More Good Food in the Algarve
An interesting week here in the Algarve. First, the hot weather is
back. We have had a run of cooler days and nights, but this week we are
back to summer temperatures, and things are looking good. In fact the
water skiers are out in force, skidding up and down the Arade estuary
right in front of my study window.
A friend of mine alerted me to the opening of a new restaurant just
outside Almancil. It's very close to another restaurant I visit quite a
lot, so I decided to pop down a check it out.
That's the trouble with this part of the world, it is very much a case
of there being two Algarves. There is what is known as The Golden
Triangle, and then there is everywhere else. The Golden Triangle is
basically that chunk of the Algarve that lies between Faro, Loule, and
Val de Lobo. There's a lot happening there; the golf courses are busy,
the restaurants serve great food, and the place is booming. The rest of
the Algarve is simply the rest of the Algarve: empty golf courses,
empty hotels, empty restaurants, generally low grade food, and not much
happening, and too many people going round with long faces.
So, any hint of something new at the sharp end of the country has my
interest. In short, I put on a clean shirt, and sallied forth.
I chose a great day to check out this new place. It was their show
opening. I thought the place had opened at the beginning of the month,
so I was quite surprised to be told that they didn't have the full
menu, didn't know whether there was a seat for me, but they were sure
they could fit me in, and there would be no charge. Did I want to stay?
Gosh, what a silly question. A free lunch in what looked like very
convivial company? Just try throwing me out!
I did mention another restaurant nearby. We go regularly. It's called
Couleur France, and I thoroughly recommend it. It's just off the N125,
minutes from Almancil, and has a great ambiance. The setting is superb,
especially when all the glass panels are open. The food is good, and
the prices are very reasonable, and the service is unobtrusive, but
efficient. In fact, it is all a good restaurant should be.
The new place is obviously trying to hit the same market. In the winter
it will do well. In the summer Couleur France will have the edge
because of its position. The idea at the new place is that the cooking
is done almost in front of you. That's not quite the way I read the ad,
but that's because I used to be a member of Ken Lo's magic little
circle where we used to dine in what he liked to call Ken Lo's Kitchen.
Let me back up a bit here and fill you in on what you missed.
Ken Lo used to run a restaurant in Ebury Street, just down the road
from Victoria Station in London. It was called Memories of China. (It's
still there.) There used to be a similar restaurant in the Algarve but
I cant see it listed any more. However, down in the basement of the
London emporium was a different setup altogether. Here, an elite little
circle used to turn up clutching small orange-coloured menus, looking
forward to a great evening. The cooking area was positioned all along
one side of the room, and as we came in we'd seat ourselves in front of
the gas rings, and watch as Ken, or some guest chef, talked us through
the evening meal, and prepared it there in then in front of us.
Half an hour later we'd be seated at two large round tables, scoffing
the various dishes, and, if things were going well, which they usually
did, after the meal dear old Ken would be gently dozing in a corner,
while we polished off some more wine, and someone would start telling
stories about the Tibetan outback, or journeys through the wilds of
Mongolia, or Frank would regale us with some wicked limericks. (A warm
hello to you Frank if you are still around.)
As they say: the good old days.
Thus, I was expecting something similar, but no. The kitchen is rather
austere and ultra modern. The thing is, downstairs is a kitchen shop:
Leiken. As they sell kitchens they have decided to put those kitchens
to use, and upstairs is the restaurant. Admittedly the meal was
prepared and cooked right next to us, but it was still rather hidden,
and it wasn't the huddle round the stove that Ken Lo's Kitchen was.
The end product was very nice, so was the wine, and so was the service.
Everybody seemed to like the style and the food, and I think most, if
not all, will be back. Once again, I can recommend the place.
For the record it is at Quatro Estradas, just a couple of miles west of
Almancil. Check it out. I'm sure Google will oblige. And thanks guys
for the welcome, and the very nice lunch. I'll be back.
john
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