{"id":46,"date":"2023-06-15T06:49:24","date_gmt":"2023-06-15T05:49:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thebarnetbugle.co.uk\/?p=46"},"modified":"2023-06-15T06:49:25","modified_gmt":"2023-06-15T05:49:25","slug":"from-marble-to-piri-piri-finchleys-nandos-serves-up-a-slice-of-geological-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thebarnetbugle.co.uk\/?p=46","title":{"rendered":"From Marble to Piri-Piri: Finchley&#8217;s Nando&#8217;s Serves Up A Slice of Geological History"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Title: From Marble to Piri-Piri: Finchley&#8217;s Nando&#8217;s Serves Up A Slice of Geological History<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When it comes to dining in Finchley, North London, you&#8217;d expect your typical fare: the succulent flame-grilled chicken from Nando&#8217;s, or perhaps the spicy peri-peri chips. However, at Finchley Lido, Nando&#8217;s offers more than just a delicious meal &#8211; it presents an intriguing geological tale dating back millions of years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Situated within Finchley Lido Leisure Park, the Nando&#8217;s branch has drawn attention not only for its vibrant food but also for the intriguing chunk of history built into its very structure. The counter of the popular eatery showcases a massive block of Staffordshire Marble, a rare and beautiful geological formation, harking back to a time when the area was far removed from the urban bustle of North London.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Staffordshire Marble is not technically marble, but a form of crinoidal limestone, a sedimentary rock composed largely of ancient marine fossils. Named for its prevalence in Staffordshire, this stone boasts a unique, speckled appearance that makes it a highly sought-after decorative material.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The geological marvel had been part of the original site before the establishment of the Lido complex. When Nando&#8217;s moved in, they made the decision to preserve this striking geological feature. &#8220;We wanted to celebrate the history and the unique character of the site,&#8221; said the branch manager, Alan Sheppard. &#8220;So, we incorporated it right into the heart of the restaurant.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, behind the counter where orders are taken and peri-peri sauces doled out, the fossil-imbued stone stands as an integral part of the eatery, its mottled surface serving as a backdrop for the bustling operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Restaurant-goers, intrigued by the distinctive stonework, often find themselves engrossed in conversations about geology over their meals. &#8220;It&#8217;s a great conversation starter,&#8221; said a regular customer, &#8220;I never thought I&#8217;d learn about ancient marine life at Nando&#8217;s!&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Local geology enthusiast and Finchley resident, Mary Hobbs, said, &#8220;It&#8217;s quite astonishing to think that as we enjoy our chicken, we&#8217;re standing next to a relic from a time when this whole area was underwater, teeming with creatures whose remains now form the beautiful patterns in this rock.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Nando&#8217;s branch at Finchley Lido has seamlessly merged gastronomy and geology, making it a unique focal point in the community. It serves as a model for how local businesses can celebrate and preserve the geological quirks of their surroundings, adding a slice of ancient history to our modern landscapes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is Garibaldi Fantosh, reporting from Finchley, North London.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Title: From Marble to Piri-Piri: Finchley&#8217;s Nando&#8217;s Serves Up A Slice of Geological History When it comes to dining in Finchley, North London, you&#8217;d expect your typical fare: the succulent flame-grilled chicken from Nando&#8217;s, or perhaps the spicy peri-peri chips. However, at Finchley Lido, Nando&#8217;s offers more than just a delicious meal &#8211; it presents [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thebarnetbugle.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thebarnetbugle.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thebarnetbugle.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thebarnetbugle.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thebarnetbugle.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=46"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thebarnetbugle.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":47,"href":"https:\/\/thebarnetbugle.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46\/revisions\/47"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thebarnetbugle.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=46"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thebarnetbugle.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=46"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thebarnetbugle.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=46"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}