Semendo’s

I have been pleasantly surprised by Semedos today!
I ordered the quarter chicken lunch time meal deal. Although this option is usually served with chips, our waiter was more than happy to swap this to salad for me. The chicken was very well cooked and was well presented. The restaurant itself was immaculately clean and well maintained.
The only reason I am not giving five stars today is the slightly long wait for the food to be served, and the tame level of heat in the chicken. I am a spice lover so when ordering something hot I like a bit of a challenge. What I got today was more like a mild… tasty, but just not packed full of chilli as you would expect.
I would recommend a visit here if you are in the area, especially for a lunchtime treat that won’t break the bank at £4.95 for a range of meal deals.

I’m taking a * off my original score. The staff are as nice as ever, but the food just doesn’t tick my boxes any more. It seems to have gone down a notch quality wise and so no longer represents such a decent balance of price, service and quality. It’s all just a bit bland. I still like the vanilla shakes tho!

I was so relieved when the mystery of this place was solved… Semendo’s popped up in the place of a strange old betting shop that seemed to just… be closed one day. After months and months of the place being boarded up and cleaned, it was finally revealed to be a new eatery (specialising in Portuguese food) at the end of 2014.
So, as you can see from the photos, it looks pretty darn smart. Big windows, nice wooden and metal signage and clear opening hours look pretty darn inviting (especially when you consider the alternative food shops are Greggs and Dhillons fish bar next to it). Upon entering, you will notice just how clean and inviting the interior is too.
On Saturday (on our return from Pirate weekend at Alton Towers) we were starving hungry. With me being on Bootcamp currently, my foodie options are limited — but I AM allowed chicken (which this place specialises in). We were greeted as we walked in and popped straight to the counter to have a look at the menu. Now, this place is essentially an independent (but much tastier, in my opinion) Nando’s. You can have chicken (to a range of different heats), steaks, salads and choose from their solid selection of desserts (including Italian gelato and cake).
We opted for their «Half chicken and two sides deal» to split between us. As the chicken comes in quarters, Dan went for extra hot and I went for medium. I went for a green salad as my side and Dan chose Peri-​peri chips. This was all made fresh for us while we waited and had a wander around the shop. They produce their own sauces and there are options for unlimited soft drinks if you choose to sit in.
Our food was ready in about 10 minutes and we eagerly took this home to eat. Our meal cost us a very fair £8.50 for everything. The chicken was really tasty (and not that hot), but I was a little disappointed that my salad came with a dressing (even though this wasn’t mentioned on the menu and I wasn’t asked if I wanted it). I think this would be my only complaint.
Service was great, food was good and the place was clean, friendly and inviting. If I wasn’t so strict with my eating options, the salad dressing wouldn’t be an issue — but word to the wise, ask for your salad without if you don’t like creamy sauces.