Where to eat in the Algarve, Portugal

The Blue Wave Beach Bar at Cabanas Vehlas, Burgau - Salema

Here's a beach bar that's so well hidden you could be forgiven for giving up the hunt and going back to either Burgau or Salema.

Probably the best way to find The Blue Wave is to go to Burgau.  At the cross roads in the centre, at the top of the hill, there is a well used bus shelter, well used that is as a meeting place for the locals who seem to spend a lot of the day there.  Take the road west to Salema which passes all the new properties being built on the outskirts of the town and leaving these behind, keep on going even when the road disintegrates and becomes a track fit only for 4 wheel drives and rental cars.  At a left turn in the middle of nowhere, turn left and head down to the beach.  It is well worth the trip as the beach (Cabanas Velhas) is clean, wide and little used, with the shore shelving gently into the sea and the natural contours of the bay keeping the wind away.

Ideally placed on the edge of the beach is Blue Wave.  As it's the only place to get refreshments, it's just as well that it's an excellent place to enjoy a meal and/or drinks.  Beware however that if you just go for a refreshing drink you will inevitably take a look at the menu and before you know it you are ordering something to eat.  A large shaded deck fronts the Blue Wave and there is space for eight or ten tables, which enjoy a wonderful panoramic view of the bay.  There are more tables inside the beach bar but, well it's not the same, what could be better than enjoying a meal with that view right on the doorstep.

On the day we went it was hot and sunny and after a while lazing on the beach we decided to go for a cool drink.  We didn't take long to decide what to drink, a 1 litre jug of Sangria at €12.50 isn't cheap but its cold, long, refreshing, and not too alcoholic - remember you have to drive back afterwards and it's not an easy route.  While we sat there we had a look at the menu, just out of interest you understand, we were going to eat later that night when we got back and had tidied ourselves up a bit.

However it looked so tempting, and when we saw what others were being served, we changed our mind and went for a light meal.

The menu covers every option.  Toasties (ham and cheese at €4 to the “Tosta Club a Blue Wave”, a chicken, bacon, egg and salad toastie at €8.50), Baguettes (with all the usual fillings at €4 to €8) and soups at around €4 are available from the snack menu.

In contrast and if you are feeling a bit more peckish, there's the main meals menu.  Starters range from garlic bread at €3.50, to prawn cocktails and melon and ham at €7.50, all the way to Buffalo Clams served with coriander and garlic at €15 (one day maybe!).

For main courses there's a whole page of salads to choose from. A simple green salad with Blue Wave vinaigrette costs just €4, a chicken salad €7.50 and, top of the bill, the smoked salmon salad with pineapple, kiwi and apple as well as lettuce, carrot, tomato, sweet corn and asparagus.

Omelettes and pasta dishes are also well represented at around €7 to €12, but for large appetites there is the fish.  Kebabs, grilled Tiger prawns and fillets for single meals but specialities of the house for sharing (which must be pre-ordered) up to €30 for 2 persons.

Still thinking about our original plan to eat later we thought we would go for a salad.  (It would go with what was left of the Sangria as well).  We ordered the chicken salad and the smoked salmon salad with fruits.  They arrived quite quickly and we were pleasantly surprised by the size and presentation of the meals.  They were certainly big, the chicken was a whole butterfly breast of chicken, char grilled and served with lettuce, carrot, tomato, sweet corn, asparagus and red cabbage.  The smoked salmon was not quite as described on the menu, it included strawberries as well, and was a most attractive and colourful meal.  The inclusion of asparagus in these salads just emphasises Blue Waves' desire to make these meals that bit more special.  They were as tasty as they were well presented. The salad was crisp and fresh and the whole meal was most enjoyable.

Coffees to finish brought our bill to €31.50. That's not bad for what we had to eat and enjoy in what must be one of the best locations for a eatery in Portugal.

The only problem is you have to find your way back to civilisation afterwards.  Still, after a further chill on the beach we made our way home, this time heading towards Salema.  Theory being that the road must be better that way - it wasn't - if anything worse!

We'll stick to the Burgau route next time, and there certainly will be a next time. A lovely place to eat and relax, we will be back soon.

Blue Wave is owned by the Vigia group, and associated with Parque da Floresta, Quinta do Montinho and Encosta Vehla at Budens, The View at Salema, Quinta da Aldeia at Figueira, Quinta de Sao Roque above Meia Praia beach in Lagos and the nearby Quinta da Forteleza.

Jackie & Tony October 2007

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

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