[Review] Ichigo Ichie, Sheares Street, Cork

Visiting a restaurant with a freshly broken ankle is not something I'd normally recommend doing. However, when the restaurant in question is Cork City's only Michelin-starred restaurant, and the reservation was made several months before, then you can understand why I was determined to visit. Thus I found myself, two weeks after fracturing my fibula, slowly hobbling along Sheares Street and into the calm interior of Ichigo Ichie. 

The story of Takashi Miyazaki is the type of story we all love to hear. Takashi came to Ireland in 2008 after spending his career working in a 5* star hotel and travelling around Japan, exploring the different regional cuisines. Like all good stories, he fell in love with an Irishwoman and the rest is history. Leaving Japan behind, he had a dream of opening his own restaurant, and he succeeded in 2015 with the eponymous Miyazaki which bought casual Japanese food to Cork. But the dream wasn't over for this quietly determined man and, in April 2018, he opened the fine dining Ichigo Ichie. Accolades were quickly earned crowned with the awarding of a Michelin star a mere 6 months later. 

Welcome to Ichigo Ichie

[Review] Glovers Alley, Dublin 2

By the end of last year, I had heard whisperings of a new restaurant opening in the Fitzwilliam Hotel. It was going to aim high, and was recruiting staff from the best spots in town. That restaurant is now open, and there's no doubt that the uber luxurious Glovers Alley by Andy McFadden is currently the hottest ticket in town. 

Originally from Tallaght, McFadden became London's youngest Michelin-starred chef, before deciding last year to return home and invest in the space formerly occupied by Thorntons Restaurant. While McFadden's name is the name over the door and embossed on the menus, he's assembled a crack team around him. Head chef Philip Roe has accompanied Andy from London, head sommelier James Brooke moved across the Green from Restaurant Patrick Guildbaud, general manager Ed Jolliffe comes from Chapter One and the stellar Aoife Noonan joined as executive pastry chef, formerly having worked at Luna and Guildbaud.

[Review] Bodega 1900, Barcelona

When Aer Lingus told us that they were cancelling our planned flights to Porto, I was very disappointed. I had been immensely looking forward to visiting the port houses in the Vila Nova de Gaia district and sampling a few fine ports while sitting on the banks of the river Duoro. To compensate, Aer Lingus did offer several rebooking options (at no extra charge!) and so we found ourselves back in Barcelona. 

The last time we had visited Barcelona, I had tried to get a reservation in one of Ferran Adria's locations, but I was not successful. This time out though, I secured a reservation at Bodega 1900, a relaxed tapas and vermouth (or vermut) bar, with a focus on traditional recipes, prepared from a modern perspective. 

And, oh boy, did Bodega 1900 deliver. From the minute we walked through the narrow green doors, I felt at home. It's gloriously traditional, with lino on the flooring and cupboards lining the walls. Pictures from the history of Bulli line the walls in fantastic disarray. But despite all this, you catch glimpses of waiters using fine kitchen tweezers to delicately position meats on boards, and suddenly you feel that there might be something else going on. 

Spherified "olives"

[Review] Greenes, MacCurtain Street, Cork

Greenes Restaurant on Cork's MacCurtain street is one of the grande dames of Cork's dining scene. It's located in a former bonded warehouse in the city's Victorian quarter (by the way, when did that moniker appear?)  which it shares with Isaacs restaurant and the boutique Hotel Isaacs.

As restaurant entrances go, the entrance into Greenes of Cork is pretty special. Step off the continual bustle of MacCurtain Street past the wrought iron gates, under the cobbled archway and enter into their little courtyard. Cork is a city of steep hills, and you are reminded of that when you see the sheer rock cliff surrounding Greenes, and their famous waterfall cascading down.

Greenes has been around for yonks, and in that time there have been ups and downs. Many head chefs have come and gone, but it's maintained a special spot in the city. Award-winning chef Bryan McCarthy currently holds the head spot and he has done much to elevate Greenes. There's a strong focus on modern Irish food, using the fresh, local produce, combined with traditional preservative techniques such as fermenting and pickling. 

