WE were like a troupe of wandering minstrels ... only we didn't feel much like singing!

It was a Saturday night - Valentine's night to be precise - and six of us descended on Manchester for dinner.

Because we'd planned to visit the Hard Rock Cafe, I was insistent we wouldn't need to book and had spent the previous week promising everyone it would only be "a matter of a short queue".

Of course it wasn't. Two hours they told me at the door.

I sheepishly relayed this rather wonderful piece of news to my party: my dad (on his annual 'goodbye' dinner before heading back to sunny Sicily), my youngest brother and his girlfriend, my 14-year-old niece (all dolled up and nowhere to go) and my husband who delighted in wearing an "I told you so" smirk for the remainder of the night.

So we set about looking for a place that would take a party of six... with no booking... on Valentine's night.

And I found one. And a rather good one at that.

Nando's is within the huge Printworks and the place is big on chicken. However, vegetarians are catered for.

We did have to wait for a table, but only about 30 minutes, and were seated upstairs.

The place itself is large, noisy and has a great atmosphere. You "mark your territory" by placing a numbered cockerel on your table before going up to the counter to order. You order your drinks and pay the bill at the same time.

We decided to go for a bowl of Peri-Peri nuts (£2.20) to eat with our drinks. Peri-Peri is the spice coating used, if liked, on most dishes at Nando's, and it's delicious. You can choose from the lemon and herb (very mild), medium, hot or, if you want to cry tears of joy and pain, VERY hot.

So, drinks drunk and nuts nibbled, bring on the mains.

The menu is certainly extensive...if you like chicken. Chicken wings, chicken burger, whole chickens the size of Foghorn Leghorn on a plate with a bunch of chips - if you're hungry, Nando's is the place for you!

My hubby and I are both vegetarian so we ordered the veggie burger with Nando's mayonnaise (yummy). This was £3.90 and with it you got one side order. I chose coleslaw 'cos I'm always on a diet and my husband chose the bowl of Famous Old Style Chips, 'cos he isn't. I went for the herb and lemon Peri-Peri seasoning while my hubby plumped for the mild.

The burgers were just how we liked them - smokey and chargrilled and the chips were okay. The coleslaw? Well, I've tasted better.

My dad and my niece went for the Ceasar salad with strips of grilled chicken breast. By all accounts, a good choice. Piled high with crispy Cos lettuce, grated Parmesan, huge croutons and a delicious Ceasar dressing, the strips of chicken balanced precariously on top.

My dad said it was delicious and he was really happy because he had managed to secure a bread roll to go with it (Sicilians eh, they don't do meals without bread). Georgina made a stirling job of her salad and made a few visits to the counter to refill her glass of coke (all soft drinks are "bottomless" so you can refill at will) to sustain the mammoth task of eating every single scrap.

My brother, Daniele and his girlfriend, Michelle ordered a chicken breast burger each (£4.95) with a portion of chips, coleslaw and an extra side order of corn on the cob (£1.30). If you like sweetcorn, try the corn on the cob - it was delicious, all barbecued and crispy.

All-in-all we enjoyed our dishes. They were good quality, fresh, and good sized portions (they do a small selection of children's meals too)

The sweet selection is varied with some delicious sounding desserts.

Crunchy lemon pudding (£2.25), chocolate mousse (£2.25) Portuguese coconut tart (£1.20) and Nata (a custard pastry for £1.20).

As befits someone on a diet, I was the only member of our party to have a sweet and I chose frozen organic yoghurt (£2.30) which was just the right ending to the meal. Light and refreshing. Had I wanted more I could have got a free refill, but I couldn't have managed another mouthful.

With two soft drinks (£1.50 each), a mineral water (£1.60) a bottle of beer (£2.50) and a couple of glasses of acceptable house wine (£3.10 per glass) the bill came to £50.10.

You don't go to Nando's for a fancy dinner, you go for some down to earth good food, great atmosphere and value for money.

Which is precisely what we got.

Nando's, The Printworks, Manchester

Tel: 0161 385 8181

Opening times: Monday to Friday 12 noon 'till 11.30pm, Saturday and Sunday 12 noon 'till midnight.

Star Rating: ***