New to Park Slope, with a nearly three-year-old location in Bed-Stuy, the star of Peri Peri Grill House is the chicken, with a few sides in strong supporting roles.
The “peri scale” here is your illustrated heat guide. “Originating in Southeast Africa,” the menu reads, “the fiery peri chili is at the heart of our spice blend. This unique blend of peri peri spices is the foundation of our menu, and what makes our chicken stand out from the crowd.”
A color-coded outline of a chili ranges from a few layers of extra mild, up through mild, hot and extra hot.
“Whether you’re after a little bit of a kick, or want to test the top of our peri scale, we’ve got a spice for you,” the menu reads. Of course, it’s somewhat relative from there.
A recent order of extra hot chicken, which is available by the quarter, half, and whole bird, was nicely spiced with a respectable heat that would probably set some palates aflame, but won’t evoke tears from avowed heat-seekers. But its flavors are nuanced, intentional and terrifically enjoyable with the texture to match.
Standout sides include the mildly spiced jasmine rice and a mac & cheese that splits the difference between kid stuff and the grown-up variety. Here, it’s topped with peri salsa that contributes a little extra bite, but nothing that would rock the peri scale.
Peri Peri Grill House is located at 173 4th Avenue and is open on Sunday from noon–9pm, and Tuesday–Saturday from noon to 10pm.