Restaurante Comidinhas – Oficina de Sabores Tradicionais

After many years working in car rental companies, Almeida decided last October to return to his original profession in catering, taken at the “Escola da Hotelaria”, and take over the running of this restaurant.

Together with colleague Hugo Neto, a professionally-trained chef, the duo resolved to take Spanish tapas and give them a “taste of the Algarve” – using fish and local sausages, as well as seasonal ingredients and a healthy dollop of imagination.

And so evolved a menu full of interesting delights, like sardines “saddled” with sweet potato and fresh basil sauce (€3.50); sautéed prawns with pumpkin and carrot purée (€4); goat’s cheese with honey and almonds (€6), and much more. Here, you don’t need to have a full meal, but you can indulge in the pleasure of sharing and conversation.

On Friday evenings, friends and keen debaters tend to congregate to talk late into the night… And on Saturday mornings there’s always a little biological market which takes place in collaboration with the local firm «Merceria Bio». Another interesting aspect is the managing duo’s fervent fundamentalism: they only offer Algarvian wines and water from Monchique (all the sausages used in the cooking come from Monchique, too).

Our suggestion: the “morcela” sausage with almonds and peppers, but be careful, some of the peppers are really hot! A little “bit of dishonesty”, smiles frontman Almeida. Anyone with a trained eye will notice the excellent original collection of digital photographs showing on a computer, as well as an exhibition of drawings and paintings that “liven up the walls”. What else should we say? Ah yes, there’s a terrace outside for days without wind…

Specialities: Tapas; Hours: Open from 1pm, closed Sundays; Bill: €25.70; Management: António José de Almeida; NIF 134 702 689.