Mendi Restaurant – 18 years of well serving

Text José Silva | Translation Bruno Ferreira

It’s already an institution of Porto’s city. For 18 years operating in the same place, on that pedestrian alley that runs alongside the Crown Plaza hotel (formerly Tiara). For three times underwent renovations, while always maintaining an environment dominated by tranquility with lots of light coming in through the huge windows. A small counter at the entrance and beautiful armchairs where you can wait for table.

Decorated in crimson tones – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

Oriental pieces – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

A large living room tastefully decorated in crimson tones with some Oriental pieces’ notes, including two beautiful columns at the entrance.

Straight ahead there’s the kitchen entrance that has a traditional oven (tandoori) where some of the delicacies that come to the table are cooked.

Mani Ram – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

Tej Ram – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

All prepared by the hands of experienced people, leaded by two Indian cooks who have been working in Mendi for many years: Tej Ram and Mani Ram. Also the care when buying quality products, a great deal of them coming from India.

In the room there are soft incense aromas hovering the air which mingle with the ones coming from the kitchen – the spices and seasonings that make Indian food one of the most odorous ones.

In charge of it all is the strength and will of a man who has always believed (and believes) in what he does, who gave his body and continues to give his spirit to Mendi: Kamal Rajani. He was born in old Lourenço Marques, Mozambique, lived in England, then went to USA, and finally came to Portugal to get married, in 1981. In 1997 he founded Mendi. Nowadays his daughter Mafalda helps him around the restaurant providing a feminine touch to this pleasant space.

The tables are nicely set and sober, the service is personalized and unnoticed such is its finesse. While this is true they also helps us to go through a very full menu – among the many appetizers and main dishes.

There’s no other way to start the meal but with papadom – thin and crunchy leaves with slightly spicy spices – introducing us to these exotic flavors. Yes, because Indian food (and Oriental in general) is traditionally spicy. But, as an adaptation to European tastes, in Mendi we can choose to enjoy the food without spicy, which I must confess, will mischaracterize a bit this so noble cuisine. What we can do is in fact control the spiciness level, all we have to do is ask for help: slightly, medium, hot or very hot. I like to start with medium and finish with hot, already with some sweat drops on my head.

I really like having a small dish of fresh hot chilli next to me so I can add them myself to the various dishes, it’s a tremendous delight… It’s a strong spicy, hot, with great quality and quite tasty.

Nan – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

Sahi Nan – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

Nan, a typical Indian bread, made in the previously mentioned oven (tandoori), keeps us company for the whole meal: soft, small, well-seasoned, with a lot of garlic, or in a vegetables-cheese version with little slices of hot chilli. A delight.

Mixed Starters – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

Sheek Kabab – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

The cortege of the meal began with mixed starters: Vegetable samosa, hara bara kabab, onion bhaji and pakora. That get richer with the various sauces among which is an exquisite mint sauce.

Goane & Prawn – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

Murgh Makhani – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

Then we had sheek kabab – lamb espetada – followed by a delicious goane and prawn – a delicious prawn curry with coconut milk – and to end we had a murgh makani – chicken curry with cream – which I requested spicier, it was superb.

Joining all these dishes, the rice of course, a loose pulao, exquisite and elegant, counterpointing the spices of the various dishes.

Kulpi – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

Barfi – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

And to end, the dessert: kulpi and barfi, quite different, sophisticated and smooth. We were biting spices seeds while ending the conversation, some of them slightly sweet, helping the digestion.
Different lands, different mores…
Congratulations to Mendi for its eighteen years providing an excellent service.

Contacts
Av. da Boavista 1430, 4100 Porto
Tel: (+351) 226 091 200
Facebook: Mendi Restaurant

Foz Velha’s Chef Marco Gomes with his new “Casa do Marco”

Text José Silva | Translation Bruno Ferreira

Marco Gomes was born in Alfândega da Fé, Trás-os-Montes. He studied in Bragança, graduated quite early and started an effulgent journey that led him to hotels and restaurants all over the country: Algarve, Lisboa, Viseu, Alfândega da Fé, Chaves and Amarante – place where he reopened the inn’s restaurant “Casa da Calçada”.

