Restaurante Vista Formosa, Olhão

This restaurant is right in front of the entrance to Quinta do Marim/ the Natural Park of Ria Formosa. At the back, you can just make out the sea in the distance – a fantastic sight with its barrier islands. Within, the dining room is air conditioned, or there’s a kind of Mediterranean patio where you feel the welcome breeze. The décor has colourful paintings and paper streamers – very much as if decked out for a local festa.

The only moot point is that the grill is set right alongside all the tables. Not the best location for those who don’t enjoy being enveloped in fishy smoke and BBQ smells (like the gentleman at the table next door). Clients here are a mixture of locals and Portuguese summer holidaymakers from other climes – most of them staying at the adjacent campsite. Maybe they’d come, like us, for the house speciality: fish rodizio.

For just €6.50 you can eat as much as you like here – although you should be aware that all “extras” are charged on top (including bread). To start with everything appears perfect, with the exception of rather chaotic service (which, in the end, is quite normal in August).

“We only have sardines left, OK?” I appreciate the sincerity and casual approach, but found this a little unusual. “Some days everything’s left over, and others we use it all”, comes the advance explanation.

Patience. “Yes, OK”, I venture. One thing you should be aware of is that the reason for there not being any other fish available is that this place doesn’t work with anything from fish farms. But is it right to pay the full whack for a rodizio which should, after all, include various different types of fish? To counter the rising heat, we’d suggest a white or red wine Sangria (at €7 a litre), or champagne (€15). Otherwise there’s draught wine and beer.

Well, at least the sardines were fresh, although exceptionally skinny (which has been the problem all year). Is everything all right at the bottom of our sea – or are things worse there than they are up here?

Speciality: charcoal grilled fish, cataplanas; Hours: Lunches & dinners, daily; Bill: €10.20 for 1, without dessert or coffee; Bank cards: Multibanco & credit; Owner: Francisco Assis Almeida Martins; NIF 179 126 547.