“Equipped with his five senses, man explores the universe around him and calls the adventure science.” –Edwin Hubble.

In the 15th century, Portuguese explorers set out for Africa with their five senses; their sense of taste taking command. There they would find the spicy peri-peri pepper that would become the science behind the flavors of the heat-filled menu of Nando’s Peri-Peri restaurant.

As those Portuguese explorers first set foot in Africa and discovered the peri-peri pepper glistening blood red in the hot African sun, so did the starving students of College Park set foot inside Nando’s Peri-Peri. Their eyes bulged at the sights, the smells — it was an oasis in a fast-casual food desert. At their first taste, they were hooked. They broke free of their Chipotle chains, their Slices shackles, and indulged in a fulfilling feast that some might have felt was the baptism of the first true dining establishment in College Park.

Walking in, the colorful and comfortable vibe is enthralling. What was once a dreary whitewashed pizza joint that came alive only in the night has become a thriving community of patrons soberly basking in the sunlight and the steam of the fresh butterflied chickens being charred to perfection.

On ceramic plates there are inviting appetizers, flavorful main meals and unique desserts — a stark contrast from the shiny silver bowls brimming with taco fillings or the grease-stained paper plates that litter the streets on Sunday mornings. The menu is made up of a variety of options, but many include the peri-peri pepper as their signature base. A snack, the Peri-Peri nuts with the signature peri-peri salt, were much more interesting than a bowl of nuts would seem. This combination of spice-roasted almonds, waxy cashews and sweet macadamias was toasty and rich with a kick from a dusting of the signature pepper that pervades the Nando’s menu.

The spicy mixed olives were bathed in a red pepper and garlic marinade that cools your taste buds with a tang.

The chicken is the star of the Nando’s menu. As you enter the beaming restaurant, the butterflied chickens bask on the open grill, caramelizing with flavor. They go through an intricate process to produce that juicy, flavorful, chargrilled taste. When the chickens arrive, they are steamed and then cooked in a rationale oven made for Nando’s. Chefs baste the bottom of every chicken with the lemon-herb sauce, marinate it for 24 hours, then dollop your sauce of choice on top and grill. The sauces include plain, lemon and herb, mango and lime, medium, hot or extra hot. The more peri-peri, the spicier the chicken. Unhappy with your choice of sauce? Nando’s has a wall of different sauces for dipping and adding flavor. Unfortunately, if it’s flavor you’re looking for, these sauces don’t do the job. They were nearly indistinguishable except by heat, which overwhelmed any flavor potentials. The flavor of the chicken definitely comes from the grilled smokiness and the caramelized marinades. When you get it, feel free to use your hands to pick it up and dig into the juicy breast. This may be the only real, wholesome piece of chicken you can acquire in College Park.

To accompany your chicken, choose from sides including Peri chips (French fries) with a side of Perinaise (Peri-Peri Mayo), flame-grilled corn on the cob, a portuguese roll, garlic bread, macho peas, portuguese rice, coleslaw and red skin mashed potatoes. The fries were classic, as you would expect, but dusted with the peri-peri salt for a little heat reminiscent of Old Bay fries on a Terps game day.

Vegetarians, don’t fret. The portobello mushroom with halloumi wrap was filled with flavor from the perfectly grilled salty halloumi, the tenderness of the earthy portobello, crunchy lettuce and a burst of flavor from the lemon herb sauce inside. Accompanied by a side of corn, this meal can stack up against the army of chicken choices on the menu.

For dessert, the signature Portuguese egg tart or “naughty natas” was a sweet balance of rich cream, with a soft flaky exterior dusted with cinnamon and sugar. In true Nando’s spirit, the tart is grilled just like the chickens.

While for many of this university’s students this might seem like a “Treat Yourself” establishment, the price of a half chicken and side is almost identical to that of a steak burrito bowl with extra guacamole from almighty Chipotle. Nando’s brings to College Park a light in a dismal darkness of fast food, a place you can bring your parents when you get sick of Busboys and Poets and a lively diverse atmosphere that might make you forget you have three exams next week and a paper due two hours ago. The authentic, interesting and flavorful menu of Nando’s is a much welcomed face in the dull or overseasoned College Park restaurants.