From there he got catapulted to Porto, where he opened the restaurant “Foz Velha”, in old Foz, by the sea and near the mouth of Douro’s river, twelve years ago.

During those twelve years he turned this restaurant into one of the most appreciated and well-known in town, where he practices a signature cuisine and mostly based of Portuguese traditional products and our aromas and tastes while maintaining a strong connection to Trás-os-Montes, his motherland. He then began a career that would give him national and even international recognition as he has been being invited to cook in several parts of the globe: Spain, Brasil, USA, Canada, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Scotland, Germany, Hong-Kong and Macau. In the latter he participated even in the startup of a new project. Nowadays he takes part on a project in S. Miguel’s island, “Forneria Sta. Clara” restaurant, in Azores.

He also took part in the preparation of several books, one of which very curious. A book that he shares with other colleagues where each of them cooks with their own sons! Like father…

Doing small, medium and large scale services became a constant, a bit all over the country. He provides training in some schools, often helping students doing their internships and finding employment.

Naturally, he was invited to participate in a tv show, “Praça da Alegria”, a space he shared with other colleagues and where he stayed until this tv show was “relocated” to Lisbon. Nowadays he finds his space on “Porto Canal”’s morning broadcast, once a week, quite successfully. But life demands evolution, and so he has recently decided to make major changes at his “old” Foz Velha and got down to work. Having recuperated some years ago two rooms on the ground floor, he also created “Academia Marco Gomes”, a multipurpose space for show cooking, training and meals for small groups. While keeping said space and he also created a new concept, with a new image, new logos and a brand new decoration: the “Casa do Marco”.

New decoration – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

Cozy hearth – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

He renewed the infrastructures, improved comfort and, on the first floor, the former “Foz Velha” gave place to two spaces and concepts: “Foz Velha” remains a more modest spot with a cozy hearth where they only serve tasting menus, keeping the quality and service level that we got used to.

A more modest space – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

“Casa do Marco” – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

Most of the room space is now occupied with “Casa do Marco”, a younger and more casual space but sharing the decoration, the tables’s layout and service of “Foz Velha” whilst having a wider offer of delicacies divided by: Para Picar, Os Caldos, Dá Cá Um Bacalhau, Carne, Inovações, Por Encomenda, Que Lateirices, As frigideiras, O Tacho, Acompanhantes e O Que É Doce, Doce É!!

The intention is to provide light or full meals under the same service and environment, choosing from this fun yet wide menu, from snacks to more consistent dishes.

With the inclusion of many of the Portuguese and even Oporto’s recipes (pica pau, tripas à moda do Porto and Francesinha), the client has the possibility to pick not only what he likes the most but also the adequate quantities for his appetite. This also translates into the final price, which can be a nice surprise. Many wines of the broad wine list are served by the glass, at very reasonable prices.

Marco Gomes himself often comes to the table, checking customers’ satisfaction and gathering opinions in order to improve the service of this house which is his but that he likes to share with customers.

At this point I had already eaten the “pica-pau”, alheira (sausage), chouriça and fine bísaro pork ham, a great cheese selection, squid rings and a superb cured salmon.

Tomato Soup – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

Onion Soup – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

The tomato and onion soups are delicious, served hot. The Braz’s Codfish was on point, just like the shrimp’s bread soup and the wine and garlic’s ribs rice.

Ragged Eggs – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

Shrimp’s Bread Soup – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

The ragged eggs and the traditional Francesinha are really good, just like the wine and garlic’s pork tenderloin. The grilled veal’s chop and veal’s big chop, huge, grilled on point, excellent.

The fried rice is irresistible and the “tripas à moda do Porto” and the chickpeas with cow hand are quite serious stuff. Regarding desserts the highlight goes to the puff apple pie with green apple ice cream and to the homemade chocolate mousse with hazelnut.