Goatsbridge trout with crab

[Review] Amuse, Dawson Street, Dublin 2

Exciting food and fine dining are not often common bedfellows. Well, not as often as I'd like anyway. During our recent holiday on the Amalfi Coast in Italy, we dined in two separate one star Michelin restaurants, and came away feeling decidedly "bleh" after one and "meh" after the other. In fact, one of the meals was the singularly most sexist experience I've ever had. I never thought I'd describe a meal in a Michelin restaurant as "sexist", but there you go. You live, you learn.

Which is why I'm glad that a recent visit to Amuse restaurant on Dawson Street showed that the creativity of chef Conor Dempsey has abated not one jot. The awarding of Michelin stars in Ireland has long been a source of great puzzlement; indeed it took several years for the neighbouring Greenhouse restaurant to secure its star. Based on my experiences, I feel that the food at Amuse is at the required standard, but who knows if the Michelin judges agree with me.

Amuse is located at the southern end of Dawson Street and often flies unnoticed, not helped currently by the ongoing Luas works. The dining room is small, but the tables are set well apart. I personally love the lampshades, which match in style the plates and glasses used.  Conor's cooking is described as Franco-Asian, which is a hint as to the types of ingredients he likes to use.

We started with an aperitif of lovely sparkling rose, made with Pinot Noir grapes. Shortly, a selection of various seaweed and rice crisps, with puffed rice, goats cheese and a delicious mussel arrived. These were accompanied by a stunning little bowl of gently sweet coconut and pea soup, with salty pops of trout caviar lurking within. Our final amuse consisted of an intense basil puree with anchovy and warming horseradish.

Amuse bouche of various crisps and toppings

[Review] EIPIC at Deanes, Belfast, United Kingdom

EIPIC is very much the jewel in the crown of the Deane's restaurant flagship space on Belfast's Howard Street. It has already claimed a Michelin star in September 2015, just a mere eighteen months after opening. Owner Micheal Deane has clearly statued his vision for EIPIC as being "amongst the finest restaurants in these islands", and chef Danni Barry has fulfilled that dream in double quick time. 

With both EIPIC and fellow Belfast restaurant OX, claiming Michelin stars in 2015, it was time to revisit Belfast and sample some more of its exciting food and drinks scene. (Read here for my earlier January visit to pre-Michelin star OX). Following some excellent cocktails at new bar APOC, we strolled over to City Hall for dinner at EIPIC. Entering through "Deanes Love Fish", our coats were taken and we were lead through to the calm and serene dining room. Large silver discs gently reflect soft light from one wall, while a slightly askew paining on the far wall triggered my OCD tendencies all night. The Saturday night tasting menu costs £60 per head, with wine options also available.

Once seated, we ordered a bottle of Pike's White Mullet from Clare Valley (£31.95), a lovely wine, made from 79% Riesling, with some Fiano, Pinot Grigio and Viognier. Little delicious filo cheese and onion mouthfuls started the meal, albeit oddly pillowed on a linen napkin, followed by a slow cooked egg yolk of luscious silkiness in a miso broth, mopped up with crusty bread. A great start.

Cheese and onion in filo pastry

[Review] Ox, Oxford Street, Belfast

A gentle aroma of buttery frying hung in the air as I walked into OX. Or at least, I think it was buttery and pan-related. Irrespective of the source of the aroma, it was the perfect welcoming touch at this very hot and very popular restaurant in Belfast. The bleak exterior gives nothing away, but inside the ceiling high windows flood the room with light, caressing the golden wooden furniture and the surprisingly warm blue woodwork. With an open kitchen set at the rear of the room and soft overhead lights, it's unique and comfortable all at once. 

The tributes have been rolling in lately for Belfast, and in particular OX, the poster child restaurant for all that is good in the culinary world of Northern Ireland. Head chef Stephen Toman (formerly of James Street South) and Breton Alain Kerloc'h bring their combined experience to bear in this space on the banks of the River Lagan.

The warm yet crisp interior at Ox

I'm visiting on a Saturday lunchtime and the a la carte menu is very tempting, especially as main course dishes are priced at just £10. But the chance to explore the world of OX through their winter tasting menu, with five courses for £45 (or £70 with wine pairing) triumphs. 

What follows is a wonderful collection of dishes, all exemplifying the best attributes of this season of cold air, bare trees and hibernation. A single perfect scallop is accompanied by surprisingly mild liquid parsley, air-dried ham and a ribbon of beautiful beetroot. A plate of Finnebrogue venison carpaccio, topped with perfectly matched mushrooms and fermented kohlrabi is clean on the palate, yet rich with the earthy denseness of mushroom. The accompanying medium bodied Villa Wolf Pinot Noir is simply stunning.

