Have a taste of Nelson’s Porra chickens
Nelson Barbeiro (39) takes care of the braai as he flavours his Porra chickens with his special AiKaramba sauces outside the Rose and Dragon Pub at the Oasis Mall
It is the delicious aroma of chickens on a braai that is attracting more and more customers outside the Rose and Dragon Pub at the Oasis Mall in Tzaneen on Saturdays.
Nelson Barbeiro (39) takes care of the braai as he flavours his Porra chickens with his special AiKaramba sauces.
It is a treat to watch the care he takes in the preparation and presentation. Customers can order whole chickens, half and quarter, but must be prepared to wait about 45 minutes. The flavours run the gamut from extra mild to extra hot.
Nelson’s English is a pleasant mix of accents due to his extensive travels. He was born in Canada of Portuguese parents. His father was a welder and his mother was involved in every aspect of sewing. At the age of seven, he returned to Portugal with his parents.
Nelson’s greatest love has always been food. When travelling, he learnedas much as possible about the different cuisines. “I like to see people happy with their food. I make all the food from scratch and don’t use any modern implements. I like eating with my hands and my Porra chickens are best when eaten by hand. My favourite international chef is Chacal from Peru. He cooks in some of the best restaurants in the world and I like the way he cooks. He always has his family around him when he cooks. In his cookery books, each recipe has a unique and personal Chacal story.”
Nelson met his Tzaneen-born wife, Nicky (35) while they were working in the UK. Nelson was a fork lifter and Nicky was doing quality control at the same company. They returned briefly to Tzaneen to get married in 2004. Both then returned to Portugal. Nicky stayed two years, learned a smattering of Portuguese and then returned to Tzaneen, where she now teaches accounting at Merensky High School. Nelson remained in Portugal for another five years, but eventually found the restrictions and paperwork surrounding anything to do with the culinary world overwhelming. The couple did not see each other during that time, and they were considering divorce. Nelson came to South Africa more than a year ago and now he and Nicky live happily in Tzaneen.
The Barbeiro couple took part in the Hoedspruit Xmas market in 2012 and were a hit with their AiKaramba sauces, particularly the very hot sauce called Diablo.