I leave you with Chef Marco Gomes’ invitation to visit his “Casa do Marco”.

It’ll be worth it!

Contacts
Casa do Marco
Esplanada do Castelo 141  •  Porto 4150-196 PORTO
Tel: (+351) 226 154 178
Mobile: (+351) 918 818 147
E-mail: mail@fozvelha.com
Site: www.marcogomes.pt and www.fozvelha.pt

Foz Velha's Chef Marco Gomes with his new "Casa do Marco”

Text José Silva | Translation Bruno Ferreira

Marco Gomes was born in Alfândega da Fé, Trás-os-Montes. He studied in Bragança, graduated quite early and started an effulgent journey that led him to hotels and restaurants all over the country: Algarve, Lisboa, Viseu, Alfândega da Fé, Chaves and Amarante – place where he reopened the inn’s restaurant “Casa da Calçada”.

From there he got catapulted to Porto, where he opened the restaurant “Foz Velha”, in old Foz, by the sea and near the mouth of Douro’s river, twelve years ago.

During those twelve years he turned this restaurant into one of the most appreciated and well-known in town, where he practices a signature cuisine and mostly based of Portuguese traditional products and our aromas and tastes while maintaining a strong connection to Trás-os-Montes, his motherland. He then began a career that would give him national and even international recognition as he has been being invited to cook in several parts of the globe: Spain, Brasil, USA, Canada, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Scotland, Germany, Hong-Kong and Macau. In the latter he participated even in the startup of a new project. Nowadays he takes part on a project in S. Miguel’s island, “Forneria Sta. Clara” restaurant, in Azores.

He also took part in the preparation of several books, one of which very curious. A book that he shares with other colleagues where each of them cooks with their own sons! Like father…

Doing small, medium and large scale services became a constant, a bit all over the country. He provides training in some schools, often helping students doing their internships and finding employment.

Naturally, he was invited to participate in a tv show, “Praça da Alegria”, a space he shared with other colleagues and where he stayed until this tv show was “relocated” to Lisbon. Nowadays he finds his space on “Porto Canal”’s morning broadcast, once a week, quite successfully. But life demands evolution, and so he has recently decided to make major changes at his “old” Foz Velha and got down to work. Having recuperated some years ago two rooms on the ground floor, he also created “Academia Marco Gomes”, a multipurpose space for show cooking, training and meals for small groups. While keeping said space and he also created a new concept, with a new image, new logos and a brand new decoration: the “Casa do Marco”.

New decoration – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

Cozy hearth – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

He renewed the infrastructures, improved comfort and, on the first floor, the former “Foz Velha” gave place to two spaces and concepts: “Foz Velha” remains a more modest spot with a cozy hearth where they only serve tasting menus, keeping the quality and service level that we got used to.

A more modest space – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

“Casa do Marco” – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

Most of the room space is now occupied with “Casa do Marco”, a younger and more casual space but sharing the decoration, the tables’s layout and service of “Foz Velha” whilst having a wider offer of delicacies divided by: Para Picar, Os Caldos, Dá Cá Um Bacalhau, Carne, Inovações, Por Encomenda, Que Lateirices, As frigideiras, O Tacho, Acompanhantes e O Que É Doce, Doce É!!

The intention is to provide light or full meals under the same service and environment, choosing from this fun yet wide menu, from snacks to more consistent dishes.

With the inclusion of many of the Portuguese and even Oporto’s recipes (pica pau, tripas à moda do Porto and Francesinha), the client has the possibility to pick not only what he likes the most but also the adequate quantities for his appetite. This also translates into the final price, which can be a nice surprise. Many wines of the broad wine list are served by the glass, at very reasonable prices.

Marco Gomes himself often comes to the table, checking customers’ satisfaction and gathering opinions in order to improve the service of this house which is his but that he likes to share with customers.