Scallop, parsley, crapaudine beetroot and chanterelle
Abondance 2013, Domaine la Bastide 13% Languedoc

Finnebrogue venison, black garlic and fermented kohlrabi
Pinot Noir 2012, Villa Wolf 12.5% Pfalz

Wild halibut is paired with romanesco and soft curry, sharped with the herbal notes of bergamot. A piece of Chateaubriand is some of the best cooked meat I've ever enjoyed. While I am intrigued by the little crosnes, I find myself intensely disliking the bitter chicory leaf that is draped across the plate. I am offered a choice of red or white to accompany my beef and I choose the Pouilly Fuissé, which stands up well to the meaty flavours.

Wild halibut, curry, romanesco and bergamot
Condrieu 2011, Domaine Perret 13% Rhône

Chateaubriand, shallot, crosnes and chicory
Pouilly-Fuissé 2011, Manciat-Poncet 13.5% Burgundy

The rich burnt sugar of treacle apple and a delicious ice-cream flavoured with local fig leaf bely the apparent simplicity of my final course. It's a final hurrah as autumn departs, leaving ripe apples in storage for the winter months. Special mention goes to the accompanying dessert wine, a stellar Petit Manseng with enough syrup and sweetness to tackle the rich apples.

Apple, treacle and Ballywalter fig leaf
Pacherenc du Vic Bilh 2012, Les larms celestes, Chateau Boucassé 13%

Selection of macarons

On the riverbank, the Beacon of Hope sculpture (or Nuala with the Hula in local terms) has her back to me as I leave OX,  very well fed, and even better libated. Wine pairings are a great way of exploring a restaurant's wine list, but they can leave you full and foggy-headed. What I especially liked at OX what how my own unique preferences were listened to and incorporated into my tasting. 

The atmosphere at OX is decidedly unpretentious - some dishes arrive by waiting staff, while others are delivered by kitchen staff. Everyone, and I mean everyone, is warm and pleasant, happy to engage in conversation or explain something from the menu. As I leave, Alain presents me with a printed menu on simple brown card, listing the dishes and wine pairings that I had just enjoyed. A perfect gesture to encapsulate what OX does.

OX, 1 Oxford Street, Belfast BT1 3LA
Tel: +44 (0)28 9031 4121
URL: oxbelfast.com
Twitter: @oxbelfast

[Review] Restaurant Forty One at the Residence Club, Dublin 2

You've got to hand it to the Georgians. They knew how to build a fine house, of which a fair amount survive in Dublin, despite the efforts of mid 20th-Century developers. Originally, most of the wealthy Georgians built their homes on Dublin's Northside, centred on Rutland Square and Mountjoy Square. But the Earl of Kildare caused a bit of an upset when he built his newest residence, Kildare House, on the "lesser" southside. By moving to the Southside, the crafty Earl was able to build the biggest residence of them time, resulting in a fair amount of social envy. 

The fickle fashionistas followed suit, and soon Merrion Square, Fitzwilliam Square and St Stephen's Green were established, lined with many elegant residences. Following Irish independence, these fine buildings sometimes fell into disrepair and were even regarded as being "un-national". Many fell to the developer's demolition ball, even going as far as knocking an entire block to build the ugly ESB head office on Fitzwilliam Street.

Aviation cocktail before dinner

Thankfully there are no modern monstrosities at 41 St Stephen's Green, which is home to the private members Residence club. Even though it is a symptom of Celtic Tiger largesse, it has survived and continued to develop. Today it plays home to Restaurant Forty One, under the command of chef Graham Neville and voted the Restaurant of the Year 2013 from Good Food Ireland. 2013 has been a year of continued success for Graham, and I was eager to taste his cooking for the first time.

Following a cocktail aperitif in the downstairs bar (where my Aviation cocktail was disappointingly light on the maraschino), we were taken upstairs to the beautiful dining room. Downstairs, the staff had been playfully dressed in creative Halloween costumes and the walls were decorated with gothic-themed daguerrotypes. But upstairs, all was serious with muted golds and champagne colours overlooking a streetlamp-lit St Stephen's Green. Before too long, it was time for the first dish from our 6 course tasting menu (€75.00); a plate of roasted heirloom vegetables with a stunning 36 month aged Parmesan emulsion.

