Vale Do Lobo Restaurants

There are currently around fourteen dedicated restaurants in Vale do Lobo, mostly situated in the area by the beach known as the 'Praca'(Plaza) where you may dine. Other restaurants of equally high quality can be found within close proximity, all of which are reachable within a five minute drive from the resort.

Away from the seashore, it's no great shock to discover that marine life forms feature more rarely on the menus.

In fact pork and chicken seem to be the staple meats throughout Portugal. Monchique's territorial speciality is Piri-Piri chicken (which means that even Bournemouth in England can brag of its own 'Algarve eating house')! The spicy flavour comes from the chilli in the cooking oil.

Fashionable amongst holidaymakers, a Piri-Piri meal (with some local wine) in a 'basic' restaurant usually would not cost more than 10 Euros per person (Around $15 / �8) - a bargain!

However, you will also find casseroles based on lamb or kid, and seasonal game dishes with partridge, pheasant, and quail... even wild boar (!).

If the exotic side of Algarve restaurant is not something that you fancy the taste of, then do not panic. There is usually something more familiar on the menu like biff � Portuguese - Their own version of sirloin steak.

Separate section on lists of restaurants, their star rating and cuisine

Menu HighLights

Soups

Made from shredded cabbage a risk free choice for me is Caldo Verde or Sopa de Agri�es which is mainly made of potatoes and watercress.

If you are not disinclined to meat and fish, then your choices are of course much more varied.

Canja is a chicken broth, often garnished with rice and ham, Sopa de Peixe is a deep sticky fish soup, generally based on cod.

A�orda de P�o has a stock made from vegetable, meat or fish stock, thickened with eggs and stale bread and seasoned with coriander and garlic.

Sea Food Dishes

Cataplana is the localised speciality meal, named after the brazen pan in which it is traditionally dished up in. It is a delicious mix of onions, ham, tomatoes, clams, chilli, spices and garlic. This is a great front-runner with many of our friends who like eating out in the Algarve (but note that ingredients can differ between restaurants).

Marine dishes that you'll find in a majority of Algarve restaurants are: Atum Grelhado (grilled tuna); Bacalhau � Bras (fried salt cod with potatoes, olives, and egg); Caldeirada (fish stew). One very popular (honest!) dish is stuffed squid. Known locally as Lulas Recheadas this is a very popular meal amongst the Algarve locals!

Shellfish (marisco) dishes are also highly varied, and are based mainly on crab, prawns and shrimp. A common example is Arroz de Marisco, which is made up of prawns and fish, clams, onions, peppers, tomatoes and resembles paella.

Desserts

They say you get a taste of Algarve's history when it's time to choose a sweet. A majority of eating houses offer temptingly sweet speciality choices. I blame the Moors, who brought out these fig and almond crops, which heavily determine the region's confectionery choices!

Easy to guess (even if your grasp of the portugese language is very basic is Tarte de Am�ndo. This is delicious almond tart with a caramel finish.

If you want something different Torta de Laranja - a deliciously orangey sponge roll.

Dom Rodrigos - a very rich Algarvean concoction of egg yolk, almond paste and sugared water served in silver paper wrappings.

If you are sweet-toothed, you had should definitely taste some Morgado de Figos (marzipan and fig). But, if you choose to 'play safe', many Algarve restaurants offer Arroz Doze (sweet rice pudding with a tang of lemon and cinnamon)