At this point I had already eaten the “pica-pau”, alheira (sausage), chouriça and fine bísaro pork ham, a great cheese selection, squid rings and a superb cured salmon.

Tomato Soup – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

Onion Soup – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

The tomato and onion soups are delicious, served hot. The Braz’s Codfish was on point, just like the shrimp’s bread soup and the wine and garlic’s ribs rice.

Ragged Eggs – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

Shrimp’s Bread Soup – Photo by José Silva | All Rights Reserved

The ragged eggs and the traditional Francesinha are really good, just like the wine and garlic’s pork tenderloin. The grilled veal’s chop and veal’s big chop, huge, grilled on point, excellent.

The fried rice is irresistible and the “tripas à moda do Porto” and the chickpeas with cow hand are quite serious stuff. Regarding desserts the highlight goes to the puff apple pie with green apple ice cream and to the homemade chocolate mousse with hazelnut.

I leave you with Chef Marco Gomes’ invitation to visit his “Casa do Marco”.

It’ll be worth it!

Contacts
Casa do Marco
Esplanada do Castelo 141  •  Porto 4150-196 PORTO
Tel: (+351) 226 154 178
Mobile: (+351) 918 818 147
E-mail: mail@fozvelha.com
Site: www.marcogomes.pt and www.fozvelha.pt

“Cozinha do Manel” Restaurant, twenty five years serving good food

Text José Silva | Translation Bruno Ferreira

It’s one of Porto’s city classic restaurants and recently celebrated twenty five years of activity. Located on the top part of the city, Camapnhã’s civil parish, not far from the railway station that goes by the same name. Still belonging to the family, led by Mr. Manuel whose diminutive gave name to this house of great food, well-known in the city but also a bit around the country, gathering devoted clients and friends. In fact, a lot of those friends – well-known public figures – are registered in photos, which fill the huge entrance wall – musicians, reporters, football players and politicians.

But that in “Cozinha do Manel” are treated like any other client, ie they are always well treated.

Mr. Manuel shares the house’s management with his sun in law, while his wife and daughter share the kitchen and prepare the dishes that delight the customers.

The restaurant has a huge counter at the entrance that once served as an eating place and now is bordered and filled with ancient utensils and artifacts. A decoration which also has the company of countless liquors and wine bottles, a lot of them very old.

Down the counter, a showcase reflects the quality of the products, where there’s always octopus, large codfish slices, different sausages preserved in olive, olives and several kinds of fresh vegetables, all in plain sight, with no tricks. Right next it’s the kitchen, with a service counter where the pans and steaming platters are put before the room personnel takes them to the table.

Some steps above is the dining room, lengthwise with a large window at the end. Soberly decorated, half tiled walls, thick wooden bars on the ceiling, dark bricked floor, a nice effect. Intriguing paintings that are nothing less than cotton napkins of the restaurant, in which the clients made some drawings, mainly of Porto city, and were framed afterwards.

Well-set tables, with crisp white towels and all the utensils on top of it. The servicing is professional and thoughtful, well-led. The menu is somewhat short but based on products of great quality and, traditional, genuine, tasty cooking. Very few grilled foods, some stews, but mainly pans’ foods, various types of rice and the great wood-oven roasting tradition – lit every day.

Located in the back of the lower floor, with great iron doors, it’s like a ritual, lighting the ovens in the morning, and again in the afternoon to serve roasting at dinner.

Through those ovens pass the codfish, kid – by ordering – but also the tasty veal, on a daily basis, accompanied by roasted potatoes.

Accompanying these delicacies there’s sautéed spring greens or marvelous mashed spinach, and a wood-oven rice, simply divine.

The meal starts with bread and corn bread, olives, ham, salpicão, shredded codfish with onion and olive oil, codfish balls and patansicas (small pieces coated in batter), small sardines and some other delicacies depending on the season. Vegetables soup but also possibility of chicken soup or sarrabulho mashing.

