Reading - Gateway - Ryan Review

This Nando's is on the newer part of The Gate retail park. The main retail park is in the shadow of the Madejski Stadium (where the B&Q is) - but this Nando's is on Imperial Way, down the A33 a little more towards the M4. With the Madejski very close, there is a restriction on parking on match days - where customers can only park, for free, for 90 minutes. The rest of the time there is 2 hours free parking.

Arrived here mid-afternoon and the restaurant was fairly quiet. It's quite a big Nando's. There's some seating outside and then two floors inside. There are 7 or 8 booths of different shapes and sizes. Plenty of multi-coloured lanterns hanging down for the lighting. Very bright and airy. Upstairs it's a bit darker - with an additional 12 tables or do. Toilets are also upstairs - very clean and clad in large grey/brown tiles and a big green sink.

The food came quickly in under 5 minutes. I went for the Sunset burger and chips. The chicken thighs were very juicy and saucy, if a little small but this was a welcome tasty meal after the last two had been disappointing. The chip portion was a decent size as well and were hot and crispy.

Staff were a bit of a let down. I was welcomed as soon as I entered "table for one please" and then shown to a table which was covered in dirty plates. I said I'd just sit at the empty and clean table next to it. At no point from greeting me did the staff member say anything. He didn't even put the barci in the little holder - just plonked it at the table and walked off. At the till the operator was instead having an argument with another staff member in a foreign language and so asked me four times what I was ordering. Nobody checked on me either during the meal.