[Travel] Eat Drink Walk Petiscos Tour in Lisbon

Everyone likes a different kind of holiday. Some people like sunshine, some people like food and some people like activity. However, we found a way to combine them. Rather than spending a lot of effort to find the best Lisbon food and drink, we decided to take a short cut by booking ourselves onto a guided walking tour of Lisbon, offered by Eat Drink Walk. And so we found ourselves outside the Mercado da Ribeira in the bright sunshine, waiting for our guide Celia Pedroso, and our introduction to the petiscos of Lisbon.

As it was a Monday, the fresh produce sections of the market were regrettably quiet, while the fish market was closed altogether. Entire sections of the market are sectioned off behind plastic curtains and construction sounds echo around the halls. The whole market is undergoing modernisation, starting with the opening of the TimeOut food hall. This wide open space is filled with communal tables in heavy blond wood and lined with a selection of Lisbon's finest restaurants and food outlets. 

The Timeout food hall at the Mercado da Ribeira

We started our eating tour with a very fine selection of cheeses (sheep and goat) from Manteigaria Silva along with plenty of crusty corn bread, ham-wrapped figs, all accompanied by some crisp, refreshing glasses of Vila Santa Loios white wine, made in the Alentejo region. 

Cheese platter from Manteigaria Silva 

Ham-wrapped figs and cheese from Manteigaria Silva

Then it was time to leave the Mercado and start walking the streets of Lisbon in search of the tastiest snacks and drinks. As we walked, Celia pointed out historic buildings and interesting sights, including a  bakery with wonderful animal creations and a food shop where slabs of dried salted cod were stacked high.

Bread animals in a shop window

Stacks of dried salted cod

Then it was time to visit Restaurante Nova Pombalina for some leitão - or suckling pig sandwich. The cafe assembles sandwiches on freshly baked bread in lightning fast time, accompanied by a delicious selection of fresh juices and potato chips. The rolls are filled with a mixture of crackling and meat, with a hot piri-piri oil available for those who like to spice it up. Rissois de camerao, or crispy prawn pancakes, had a tasty cream filling balanced by fresh herbs. Several glasses of fresh pineapple juice with ginger or mint worked their refreshing magic before we headed back out into the sunshine. 

Rissois de camarao - or crispy prawn pies

Refreshing fresh pineapple and mint juice

Roasted suckling pig rolls with potato chips

The tinned fish industry is very important in Portugal where they have elevated it to an art-form. There are many shops dedicated to the sale of tinned fish, with shelves stocked neatly in a rainbow cacophony  of tins. Sardines, mackerel, octopus, mussels, tuna… if the Portuguese can't tin it, then it probably isn't worth eating. Conserveira da Lisboa on Rua dos Bacalhoeiros is a beautiful old-style shop with tins stacked behind the serving counter.

Conserveira de Lisboa

The first mountain of tinned fish

It was time to taste port, courtesy of the Garrafeira Nacional on Rua de Santa Justa. The entire shop is lined with bottles but especial focus is given to port and sherry. Bottles of different vintages and sizes are everywhere, and it was fun for our party to see who had the most expensive port vintage birth year. (I only clocked in at €200).

We got to taste a wide selection including white, ruby, tawny and aged ports, with colours ranging from light to dark deep red. The final bottle was a sample of the local Moscatel de Setúbal, a delicious sweet wine suitable for aperitifs.

Vintage ports at the Garrafeira Nacional 

Our port and Moscatel tasting at Garrafeira Nacional

Presenting Moscatel de Setúbal

At this stage we had walked well away from the Mercado and it was time to start turning back. But not before we stopped at a little food store specialising in food from the Portuguese Azores islands. Here we nibbled on cheese, spicy chorizo and fresh pineapple marinated in the sweet liqueurs produced on the islands. It seemed that every type of fruit was bottled on the shelves, even going to so far to produce a creamy Bailey's-like drink from rice. 