Fresh whiting that can be either boiled with vegetables or in fluffy fillets, just like the octopus, in fillets or octopus rice.

The codfish is one of the city’s tradition and venerated in here: over coals or in the oven, large slices, medium, always with a lot of onion and potatoes (boiled or roasted).  On some days there’s a daily menu – Tuesday the duck rice is “mandatory” – and sometimes, during the winter, an outstanding Cozido à Portuguesa (Portuguese stew) and twice a week the more than famous traditional Tripas à Moda do Porto.

Here, in “Cozinha do Manel”, they are rigorously prepared, excellent, with an added curiosity – along with the rice they serve salpicão and black pudding as well as little pieces of toucinho, irresistible.

The roast kid in the wood oven, by ordering, is delicious, small animals, well-seasoned, slowly roasted, toasted on the outside and juicy inside, excellent.

For dessert there’s custard, chocolate mousse, gerimu cake and French toast that delight those having a sweet tooth.

A very complete wine cellar and a wide dissemination of red Vinho Verde, accurately served in mugs of nice effect.

If by chance you had to catch a train, in the nearby Campanhã station, you have most likely lost it already.

Contacts
Restaurante A Cozinha do Manel
Rua do Heroísmo 215 4300-259
Porto, Portugal
Tel: (+351 )225 363 388

 

"Cozinha do Manel" Restaurant, twenty five years serving good food

Text José Silva | Translation Bruno Ferreira

It’s one of Porto’s city classic restaurants and recently celebrated twenty five years of activity. Located on the top part of the city, Camapnhã’s civil parish, not far from the railway station that goes by the same name. Still belonging to the family, led by Mr. Manuel whose diminutive gave name to this house of great food, well-known in the city but also a bit around the country, gathering devoted clients and friends. In fact, a lot of those friends – well-known public figures – are registered in photos, which fill the huge entrance wall – musicians, reporters, football players and politicians.

But that in “Cozinha do Manel” are treated like any other client, ie they are always well treated.

Mr. Manuel shares the house’s management with his sun in law, while his wife and daughter share the kitchen and prepare the dishes that delight the customers.

The restaurant has a huge counter at the entrance that once served as an eating place and now is bordered and filled with ancient utensils and artifacts. A decoration which also has the company of countless liquors and wine bottles, a lot of them very old.

Down the counter, a showcase reflects the quality of the products, where there’s always octopus, large codfish slices, different sausages preserved in olive, olives and several kinds of fresh vegetables, all in plain sight, with no tricks. Right next it’s the kitchen, with a service counter where the pans and steaming platters are put before the room personnel takes them to the table.

Some steps above is the dining room, lengthwise with a large window at the end. Soberly decorated, half tiled walls, thick wooden bars on the ceiling, dark bricked floor, a nice effect. Intriguing paintings that are nothing less than cotton napkins of the restaurant, in which the clients made some drawings, mainly of Porto city, and were framed afterwards.

Well-set tables, with crisp white towels and all the utensils on top of it. The servicing is professional and thoughtful, well-led. The menu is somewhat short but based on products of great quality and, traditional, genuine, tasty cooking. Very few grilled foods, some stews, but mainly pans’ foods, various types of rice and the great wood-oven roasting tradition – lit every day.

Located in the back of the lower floor, with great iron doors, it’s like a ritual, lighting the ovens in the morning, and again in the afternoon to serve roasting at dinner.

Through those ovens pass the codfish, kid – by ordering – but also the tasty veal, on a daily basis, accompanied by roasted potatoes.

Accompanying these delicacies there’s sautéed spring greens or marvelous mashed spinach, and a wood-oven rice, simply divine.

The meal starts with bread and corn bread, olives, ham, salpicão, shredded codfish with onion and olive oil, codfish balls and patansicas (small pieces coated in batter), small sardines and some other delicacies depending on the season. Vegetables soup but also possibility of chicken soup or sarrabulho mashing.

