant prices.

All in all, it’s a wholesome meal that won’t leave you in a state of food coma nor take too big a bite out of your wallet, with enough variety in the combinations that there’s something for everyone.

PERi-PERi Bowl = 1 Base + 1 Main + 2 or 3 Side-Kicks

To customise your bowl, pick a Base, a Main and two or three Side Kicks. Prices for any combination of a Base and Main range from S$8.90 to S$14.90, while side-kicks cost S$1 to S$3.

There are also four pre-made combinations, with prices starting from S$10.90.

Base options: Noodles, Rice, Salad

Those looking to try something different from the usual rice and salad bowls will be pleased to know that they have noodles as a base here too.

Among other local influences that you might recognise on the menu are mee tai mak noodles cooked in the PERi-Laksa sauce. Thanks to the fact that mee tai mak can be managed with just a spoon, this was super easy to eat.

If you opt for rice, Nando’s Signature Rice, cooked with coconut, chicken, and kaffir lime flavours, is just as tasty as it sounds, while not being oily or salty.

The other option for the base would be a Caesar Salad, for those who might be cutting carbs, or who just want a light meal.

Side-Kicks

One of the notable Side-Kicks would be the Cheese Crisp, which adds a nice touch of texture and savouriness, well worth the S$1 price tag.

Another Side-Kick worth trying would be the Grilled Broccoli — the broccoli Nando’s uses is fresh, not frozen, so it keeps its bright green colour, with just a light char on the edges of the florets.

You’ll also find local- and Asian- inspired options such as Asian Slaw and Fried Tofu cubes.

Author’s Choice

I mostly stuck to the recommended options, but now, having tried every item on the menu, I had some fun coming up with my preferred combinations for different scenarios (with names dreamed up by yours truly).

Here are three of them:

The “Costs Less Than You Think” bowl, S$11.90:

1. Signature Rice
2. Grilled Chicken Tenders
3. Cheese Crisp
4. Fried Tofu

The “Wedding In Two Weeks” bowl, S$12.90:

1. Tropical Noodles
2. Grilled PERi-PERi Tempeh
3. Asian Slaw
4. PERinaise Egg Salad

The “Didn’t Eat Breakfast” bowl, S$16.90:

1. Signature Rice
2. Boneless Thigh (Go for Two Boneless Thighs instead if you’re having this as a post-workout treat.)
3. Fried Tofu
4. Asian Slaw
5. Grilled Portobello Mushrooms

1,792 possible combinations

The combinations above are just a handful of the 1,792 possible ways to order a PERi-PERi Bowl at Nando’s.

As a proud Asian, of course I had to do the math, but feel free to skip this next section if you’re not so inclined.

And there you have it.

Where to find Nando’s:

Nando’s six outlets are located in Jurong Point, Tanglin Mall, The Star Vista, Tampines Mall, Plaza Singapura, and Bugis Junction, and are open from 11am to 10pm daily.

You can also pre-order for takeaway on order.nandos.com.sg, or get your meal delivered through GrabFood, Deliveroo, or FoodPanda.

This sponsored article allowed the author to actually eat a proper lunch for once.

All article images by Nando’s