Eating under the leaves

All roads lead here

When we arrived in Argens-Minervois, we were expecting to find a couple of choices of places to eat. However, things start to shut down for the season in October and when we got here there was one restaurant in the town and one two kilometres away in each direction out of town. And the only market was also closed so the cheese and wine option was out. 

On the first day, we walked down to “la guinguette” (Translates to ‘the Tavern’) the only local restaurant. The first impression was a bit odd. There was an open sign, and nice menus written with artistic care in chalk on the walls. But there was no door to get in, just a big wooden gate which was shut tight. We walked around and there was no other entrance. It looked like a collection of little wooden outbuildings joined with a fence. But it was the only show in town, so we waited, knowing that often things in France do not run strictly on time, and finally someone came and dragged the wooden gate open and we went in. It really was a series of little wooden buildings connected with a fence, and the tables, a mix of odd and ends were scattered among three large trees and alongside the Canal du Midi. There was one little building housing the bar, another with a blazing hardwood fire grill, another with the kitchen, one with a sort of closed-in-on-three-sides seating area and a few others I could not identify. Overhead were a collection of umbrellas, canvas roofs, and sun shades with outdoor lighting of various styles strung together. Underneath was beach gravel with a few patio blocks and wooden platforms randomly scattered under the trees. The entire place was decorated with cooking utensils and pots and pans. 

But . . . it was the only show in town, so in we went. The place was amazing. We have eaten there three times and it has been a wonderful experience. The food was delicious and they have an excellent menu. The same two young women do all the serving, there is a young bartender (He looked 16), a grill chef and some kitchen staff we never saw. The servers got to know us and we got treated as regular customers, giving us the best tables and trying so hard to explain things in English. It has been the highlight of our visit to this town. 

The other restaurant

Then one day we went for a walk down the canal and ended up at a little town about 3 km down the canal. We suddenly realized we were not going to make it back for our 12:30 lunch reservation, so we called and apologized, making a dinner reservation for later with a promise of the “Best Table”. 

This town was obviously one of the 2 km away restaurants so we crossed the bridge and went into town, immediately finding the only restaurant in this town. And it was basically the same design. Three almost separate service areas, one a bar, one a kitchen, and one a pizza parlour. Again, there was no inside seating, just tables and chairs scattered under trees with umbrellas overhead and gravel underfoot. Again, it was an excellent experience with delicious pizza and a friendly cheerful waiter. I guess it is the style in these little towns. 

The "Best Table" by the canal with a real floor

Both these restaurants were very popular with almost full seating at lunch and dinner. Our server at la guinguette told us however that they will be closing for the season in the middle of October, so I do not know what the locals will do then. We however will be gone by then.

The Restaurant by day

Dinner time with the sun setting

I don't think it will start - restaurant decoration

The grill

Paying the bill

Calamari Dinner

Under the lights and stars

The Food

Regis and I like cooking, so when we travel we like to rent apartments that have decent kitchen facilities so we can find local markets, buy local food and experiment with the local cuisine. Here in Cascais, we were only staying for a week, so were not that concerned with the cooking. Good thing, because the kitchen is the size of a closet. It does have a bar fridge, a washer, a microwave, a toaster, a kettle and a little two burner stove sitting on the counter, but not really a good kitchen to do much cooking. We cooked breakfast, made soup and sandwiches, but mostly we ate in the many local restaurants.

Waiting for our first meal in Portugal

The food we have experienced has been amazing. We have yet to have a bad meal. During our travels we have learned some things about eating in restaurants. For example we have learned that if the cafe has to hire some fellow to go out on the sidewalk to entice people into the door, it is probably not that good. In contrast if you look inside and the place is full and you cannot understand a word of the chatter going on, it is probably 'local-approved' and the food will be good authentic local cuisine. Also, don't always take the recommendation of your host; the spot suggested by him was probably the least exciting place we ate.

Broad Beans & Chorizo, Octopus and Prawns

On the first day we arrived the fellow who rented us the apartment suggested a place downtown and although it was good, it was not especially exciting. The next day we found ourselves exploring the fort converted to hotel and art sector. There was a little cafe on one side of the central courtyard, and their menu sounded very interesting. We ordered three appetizers, broad beans & chorizo, Octopus salad and prawns. An excellent meal! The next day we actually did our research and decided on two restaurants that sounded good but both were closed, so we chose a random little spot on a side street downtown and I had an amazing grilled bream (One of my favourite fish), and Regis had a wonderful lasagna.