Fresh whiting that can be either boiled with vegetables or in fluffy fillets, just like the octopus, in fillets or octopus rice.

The codfish is one of the city’s tradition and venerated in here: over coals or in the oven, large slices, medium, always with a lot of onion and potatoes (boiled or roasted).  On some days there’s a daily menu – Tuesday the duck rice is “mandatory” – and sometimes, during the winter, an outstanding Cozido à Portuguesa (Portuguese stew) and twice a week the more than famous traditional Tripas à Moda do Porto.

Here, in “Cozinha do Manel”, they are rigorously prepared, excellent, with an added curiosity – along with the rice they serve salpicão and black pudding as well as little pieces of toucinho, irresistible.

The roast kid in the wood oven, by ordering, is delicious, small animals, well-seasoned, slowly roasted, toasted on the outside and juicy inside, excellent.

For dessert there’s custard, chocolate mousse, gerimu cake and French toast that delight those having a sweet tooth.

A very complete wine cellar and a wide dissemination of red Vinho Verde, accurately served in mugs of nice effect.

If by chance you had to catch a train, in the nearby Campanhã station, you have most likely lost it already.

Contacts
Restaurante A Cozinha do Manel
Rua do Heroísmo 215 4300-259
Porto, Portugal
Tel: (+351 )225 363 388

 

Caxena Restaurant

Text José Silva | Translation Bruno Ferreira

It is in an unlikely place that we find this restaurant that would fit into any inland or coast city.

Rather, it’s located on top of Serra do Suajo, Arcos de Valdevez’s municipality, a place of great beauty and an outstanding landscape – rugged hills with undergrowth and some trees. The fauna, very characteristic, consists mainly of “cachena” – local breed’s cattle that feeds on the abundant pastures – and “garranos” – wild horses living freely in those hills. There’s also some wild boars and deers. Wolves are quite abundant too. On those clear skies, kites and eagles flit, along with some more ordinary birds. It was this peacefulness, this tranquility, all this beauty that prompted the owner, a Barcelos entrepreneur, to buy a ruin – close to the restaurant’s site – and rehabilitate it for vacations and weekend getaways with his family. But when he decided to open up the space to rural tourism, he was never able to go there with his family again, such was the success.

So he bought, a bit further ahead, several houses of a small village, rehabilitating and equipping them for the same purpose, and with similar success. And it came naturally, following the requests of the many many guests, the acquisition of another ruin to rehabilitate and build the restaurant “Caxena”, close to the tourism houses.

With a rustic look, in granite – abundant there, molding the landscape – and timber’s finishing, whether on the inside or outside.

Inside, on the ground-floor, a nice bar with a counter, sofas and a showcase of some of the region’s products for sale. This bar also works as a wine bar until 23 p.m..

In a corner, some antique parts of what used to be a lagar, and inside, another surprise, the restaurant’s wine cellar, beautifully decorated and filled with many references to good wines of several regions.

This space is also the restaurant’s wine list, since the clients are invited to enter and pick the wine\s for their meal there. All price-tagged and extraordinarily affordable, might I say.

A wooden staircase leads us to the first floor where the room opens into the landscape through huge windows, with plenty of light coming in. Once again the decoration is marvelous, with timber ceilings just like the floor, in timber planks.

Some walls in granite and others in brick, one of which has a beautiful and useful heat recuperator embedded, conferring comfort to the space in this cold weather.

The tables are made of good timber and very well-set, with quality utensils. The service is led by competent, trained, tasteful, attentive and nice people – impeccable. The menu is short and makes use of local products divulging them properly. There’s also the snacks that we can enjoy during the day at the wine bar in company of the several types of wines. We started our meal with regional bread and Arco de Valdevez’s corn bread, bought to a supplier that respects tradition – prepared with corn flour and baked in wood oven.

Joined by delicious ham, dry cheese and amazing cottage cheese – also local products.

Next to us, at a support table, we find the beans exhibited – also locally produced –, tarrestre bean, in brown, beige, white, red and even black tones, which would be used on the rice and can be purchased there.

