Restaurant
Over the years we have eaten in many many restaurants in Portugal. Everything from Pickwicks Bar in Evora (100 miles away) to Tapas in Ronda in Spain. One thing is sure--the best restaurants have the best staff. Of course the food is important but it is the staff that makes the difference in a meal. A few posts ago I wrote about Oregano. No problem--great place; just like the Churrisquiera de Valdemar in Silves. Whether you pay 90E or 11E it is the staff that decides whether you will come back again.
I can only speak for the restaurants we choose and we find that the owner is almost always present and if he or she is present they will inevitably come over and speak to you. The intimacy of the place almost demands it. It is the personal touch that makes you return.
Today we went for a walk outside Monte Santo to investigate a tiny restaurant only a stone's throw from the resort but on a very busy road near the local roundabout. I know it's there and he always has a sign out on a chalkboard "Frango something." However I am watching the traffic as I drive by at speed and we never quite appreciate what we are passing. We sort of assumed it was for locals only.
So today M said, "we are going to walk down the road to that cafe." Be aware that there are no sidewalks on that road but there are walls along the side and cars and trucks are zipping by and not looking for us. In any case we managed to get to the cafe without being killed. Wow-amazing; the place is really nice. The owner came out to greet us and gave us an explanation of the menu and then we had a good look around. It is bigger than I imagined and has a lovely porch if you want to eat outside and a nice interior with lots of space. It's called Recanto da Boavista or Beautiful View Nook.
We'll try it for dinner soon. Not expensive.
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