A birthday dinner

'Twas Wifey's birthday and eldest daughter - about to start her new job - had come and taken her shopping while I waited in for the delivery of a new cleaner. Youngest daughter was at school and so Wifey had not yet opened her parcels as there wasn't time before school. It was an early finish for school and just before she got home the vacuum FINALLY arrived. It was within the terms (just) but having been without one for 4 days it seemed like forever. The story of the vacuum is a tale in it's own right and brings a smile to my lips when it's not a tear to my eye!

Parcels were opened and we piled in the car for a quick trip to Carsington Water where we intended taking in the shops so we left Dylan to guard the house - barking his assurance that he would do the job well - or just barking not sure which.

It was 'bracing' at Carsington so the shops is what we did except we played on the water exhibits - well you are only young once aren't you.

We then returned so I could take Dylan a walk before we went out again for dinner at the chosen location of Nando's. Dylan seemed to know he was going to have to stay home again on his own as he found every tiny thing to smell and take his time over.

Walk done we piled back in the car and went to The Westfield Centre in Derby where Nando's is located and had been  recommended by both daughters. Eldest goes there quite often with her partner and friends and has taken her sister who adored the place - mainly for the crushed ice machine but she liked the food a great deal too.

We were quickly seated and perused the menu. We chose and myself and eldest went to order. The queue was quite long and we waited a while to place our orders. Both Wifey and I had chosen the Mediterranean Salad while youngest chose a medium double wrap. Bad news - no Mediterranean Salad or Caesar Salad - so we held the queue up while the eldest went back and checked with the birthday girl what she would like as an alternative. Seconds choices made we returned to our seats and waited about twenty minutes for our food. OK they were busy although we didn't expect it on a Monday evening. The food was quite good and I was happy that I had chosen 'hot' but youngest regretted the choice of medium and kept the ice machine in business for a while!

We chose cakes and I went to place the orders. The queue was lengthy again and very slow and they opened a second till. I was now last in queue and seemingly second as well. The second till finished the order it was taking - AND CLOSED!! The girl who was placing the order in front of me - and chatting up the assistant - finished and her friend started placing her order! I had now queued about 15 minutes for the second time and the effect of dinner's satisfaction was wearing thin. I placed the order for the cakes and returned to the table and the cakes arrived quite quickly. I must say those that 'caked' (I am low fat and the bottomless yoghurt did not appeal at all) were more than happy with their portions and enthused a bit over them.

Coming away I tried to get to the bottom of why people like Nando's but just couldn't fathom it. Our conclusion was that if we found ourselves wanting a meal in Derby then we may go there again but if we were going out for a meal then Nando's is not a place we would head for because of the feeling we came away with.