Cheese, spicy chorizo and liquer tasting

Yet more tinned fish

Yet more tinned fish, this time at the modern and sleek Loja das Conservas, which is more like a modern art gallery than a tinned fish shop. Tins from different canneries are arranged artfully underneath mini-histories of the cannery. Even the purchases are beautifully packaged, with tins carefully laid into cardboard boxes or even wooden boxes.

And even more tinned fish

Lisbon even has a tapas restaurant, Sol e Pesca, that specialises in decanting tinned fish, housed in a former fishing tackle shop. You simply pick your choice of tinned piscine delight and the staff will deliver them, in their oils or sauces, to your table. Simplicity is the key here, with fresh bread and carafes of crisp white wine to wash it all down. 

Tinned fish tapas at Sol e Pesca

And more tinned fish tapas at Sol e Pesca

By now our legs were feeling the effects of spending 4 hours walking in the Lisbon sunshine. Our final stretch took us back to the market for a Portuguese treat. Ginjinha is a local liqueur made from sour cherries and the little bar from Mariquinhas Óbidos serves it in a little chocolate cup for added sweetness. Careful handing is required in the heat, but to be honest, the little cup doesn't tend to last long.

Tasting ginjinha - with a shot in a chocolate cup

Our little group of Irish, English and Americans had great fun wandering around Lisbon in the company of Celia and Eat Drink Walk. Sometimes having a local food writer show you around is the best way to find those little gems. Our tour lasted about 4 hours and cost €60 per head including all eating and drinking. Other tour options are available, just contact Eat Drink Walk for details.

[Review] Bela Vista, Praia da Rocha, Portimão, Portugal

When we were last in the Algarve two years ago, we often walked past a construction site which surrounded a beautiful Moroccan-inspired building. I often like to daydream about living somewhere special and this building immediately caught my imagination. This year, we found out that the building had become the absolutely stunning Hotel Bela Vista, a boutique 5 star location. I was so entranced with lovely photos and interior design that I came within a hair's breadth of booking our accommodation there, but financial prudence prevailed.

However, I was still determined to take a look inside so I booked dinner at the Bela Vista restaurant. When we arrived, we were buzzed into peaceful haven, complete with heavenly blue swimming pool, white-curtained lounges and sleek decking. Inside, the greeting rooms of the Bela Vista aren't very large, but they are vibrantly decorated with traditional tiled motifs, mosaics and patterned fabrics. The  bright white and blue dining room opens onto the terrace, overlooking the sea below. I find it all rather magnificent.

The view from our table

We opted for the chef's tasting menu, costing €75 per head. I ordered my first ever French 75, a punchy cocktail of champagne and gin, while he chose a sidecar (€9.50 each). An amuse bouche of broad bean veloutee was simple and excellent. It was followed by a seafood tasting plate presented on  the now ubiquitous slate plate. It was a kind of a cross-cultural seafood interpretation with a mix of drab tempura soft-shell crab, steamed dumpling and an excellent seared scallop. 

Broad bean veloute

Seared scallop - part of our starter tasting plate

Our next course was simply described as egg, peas and ham, but of course it was more than that. Slow-cooked egg burst open, letting out liquid gold to coat salty cured ham, crushed peas and a long piped tube of pea puree. It was delicious, but my only qualm was the partially translucent egg-white, of which I've  had a lifelong fear. Everytime I cook an egg, I live in terror of semi-cooked egg white, and I'm well aware that it's irrational, particularly as I will happily scoff down raw egg whites in steak tartare. But each to their own, and partially cooked egg whites is definitely mine. 

Pea, ham and egg

Next was the fish course of stacked crispy pan-fried sea bass portions with saffron-coloured potatoes, sliced string beans and olives. This was followed by a wonderful dish of rare duck breast, served with sweet potato puree, and what I choose to describe as a citrus tarte tatin and sweet potato strings. This could have been one of my favourite dishes of all time if only the duck skin had been crispy, rather than flabby.

Sea bass with saffron potatoes, beans and olives

Duck breast with sweet potato and citrus tarte tatin

When we were seated, the sky was still azure in the early evening. As the evening wore on, the sky dimmed through shades of gold to navy darkness. This pleasant transition was undoubtedly helped along by a very nice bottle of crisp Portugese Quinto do Ameal Vinho Verde (€28). 

