Fantastic Figo’s offers perfect peri peri chicken

One of the most popular food trends to arise in recent years has been that of peri peri chicken.

A major chain has become known throughout the country, and a number of smaller businesses are popping up throughout our high streets and shopping centres.

One of those is Figo’s, a newly opened outlet on Glasgow’s southside.

The first thing that will strike you about Figo’s is its size. It’s small. There’s only seating for 20 people inside. But don’t let this put you off, or the fact it looks like a takeaway. The quality test is in the food, and here, Figo’s passes with flying colours.

Myself and my group were offered a variety of dishes to try, but, not having the strongest of palates, we chose to have a lemon and herb flavouring on our chicken (other options included mild, hot, extra hot, chilli garlic and herb, and buffalo.

There’s a variety of options available – for wraps, peri pitta, zinger wrap, tikka legend, and various others, as well as straight forward chicken thighs, wings, strips, skewers, a quarter, half and full chicken.

We started with some peri peri thighs, which were absolutely delicious. The chicken thighs were soft and succulent, and not just full of the nature chicken flavour, but the marinade. I wouldn’t normally choose to pick chicken thighs, but these are magnificent – as soft and fleshy as chicken breast, but smaller and easier to eat.

The youngest member of our group, a teenager, can be an awkward eater, and she decided to pick the peri peri strips, with lemon and herb. She has a habit to pick at her food, but the strips were consumed very quickly – they were devoured like a piranha shredding flesh from a carcass!

One of the tastiest things I’ve tried in in age are the Pulled BBQ Chicken Fries. We’re talking about a good portion of fries, smothered in a melted cheese, shredded chicken, and a special sauce. This isn’t just comfort food – it’s a meal in itself.

I also tried the Figo’s Special Burger. It’s a tasty peri peri chicken served with grilled haloumi, lettuce, garlic mayo and chilli jam in a bioche bun. Again, the taste was spot ont – chicken cooked to perfection, with a pleasant without overpowering marinade. The flavourings for the peri peri chicken at Figo’s are made fresh daily which means they won’t lose their quality of taste.

The variety of sides at Figo’s is good too – we tried the fries, which were lovely and crisps, while the spicy rice was lovely – not over or undercooked, and with a noticeable flavour. There’s other options too – grilled halloumi, onion rings, corn on the cob and a steamed vegetables.

The majority of the food on the menu is chicken, but there are burger options available. The Juicy Lucy burger was enjoyed by another customer during my visit, and I did look wistfully as he ate it.

The owners plans to roll out another five Figos restaurants and takeaways across Scotland over the next few years, and based on the the evidence on show here, they are onto a winner.

The interior may be small, but it’s stylish. The tables have been imported from France and other fittings have been especially made. For those choosing to eat in, the food is served on metal trays, which give is a feel of quality.

The burgers use locally sourced beef and are handmade from scratch using quality ingredients. Each dish is made to order, so you may have a little wait on your hands, but my goodness, it’s worth it.

What’s worth noting is that, even though Figo’s is a small outlet, it’s already attracting customers from not just the local community, but throughout the southside and even further away – one family make a regular visit each week from Paisley. Figo’s is every bit as good as the big name on the high street – it’s definitely worth making the trip or getting an online order in.

Figo’s Peri Peri

178 Kilmarnock Road, Shawlands, Glasgow, G41 3PG

0141 649 5552

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