Nandos has been selling us a rather twisted, albeit kind of tasty, version of 'Piri piri chicken' for the best part of a decade. As you'll discover upon sampling the food at Lisbon's numerous tabernas, the Portuguese don't take too well to fiery chilli heat. So the notion of grilled chicken smothered in pretty spicy sauce being authentically Portuguese might seem like throwing a tiger amongst the chickens.
As with most of my food trips, I run out of time to eat everything I originally intend to eat – but since my last visit did not spare me sufficient time to try the real piri piri, this time, I had no choice. Frangasquiera Nacional, which basically means National Grilled Chicken Shop, looked like my kind of place – simple, uncomplicated, with a focus on doing what they do best – grilled chicken, Portuguese style.
Unlike Nando's whose chickens are pre cooked then finished on the grill, this place takes raw, whole chickens, seasons them appropriately and places them atop a charcoal grill. No spicy, overly salty 'piri piri' sauce here. That's not the way the Portuguese do it. Nacional's piri piri sauce is just a mild chilli oil lathered on the chicken post-grilling. That's all.
The result – smokey, crisp on the outside chicken, with juicy interior, with only the subtlest hint of spice. No complicated flavour profiles or anything spectacular. But tasty, honest charcoal grilled chicken – which, in my eyes, can only be a good thing, especially when executed this well. To accompany your bird, get some of their home-made chips – now I'm using the American definition of chips here – hot and uber crunchy, lightly dusted with salt and the ingeniously interesting addition of dried marjoram.
The only downside is that this place is takeaway only – but then again, order a chicken or two, chips and some beer, retreat to the comfort of your hotel, watch some TV, soak in the bath if there is one, now that's a pretty good way to enjoy proper Piri Piri, no?
Frangasquiera Nacional
Address: R. da Imprensa Nacional 117, 1200-214 Lisboa, Portugal
Phone: +351 21 241 9937
Opening hours: Tues – Sun: 12 – 3pm, 6.30 – 10pm
Closed Mondays
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