There’s piri piri happening in Fort Worth thanks to Karino’s Piri Piri Chicken, a restaurant serving the flavorful South African favorite, now open inside the Funky Town Food Hall dining hall at 1229 8th Ave.

Karino’s is from Deon Stein, a self-taught chef from South Africa who was inspired by his brother’s restaurant in their home country. He moved to Fort Worth from Michigan four months ago to try the concept and bring that style of chicken to a new audience.

Dallas has seen some peri peri places open in recent years such as Nando's, but Karino's is one of the first in Fort Worth.

“Living in the U.S., it’s like sometimes you miss food that people back home enjoy — it was more like trying to enjoy that same food while abroad,” Stein says.

Piri piri chicken, also known as peri peri, refers to a chile pepper used to make the dish's spicy sauce. ("Piri-piri" is the spelling used in Portuguese-speaking countries, while "peri-peri" is more common in Africa.) The spice traditionally comes from a chile called the African bird’s eye pepper, but Stein uses Thai peppers because they're more accessible.

“Our basic piri piri sauce uses lemon, garlic and herb, and turmeric to give it a yellow color," Stein says.

A half chicken with two sides and a roll is $27. Sides include classics like coleslaw and fries, but also intriguing items such as corn drizzled with piri piri sauce or potato brava — roasted potato wedges with melted cheese and jalapenos.

Stein is doing way more than piri piri chicken. It's a little like a home cooking place, if you grew up in the Caribbean, with dishes such as curry goat, jerk chicken, chicken shawarma, and salads.

"On certain days, like the other day when it was cold, we made a beef stew,” Stein says. “We added the new dishes to the menu because people were asking for Jamaican jerk and curry chicken, so that’s our South African-Caribbean fusion.”

One irresistible signature: Portuguese rolls, which Stein bakes daily — light and fluffy and a little sweet. There are also vegetarian options, including a veggie melt and veggie burger.

Karino's joins a fun global mix at Funky Town, next door to Beren Mediterranean, another promising spot.