Evening into night

Meat courses complete, it was time for desserts. First was a single spoon with a little creme caramel type bonbon nested inside. This was followed by a très posh version of an Iceberger ice-cream sandwich. The English skills of our waiters weren't quite up to the job of describing this dessert, which tasted to me like crude dark chocolate. Eventually, I realised that the flavour was carob, something that I'd never tasted and had only ever associated with health food stores and diabetic chocolate. The dirty smear of brown stuff across the plate (carob, I assume) didn't endear me to finish. 

Pre-dessert caramel

Carob slice (Iceberger, non?)

A little box of petits fours arrived at the table along with the bill. Inside was a little mix of madelines, macarons and bonbons, all excellent, and a good finish to an otherwise lacklustre pastry service.  

Selection of petits fours

There was an error on our bill where we were charged for the more expensive bottle of red wine from the same vineyard. However, the mistake was rectified smoothly (€20 in our favour) and our grand total for the night came to €199.50 exactly. Another pleasant surprise on the bill was a charge for a single bottle of sparkling water (€3.50), despite having consumed several over the course of the night. This was something we experienced in several restaurants over the course of our holidays, and was a pleasant relief compared to home, where you live in mortal fear of consuming too much bottled water. 

Comparisons between this meal and our previous day's lunch at Vila Joya were always going to be inevitable but this meal was more than able to stand on it's own merits. A beautiful hotel, an elegant dining room, smooth service and, at times, some really stylish and adventurous cooking all contributed to a genuine fine dining experience. 

Vista Restaurante, Bela Vista Hotel & Spa, Avenida Tomás Cabreira, Praia da Rocha, 8500-802 Portimão, Portugal
Tel: +351 282 460 280
URL: www.hotelbelavista.net

[Review] Vila Joya, Galé, Portugal

When we booked our special holiday lunch at two star Vila Joya, it was listed as No 42 in the World's Best 50 Restaurants. That seemed very promising, but things got even better shortly before our departure when the latest rankings were issued. Vila Joya had moved up the table to No 37.  Now the anticipation levels were even higher.

The day's menu

We arrived a little early, about 30 minutes in fact, as we didn't want to be late. (Typical Irish eh?) After gaining access through the gated entrance, we found ourselves in the peaceful grounds of the Vila Joya hotel. We were taken through to the bar area, which opens out onto the sunlit terrace. With time to spare, we ordered some cocktails, a Negroni for me and a whiskey sour for him. Preparation was well underway for the lunchtime service with the waiting staff doing many different things all at once. The serving staff were attired in snowy white uniforms, including what I could only describe as Hammer Pants. A little googling later revealed that this was probably a variation of Portuguese traditional dress and not a tribute to the master of "U Can't Touch This".

My Negroni in its offset glass

In due course the maître d' started to bring the parties outside to their tables on the terrace. The view from here is incredibly beautiful with landscaped shaded gardens falling away from the terrace, down to a picturesque little beach and the stunning green blue sea beyond. White canvas parasols shade each table, protecting diners from the sun. If it gets a little too breezy on the terrace, blankets are provided to keep you snug. I'd say that it would be equally gorgeous here at nighttime, with burners illuminating the terrace, and the sound of sea below.

Our terrace table

Lunch at Vila Joya costs €110 per person, with a Portugese wine pairing adding €72 per person. The menu lists four courses for that price, but rest assured that plenty "surprise" courses are provided throughout the meal. Chef Dieter Koschina combines local produce with his northern European background and has impressively held two Michelin stars since 1999. Before visiting, I was very intrigued to see how an Austrian chef would incorporate Portuguese influences. Read on for details....

The menu itself was short and simple...

