Restaurante Palhota do Ruca

Chatting informally with our newspaper, he explained how this restaurant is very much a “work in progress”, and that he’s full of ambitious ideas – like bringing in dishes from molecular gastronomy (dubbed by some as “the science of deliciousness”).

But for the time being, the idea is not just to attract the many tourists that pass by in the summer. The catering professional has gone for an ambience that will also make residents feel perfectly at home.

During the week, there’ll be a pianist to liven up the atmosphere over dinner, and at weekends, after 11pm, there’ll be live music. On Fridays, it’ll be jazz and blues, and on Saturdays Latin rhythms. The terrace is shaded by bamboo and strips of wood (from which the restaurant takes its name “palota”), and there’s lots of space (and a menu) for children – and inside, a dining room less open to the elements, where we sat.

The kitchen here is all geared for charcoal grills, and as it’s the time of the “popular saints” festivals, we ordered grilled sardines (€8.50), accompanied by freshly made salad and boiled potatoes (“a murro”, literally meaning “squashed”). We also ordered grilled ribs (€9.50) with vegetables (carrot and sautéed Brussels sprouts).

The menu offers prices for all sizes of wallet – it’s just a question of sifting through to find them. There’s a plain omelette (€4.20), going up to all kinds of fresh fish (from €42.50 to €52.50 a kilo), to “cataplanas” (€25), prawn curry (€12.50), grilled salt-cod steaks (€12.50), and a “mariscada” shellfish dish for two (€54).

To drink, we’d recommend the Sangria. Taken with ice, and the sea view, the whole setting could be perfect… if only the authorities would finally get round to fixing the road outside, clearing the wild bushes and scrubland and removing all the builders’ rubble…

Specialities: charcoal grills; Hours: Lunches & dinners, daily; Bank cards: Multibanco, Visa; Drinks: Selection of Portuguese wines and a good bar; Owner: Rui A.C. Grade; NIF 175 681 732.