Then we had a mix of appetizers, consisting of padrón peppers, sauteed mushrooms and two cachena cow meat based makings: medium grilled espetada – with meat cubes, chorizo, bacon, tomato and green pepper – and a stew – small pieces of stewed cow meat with onion and carrot, the sauce was excellent.

We also tried white “belouros” made of corn flour mashed with some fat, stretched to form a loaf, of which slices are cut and fried in fat. Then, on the dish they are sprinkled with cumin. A masterpiece of simplicity and flavor.

And then it was time for the main course – we had 2/3 choices to pick from. We chose the cachena’s veal steak grilled on coal with salt and accompanied with malandrinho rice of tarrestre bean.

The meat was tasty, tender, juicy and the rice was amazing and well seasoned.

We ended the meal with two local products: orange, very sweet and juicy, and Arcos’ cigars, thin pastry with sweet eggs.

This meal was matched with a red Vinho Verde from the region, Cerqueiral 2014, served in characteristic small bowls, full-bodied, thick and soft in the nose but concentrated, fresh and intense acidity in the mouth. Indeed a good match.

After the meal, a walk by one of the many trails that exist over there is highly recommended …

Quinta da Serra Hotel

Text José Silva | Translation Bruno Ferreira

Up high in Jardim da Serra, on a mountainous area with winding streets, the landscape exhales a different kind of beauty, a different kind of amplitude, providing an amazing ride, especially if we include the greatness of Cabo Girão.

There, the perspective of Madeira Island’s south coast is incredible. Sheer cliffs that end in the sea, hundreds of meters down there. But, the descent is softened by the Fajãs.

Even though it’s really steep, the doings of hard labor are still visible, diverse plantations on every single land level. Many of which have old vineyards, from where winegrowers harvest a small quantity of grapes every year. Those grapes are meant to integrate lots of the island’s famous liqueur wine. Back at Jardim da Serra – over 800 meters of altitude high – on a 5 stars exquisite hotel we can find an equally exquisite restaurant located in the hotel’s garden and its beautiful adjacent woods. This restaurant is led by a French Chef (long settled in the island) and occupies a large part of the hotel’s complex, which is slightly elevated and completely glassed on one of the sides. The downwards view is outstanding.

The room is ample, spacious but welcoming, full of light and exquisitely decorated with warm tones (mainly brown and grey), beautiful wood floor and a cozy fireplace. Well-set tables, full of elegance including an excellent glasses’ set. The service is in charge of young people whom are quite competent, thoughtful and nice. An eclectic menu, where we can find many biological products from the farm’s own growing, – which is in certification process – also featuring fresh fish and meat of the island itself, which are extremely well-cooked and presented. On our visit we were received by the chef himself who welcomed us and explained a bit of his kitchen’s philosophy, almost in fluent portuguese.

At the table we found several types of bread, accompanied by butter (one plain and another with herbs),olive oil and salt flower.

The Chef’s offer was a colored scallop with crispy pumpkin cream and a hint of pink pepper. Simple but delicious.

Next, we had an exquisite farm cobs cream, creamy and tasty. Delightful.

By then, we were already enjoying the Rosé Primeira Paixão which proved to be an excellent match, both to the scallop and the cobs cream. Followed was a smoked swordfish prepared in tempura, slightly crispy, tasty, and consistent. Along with a fruit chutney of homegrown Cornus Kousa.

At this time, we were drinking “Entre II Santos” white, at the right temperature, and also proving to be a good match. Then came the meat dish, roast organic lamb stuffed with chard, served with mashed potatoes and chestnuts. Crossed flavours but complementing each other. Once again the products were local but exquisitely made.

The red wine, also “Entre II Santos”, showed up strong. The meal ended with the same quality standards that it started with. Tatin pie of Domingo’s apple, chocolate and lemongrass ice-cream, simple but refined. Soft flavours complementing each other quite well.

