Portugal Saturday, March 11/23

 Weather:  Perfect blue sky at 7am and temperature predicted at 20c again.  As I have indicated over the last weeks the temperature has been about 3-4c lower than we are used to but appears that normal warmth is here as usual.  

We are sitting on the balcony at 9am and the sun is 'hot'.  

O'Barradis Restaurant

This restaurant was a bit of a surprise.  It is much larger than we expected consisting of two large rooms and a significant patio.  As I indicated yesterday it is attached to a vineyard but upon further conversations with the staff it is also a winery.  I know that should seem obvious but the whole complex is behind typical Portuguese road walls and after dark we couldn't see much.  Mary had some of their white wine and it was excellent.  We've been drinking $5 wine since we got here so it couldn't help but be better.  That's not to knock Portuguese cheaper wine because it is as good as any middle priced wine from the LCBO.

Not a good photo but it will have to do.

After the table was prepared the owner named Luis came over and we spent some time talking about their menu.  Luis is a man of 60 and like a lot of the nicer restaurants they like to spend time with their customers.  So we made a selection and had some couvert which was obviously their own creation and it was very nice.  

Our starters arrived after a while.  I decided to try prawns again as I had a few weeks ago and Mary had vegetable soup.  My prawns were larger than the prawns at Oregano but just as good.  I'm not a great fish lover but prawns are an easy start to a meal.  

Main course:  When we were ordering I asked Luis about the steak on the menu and he was extremely positive about it (I'm naturally cynical about house recommendations, but....).  Mary had a lamb stew.  One feature I like about European restaurants is the pace.  Everything moves slowly so between arrival and main course is frequently an hour or more.  Arrive at 7 and depart at 10 if you like.  "A conta por favor"   You always have to ask for the bill.

About an hour after ordering the main course arrived.  Unbelievable.  See pictures.

Luis came over after we finished.  I asked him about where my steak fillet had come from as it was so tender and no fat.  He told us that all their beef comes from near Braganza in the north east of Portugal.  It is from a specific breed only fed on grass and some corn.  Every animal is housed at night to reduce stress and the animal is slaughtered at around 9 months of age.  

My dad cut meat in Bottrells butcher shop in London when he was a teenager
and was always familiar with cuts of meat.  If only he could see this.  It was
   like slicing a roast.  Luis said all their fillets are 290 grams or 7/10ths of a pound (just in case anyone is wondering).

Mary's lamb stew and plate of vegetables.  The quality was good and unlike so many restaurants in Canada the vegetables were properly cooked.  Try Portuguese carrots--yum!  We got talking to Luis out on the patio and was telling us about the grape vines they have just planted.  He was saying that the number of Cdn's is increasing every year.  

I managed to get home in dark without incident.  I guess the brain isn't dissolving quite yet.