Atlantic lobster, cauliflower, caviar

***

Monkfish, capers, artichokes

***

Duo of beef, spinach  pepperpolenta

***

Apple, hazlenut, honey

Surprise starter Number 1 featured a crisp roll with avocado puree, a sour cream "oyster" with caviar, light crisp discs with small octopus tentacle and caipirinha spheres. Careful removal of the crisp roll from the pincer-like holder was required, and the smooth creamy filling tasted like the darkest, greenest essence of avocado. Lifting the spoon holding the sour cream sphere and letting it slip down really did reproduce the feeling of eating an oyster, followed by the salty pops of caviar. The delicate crisps reminded me of extremely gourmet prawn crackers, and the caipirinha bombs exploded open in your mouth, releasing a not-too-sweet lime experience.

Surprise starter Number 1

Surprise starter Number 1

Surprise starter Number 2 arrived with another pincer contraption holding a cone of steak tartare, a beetroot macaron atop a little slate cube, some parmesan sandwiches and little rolls of crispy fried pata negra.  The steak tartare was meatily chewy all in a delicate cone, but we were both blown away by the sweet, smoky, saltiness of the beetroot macaron which was sandwiched with an eel filling. I would have happily paid €110 for a tray of those delicious little flavourbombs. Moving on, the parmesan crisp sandwiches with a smooth cheese filling were calming after the rich flavours of the first two components, with the parmesan flavour still showing through. Little crispy cigarillo shapes of pata negra finished off a wonderful starter of salty, meaty flavours. 

Surprise starter Number 2

Surprise starter Number 2

Surprise starter Number 3 was all about seafood. Once again, delicate crisps were in evidence, flavoured with gentle spice and topped with little brown shrimp. Sweet razor clams were served in their shells contrasting with sharp, tangy yuzu citrus and decorated with beautiful edible flowers. The final dish featured salmon, rolled in a little pancake, accompanied by cucumber.

Surprise starter Number 3

After this extravaganza of tasting delights, it was time to start the meal proper. First up was a stunningly beautiful dish of Atlantic lobster, cauliflower and caviar. Ravioli filled with celery and served in intense bisque was truly sublime, even for a celery-hater such as myself. All the rawness and bitterness of celery had been removed, leaving a smooth, creamy flavour that was the best part of celery. 

Lobster, cauliflower and caviar

Closeups of lobster, cauliflower and caviar

Monkfish with capers and artichokes featured a perfectly cooked piece of this magnificent fish, topped with peeled, cooked artichokes, tiny gnocchi, deep fried fresh capers and red pepper. A rich meaty jus provided colour and taste contrast, while the artichokes allowed the sweet meatiness of the monkfish to shine through.

Monkfish with capers and artichokes

Our meat course featured a duo of beef (steak and cheek) with spinach and pepperpolenta. Beautifully pink and seared beef, wilted spinach and a perfectly small amount of peppered polenta came in one dish, while another plate held a carmelised, glutinous piece of beef cheek atop the classic partner of creamed celeriac. 

Duo of beef

Main courses done, it was time to wait for the dessert. But of course, there was another surprise course. A reconstructed coconut with coconut ice-cream coated in a dark chocolate shell was visually clever and tasted well, but the accompanying banana ice-cream, pineapple & passionfruit were somewhat lacklustre.  Finally dessert proper arrived. Listed as apple, hazelnut and honey, it was both light and crisp, yet smooth and creamy.

Pre-dessert surprise

Apple, hazelnut and honey

A final surprise came with in the shape of a little dessert bowl of coffee and caramel flavours, accompanied by a glass of viscous, sweet Moscatel de Setúbal 1998 with citrus and nutty flavours. An utterly divine glass on which to finish a meal.

Final "surprise" dessert

I had planned on ordering coffee so that I could continue the gluttony with petit fours. But before I could order, a slate of bonbons was delivered to the table. However, at this stage I had consumed several glasses of fine wine, in the afternoon sunshine, so I decided coffee could be a judicious move anyway.

Petit Fours at Vila Joya

Overall, this was an educational dining experience. The real oohs and aahs had come early in the meal as we worked our way through the three surprise starters but overall, we had absolutely enjoyed every dish. My single negative comment about our visit came with the arrival of our bill, where the unexceptional cocktails were listed as €19.50 each.  Even at a two star restaurant, that is gouging. In comparison, the very next day we dined at the very fancy 5 star Bela Vista hotel where pre-dinner cocktails cost €9. 

