Holidays in the Algarve as a child saw Harry Deighton fall in love with the type of cuisine served up in the region's piri piri cafés, so much so that he has replicated his idea of food heaven by embarking on his first restaurant venture serving up authentic Portuguese fare in the heart of the busy Fulham Road in Chelsea.
Fire and Feathers opened its doors in June and is everything Portuguese from its short and simple but mouth watering authentic menu to the rustic charm and design of the restaurant, based on Harry's memories of the cafés he so enjoyed while on holiday. It may look fairly unassuming from the street but once you step inside the long narrow restaurant its interior casts a striking impression.
At the front there are wooden tables for two along with bar stools and at the rear smart wooden booths, while the original fabric of the building has been incorporated into the overall design with exposed brick work and wooden beams. A mix of reclaimed floorboards and stone flooring and distinctive vintage ceramic tiles from Portugal mixed with well positioned industrial style lighting lift the atmosphere and vibe of the place.
Our jovial Portuguese waitress soon had us in the mood with a plate of traditional nibbles of bread, olives, tuna pate and tasty garlic carrots. We followed this up with starters of garlic prawns (£8.95) and chorizo (£6.95). The large shelled prawns had a good kick to them and were meaty with a tasty marinade, while the hearty bowl of sliced chorizo was spicy and moreish and satisfying to the taste buds.
For mains we ordered a piri piri chicken to share, (£12.95 plus one side). The small birds are spatchcocked, grilled and cut into shareable pieces. The chicken was wonderfully succulent and moist with great flavour, literally finger licking good as you get stuck in with your hands to pick the meat off the bones. It comes with a choice of marinades mild, piri piri or dynamite (extra hot), we tried all three and each in their own way added to the taste explosion of the meat and the dynamite certainly left your lips tingling. A refreshing side of tomato and onion salad went well with the dish.
Fiona and I also shared a well cooked fresh tasting grilled sea bass (£14.95) which was particularly flavoursome and delicate and enjoyed a side of traditional African rice (£3.50) with it, which consisted of a tasty combination of rice, corn and bacon. Another star turn was the house white wine which at £15.50 for a 750ml carafe was something of a bargain and went down well with the food.
An authentic Portuguese custard tart, pastel-de-nata, made with puff pastry and served with a dollop of vanilla ice cream (£4.95) was a decent pud to round off the meal while Fiona had a hearty three scoops of ice cream (£4.95).
There is nothing to dislike about Fire and Feathers from its cheery staff, cool surroundings and well executed food. If you want a true taste of Portuguese piri piri chicken which leaves you licking your lips at the end of the evening then it's well worth taking a trip to this Fulham Road establishment.