This time, we had dinner, but to those planning to have lunch I strongly advise you to take a walk on this beautiful garden and forest, as well as take a look at the biological garden, place where many of the aromatic herbs and vegetables served here come from.

Contacts
Quinta da Serra
Estrada do Chote Nº 4/6 – Jardim da Serra
9325 – 140 Camara de Lobos Madeira
Portugal
Tel: (+351) 291 640 120
E-mail: info@hotelquintadaserra.com
Site: www.hotelquintadaserra.com

Narcissus Fernandesii, simplicity and sophistication hand in hand

Text José Silva

It’s a very recent five star hotel, in Vila Viçosa, deep in the Alentejo interior, in a region with a big marble production. And this noble product is everywhere through the wonderful facilities of the hotel, in traditional combinations and others much more modern and even some more audacious ones. In this hotel, as it should be, there is a restaurant, which presents some very particular ornamental solutions, of extraordinary good taste, such as lighting.

They’ve got a table in the main room that is a piece of art: a huge marble table with a glass top, which is made from a single marble block, beautiful!

It’s used as the main table for the breakfast’s full buffet and for group meals, giving an exotic touch to a wonderful meal.

The restaurant has a young portuguese chef leading the kitchen team, developing a remarkable work, teaching his even younger workmates, giving them the necessary knowledge so that nothing misses or fails, either in breakfasts of everyday life, in the executive and working lunches, or in the more sophisticated dinners, with more time.

Chef Pedro Mendes can this way develop his work, with the support of excellent products, the majority of them being portuguese and some not so usual, like the use of seaweed and acorn cooking, among others. The name is “Narcissus Fernandesii” and already has a devoted clientele, with a lot of foreigners going there looking for sophisticated and assorted menus, some surprises that the chef and his team may sometimes prepare and also for the wonderful harmonizations with some of the best Alentejo wines.

The room team, leaded by an experienced and attentive professional, gathers all conditions to provide us with a service of affection and skill, delivering us a gastronomic experience we will not forget.

In my last visit, along with some friends, we had a wonderful dinner, full of balance and tremendous notes of good taste.

Couldn’t miss the regional bread and a wonderful Alentejo olive oil, to soften our palate.
Then started a parade of tasty dishes, presented with sophistication and explained by the room staff in a simple but efficient way.

First came a Moganga (Pumpkin) soup with truffled cream, served in a nice cup, then a superb malabar gourd soup with acorn bread – one of the products that chef Pedro Mendes works with passion – smoked ham powder and quail eggs.

First came the plate with the contents and then broth was added, very hot, with a good result. It was delicious!
Then came the Algarve’s carabineer, fleshy and tasty, with cauliflower cream and coriander, endive and lemon emulsion.

Hard to describe, so much simplicity and sophistication, so much elegance, with all the elements making a perfect harmonization.

But we were still surprised by an on point “foie-gras”, close to perfection, with persimmon emulsion making a fantastic pairing and a half “foie” bom-bom, with the company of crispy acorn toast, a refinement finishing, excellent.

The meat dish that was presented was exotic, complex, but very, very good: smoked deer meat in holm oak wood and rosemary, with Madeira wine reduction, small broad beans with coriander, quince cream and some small pieces of breaded cauliflower, such a wonderful dish!

Then it was dessert time. Firstly, field pumpkin and whey in a wonderful marriage between not so ordinary products, then honey pie, acorn’s sponge, persimmon ice cream and lemon cream, superb contrasts and a voluptuous result, in a great final.

The wines that accompanied this feast of the senses were Herdade do Pombal white 2011, an Alentejo wine from Estremoz, already with some evolution, therefore with great elegance, smoky dry notes, wonderful volume, fat, involving, proving that white wines age very well with time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The other wine was an excellence red wine Lima Mayer 2008, from Monforte area, great freshness and acidity, very complex and thus fascinating, dealing very well with the proposed harmonizations for this wonderful meal.
Alentejo at its best…