Where to eat in the Algarve, Portugal

Restaurante Aquario in Praia da Luz

The Aquario is situated in Rua 1.º de Maio in the Edificio Luztur just up from the church in Praia da Luz.  The restaurant is quite small and booking is advised for all but the quietest times of the year.  It is run by Chef brothers, Vitor and Sergio, who together with Manuel and Helena have put together an innovative menu and friendly atmosphere well worth experiencing.  Our visit was in October 2005 when the selection of hot and cold starters ranged from soup, Aquario or Chef's salads and goats cheese with grapes and honey to oysters, prawns flambé, clams and mussels.  A little more expensive was a stuffed crab starter for 2 persons.

There was a choice of sole (with fried banana and tomatoes), grilled brill, sea bass (with couscous, tomatoes and mint) and prawns (with rice, salad and butter garlic sauce) together with a grilled fish of the day dish.  On the meat side of the menu, the choice was rack of lamb with mint or rosemary, fillet steak Tornedo, duck with orange and chicken with pineapple.

The Portuguese specialities included Portuguese steak, mixed meat kebab, "rice fisherman" with monkfish, squid, clams and prawns with rice, both for 2 persons and a Bacalhao dish - codfish with potatoes in a white wine and parsley sauce.  If you have never tried the famous Portuguese Bacalhao (cod which is salted and dried for preservation and then soaked in water prior to cooking), then do - the Aquario dish was particularly enjoyable.

For sweet there was a range of ice creams, almond and orange puddings which together with coffee rounded off a particularly good meal.  There was a good selection of reasonably priced wines, the service was unhurried and the ambience warm and friendly.  Prices ranged from 2 to 8 euros for starters, more for the crab dish and 9 to 13 euros per person for main dishes. Viktor and Sergio told us that they changed the menu from time to time so it is worth keeping an eye on - we will certainly be going again.

Closed on Saturday lunchtime and Sunday night, ring (00351)282 789 177 for a reservation.                                                                       Maggie & John 

If you would like to know more about Portuguese Food and Drink, why don't you dip into our Restaurants in the Algarve section and our series of articles on Portuguese Wines and Ports.  We also feature some Traditional Portuguese Recipes and a glossary of useful Portuguese food & drink words and phrases