A little spot on a side street

We ate at a little spot in Estoril while waiting for the casino to open and had a delicious Italian style pizza. On the way home that day we stopped at a spot down in the local marina and had more Italian; also delicious. You have already read about our adventure with “Fine” dining and bike riding the next day, and yesterday we went back to one of the restaurants that was closed previously. This spot was highly recommended by a good friend who had visited Cascais earlier, but unfortunately it remained closed and we were unable to translate the hand written note on the door explaining why and when it would reopen. Instead we went to a spot that was highly rated on Tripadvisor, a tiny little wine

Porsche Parking . . where's the bike rack?

bar and restaurant that only sat about twenty people. As we entered the front door we were greeted by a full room and a cacophony of Portuguese; a good sign, remember. Fortunately it was a lovely day and there were two little tables outside under a tree, and one was free. We joined a couple from Belgium under the tree and left the locals inside. The menu was amazing and I was told that they had two specials today featuring wild boar or octopus; OMG what to choose. I finally decided to try the wild boar steak and Regis ordered a seafood stew, but the appetizer menu had so many interesting items I decided to splurge and ordered a local wild game sausage. I was expecting a sausage but what arrived was a perfectly cooked fried egg surrounded by sausage slices, broccoli and home-made potato crisps. The appetizer was delicious and our mains were equally good. Then to top it all off, the owner/chef came out and apologized for the meal taking so long. We hadn't even noticed . . .

And we still have one more day here in Cascais . . . where to eat today?

Wild Game Sausage

A Table under a Tree

Broccoli & Anchovy Spaghetti

Restaurant Day

 We are enjoying learning how to cook the local produce and seafood from the fabulous markets here in Olhão, but the best way to experience the local flavours is to go to the good restaurants and sample food cooked by the local expert chefs.

Via e Volta

Pete & Linda went to Tavira; a town up the coast towards Spain on April 25^th to meet us with some portuguese Bridge players (they are pretty serious bridge fans . . . . although they ended up playing with another couple from BC . . . . ) so Regis and I decided to make this a 'Restaurant Day'.

We wandered down to a little place called Via e Volta that was highly recommended by Colin & Suzanne. A little Family restaurant, it serves only seafood and only at lunch. They have a menu, but it lists only two items; “Adult 8.50 Є” and “Child 5.00 Є”, along with prices for various drinks. They do not give you a choice of fish; you get whatever fish was abundant at the market that day.

The restaurant is located two blocks off the main Avenida da Republica, but the neighbourhood is not especially inviting, There is a whole row of deserted, run-down buildings at the end of the street and you have to weave your way through a couple of bins full of construction debris to get to the restaurant. Now as you may have noticed by my pictures and descriptions of Olhão, this is not that unusual, and part of the charm of the place, so we were not put off and upon arriving we were greeted by a friendly waiter who gave us the only vacant seat (in itself a VERY good sign). We were asked what we wanted to drink, and a beer and glass 1/4 lt. of white wine was ordered, but we were not even asked if we wanted to order food – obviously everyone who comes here of course wants the fish.

Keep those fish coming

The restaurant is in a very tiny building, and there are very few seats in the actual restaurant, the main seating is outside under a large canvas room with roll up plastic windows. We have not seen anything except sunshine, but I suppose they might need these windows one or two days out of the year. To one side, against the actual building there is a large charcoal grill where someone is constantly grilling the fish. I could watch the fish being flipped back and forth until they reached 'grilled perfection' and then four of five were put on metal trays and taken to the next table waiting. Watching the fish being grilled and waiting for your's to arrive , you were provided with a delicious bowl of marinated olives and pickled carrots, a lovely tomato, onion and cucumber salad, and a basket of bread to hold you until your plate of fish arrived.

Once your first plate arrived, it never stopped. The waiters kept a constant watch over your table, and when you reduced one plate to fish heads, bones and skin, another was promptly placed on the table to replace it. After three plates, we had had enough, but they kept returning, looking positively heartbroken that you couldn't eat another five hot-off-the-grill fish.

GIANT Scrimp Kabob !

The evening meal did not start out so good. Linda had gone down the evening before to scout out the possible spots to eat. I told her to go down when it was busy at 7:30 and find the spots full of locals enjoying their meals. She not only used this criteria, she also asked about making things without tomato, and came back with news of Ria Formosa which not only was popular with lots of locals, but she was assured the kitchen could make their famous Seafood Cataplanas without tomato. When we arrived however, the waiter wasn't sure about the wine Pete wanted, they did not have white sangria Regis could share with Linda, and the red which Linda couldn't drink only came in a BIG pitcher, which would have meant we would have had to carry Regis home. Then when Linda tried to order the tomato free Cataplanas she was told “No, of course it couldn't be made without tomatoes, they were part of the base.”

Steak on a Stone

Now the evening turned out great actually. Pete & I found a delicious bottle of wine to share, Linda ordered a Tuna with Onions dish, Pete got to personally meet his fish dish before it was cooked, Regis had the most amazing giant Shrimp Kabob, and I got to try Steak on a stone. They should have given us the meal, because people were stopping to stare at Regis' giant shrimp, and the smell and sound of my steak sizzling on the stone started bringing passing folks into the restaurant. The Kabob was truly amazing, and I was served a square, inch thick, lava-hot stone with a piece of almost raw steak sizzling and smoking on it. I kept flipping it and cutting pieces off as it cooked to how I liked it. A really spectacular meal.

Regis did have to settle for a Coke, but she always enjoys that anyways.