Roasted heirloom vegetables with 36 month aged Parmesan emulsion

From there, we progressed to exquisite seared scallops, simply served in a puddle of sweetcorn, a wonderful sweet partnership. Rich foie gras, a gourmet's delight, came served two ways, with seasonal elderberries for a tart bite. A piece of meaty wild turbot was paired with crushed Jerusalem artichoke and a delicate pumpkin mussel nage. It was a knockout dish.

Seared scallops

Foie gras two ways with poached quince, elderberries and walnut crumble

Wild turbot, crushed Jerusalem artichokes and mussel pumpkin nage

The seasonal focus continued with roasted grouse served deliciously pink, alongside a single large meaty cep. It was a ballsy meat-lovers dish, served with a little jar of wonderful reduction, but yet it retained a sophisticated balance. We were then invited to choose a selection of cheeses from a wonderfully stocked cheese trolley, accompanied by a cornucopia plate of dried and fresh fruits, quince and crackers. 

Finally it was time for dessert, a delicate white chocolate cylinder filled with passion fruit and a refreshing elderflower sorbet, mirroring the elderflower berries on the earlier foie gras dish. I generally find passionfruit too sweet, too acidic but here the soft fatty sweetness of the white chocolate cut through the tangy fruit. A simple selection of petits fours, including delectable macarons, was provided to finish our meal, even though we had declined tea/coffee.

Roasted grouse with ceps

Artisan cheese plate

White chocolate, passionfruit and elderflower sorbet

Selection of petits fours

Throughout the meal, I had been impressed by the confident simplicity of the dishes, which belied the delicate flavours and skilful cooking involved. Despite his French training, Neville eschews traditional creams and fats to create his sauces, but instead relies on lighter techniques. If the pumpkin and mussel nage is any example, then this is an approach worth following. His food is clean and light, even when dealing with the most substantial of ingredients.

Our serving staff had been excellent over the course of our meal, but we definitely felt like the youngsters in the dining room (and trust me, we're not that young). It felt a little odd as Neville's food is not old in style; it's a younger interpretation of French dining. Throughout the meal, Himself and I kept finding something to praise, something to scoop up with our fingers, joyously cleaning every last morsel off the plate. Who cares what fine dining etiquette recommends. Food this good shouldn't be left on a plate to be returned to the plate scraper in the back kitchen. It is a celebration.

Restaurant Forty One, The Residence, St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2
Tel: +353 (0)1662 0000
URL: restaurantfortyone.ie
Twitter: @REST_FortyOne

[Pictures] The Greenhouse, Dawson Street, Dublin 2

We recently dined at the Greenhouse, where the food truly looks as beautiful as it tastes. We chose the 5 course surprise tasting menu, which is a combination of items from the standard menu, plus a few specials from the chef.  I'm not going to write a review on this visit to the Greenhouse (I've already done a review of lunch at the Greenhouse) but I do want to share some pictures of the elegant and truly wonderful food. 

First up was a selection of amuse bouche, all creative and fun, with great play on textures and flavours. The clear favourite around the table was a little canapé of watermelon with smoked mackerel (which is the course the one I didn't photograph).

Marshmallows dusted with smoked paprika

Prawn cocktail "Greenhouse style"

Chicken liver bombes (I think?)

Then it was time for the surprise tasting menu. Apologies in advance for the last of a dessert picture, which was a delicious strawberry and meringue plate. Strawberries just short-circuit the primal part of my brain and I had already dived in before I thought about taking a picture. Bonus marks go for bringing an aromatic smoking wooden box to the table containing the Skeaghanore duck.

Foie gras royale with walnut and green apple

Lightly smoked yellowfin tuna, Iberian ham cream, avocado, olive and horseradish

Pan-fried stone sea bass with cauliflower, smoked leek ash, truffle and lobster

Smoked Skeaghanore duck with cailette and celeriac

The Greenhouse, Dawson Street, Dublin 2
Tel: +353 (0)1 676 7015
URL: www.thegreenhouserestaurant.ie
Twitter: @_the_GREENHOUSE

[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