But food, while extremely important, isn't everything at a Michelin restaurant. Throughout our leisurely lunch, we observed that everything at Vila Joya was precise and correct, from the waiter etiquette right through to the food presentation. Vila Joya is a great illustration of what is required to be a true fine dining establishment. And it's nice to see that even with this high level of service, the restaurant is still relaxed enough to allow pet dogs on the terrace during service. 

Ultimately, the very best way to judge a restaurant is your likeliness to return and long lengthy lunches on sunlit terraces are hard to forget. Memories are made of this. 

Vila Joya, Praia da Galé, 8201-917-Albufiera, Portugal

Tel: +353 289 591 795

URL: www.vilajoya.com

Twitter: @VilaJoya

Restaurante All Beef, Portimão

The Algarve is a weird spot when it comes to food. You can walk into a very pedestrian looking restaurant and find yourself enjoying a plate of delectable, charcoal grilled fish. Or you can walk into a very pedestrian looking restarant and enjoy a very pedestrian meal. A lot of restaurants appear caught in a timewarp and menus often all look the same, blurring into a haze as they offer the same fare, one after the other.

So what can a person do to try and pick out the wheat from the chaff. Appeal to friends on Twitter? Tick. Use the internet? Tick. Turns out that reviews on TripAdvisor seem to favour the pedestrian restaurants. The number 1 ranked restaurant turned out to be a trip back to the 80s with reasonable food and service.  But in a region where charcoal-grillled fish transcends a diner to ecstasy, serving plain old grilled fish doesn't quite cut the mustard.

Halfway through our holiday, we decided to take a break from gorging on fresh fish. We had driven past Restaurante All Beef several times and its sleek, modern, glass-walled interior had caught our eyes. We reckoned that it would make a welcome respite from the dated restaurants that are so common on the Portimão strip. The restaurant is entered via a wooden decking with covered outdoor areas. The dining room is completely glass wall with modern, contemporary furniture, clean delph and smart wineglasses. At one end, there is a backlit wall completely filled with wine bottles, while the other end provides an open view into the kitchen.

Multilingual menus bound in rich, dark leather (as usual for the area) were presented, along with the usual couvert. We received a bread basket filled with different bread types (including an unusual sweet cornbread), along with a little tray of fresh sardine paste, olive tapenade and little cubes of fresh cheese. An excllent llight green olive oil provided yet another alternative dipping option. To top it all off, we received complementary glasses of sparkling wine as aperitifs.

Warm Scallop Starter

 For my starter I chose the warm "Au gratin cone scallop with sea flavour" while himself chose a cold starter of "Algarve style octopus salad". My scallop came very elegantly presented on a large plate and essentially featured scallop (including the coral) in a cream sauce which was then gratinated. It was packed full of scallop meat and the sauce was creamy and tasty. It was somehow extremely comforting.

Algarve Style Octopus Salad

His octopus salad came piled high on a plate. Chunks of tender, marinated octopus were simply dressed with olive oil, onions, garlic and herbs. It would have made a decent sized course on it own.

For the main, I decided to push the boat out and chose the Fillet of Beef for 2 served with Bearnaise sauce. Once cooked to your liking, this is carefully carved at the table by your waiter and served along with roasted mediterrean vegetables and rice. Once sliced, the skill with which the lean fillet was cooked became apparent. It was crispy and flavoursome on the outside, yet remained red and juicy at the core. Complemented with a light dusting of sea salt flakes, and some smears of the buttery Bearnaise sauce, this fillet of beef became a memorable dining experience. 

The total bill for our meal for 4 at All Beef, including 3 starters, 4 mains, 2 desserts and a bottle of house red wine and other drinks came to a staggeringly good value €122. Granted, it is a bit more expensive than other nearby restaurants, but you are paying for excellent food, with attentive service in a modern, crisp environment. All Beef is throwing down the gauntlet for the modern restaurant experience in the Algarve. I wonder will others follow?

Restaurante All Beef, Sítio dos Três Castelos, Praia da Rocha, Portimão, Portugal.
Tel: +351 282 496 261