Where to eat in the Algarve, Portugal

Restaurante  Agua na Boca in Salema

Salema is one of my favourite places - it always has been. I suppose it reminds me a little of a Cornish fishing village and although there is a lot of new building on the cliffs, it doesn't seem possible to spoil the old village. A project to improve the access to the beach, provide some seating overlooking the sea and some organised parking is complete and has tidied up the village centre a great deal. One or two new restaurants have appeared and Agua da Boca is one of these. The restaurant is situated on the left of Rua dos Pescadores, which leads off Largo da Liberdade - leave the square up the left hand road as you look at the sea, with the fish market on your right and walk about 100 metres.

Agua na Boca seats around 24 covers outside on the terrace, under a huge awning and approximately 36 covers inside. The tables are beautifully set with white table linen and the whole effect looked very pleasing. We chose beer, water and the house red wine, as usual, as we have never experienced a poor one. This one was a Tinoco Douro DOC 2005 Reserva at 13% which was enjoyed by everyone. We do not always have the covert but we decided to sample what Agua na Boca had to offer and were not disappointed - four different types of bread, including my favourite with sultanas in, with olive oil and balsamic vinegar as a dip, together with a fish paté, hot prawns, “flaming chorizo” and carrots with garlic - all very tasty!

For starters, we chose Agua na Boca salad which included avocado and walnuts on frilly leaves (good choice for salad lovers), octopus with bay and coriander (very good), anchovies in garlic, olive oil and parsley (simple but tasty), prawn cocktail (very good) and avocado with prawns in a marie rose sauce (both halves served making a large portion). As you can see, all starters were appreciated and were well presented.

Friends, who had got to Agua na Boca before us, had recommended the Mista Carne. This is a mixed meat platter for 2 people and includes Alentejo black pig loin steaks, beef steaks and lamb cutlets with bacon layered on the top. We had two platters to share amongst four of us with our fifth diner choosing suckling lamb cutlets, also from the Alentejo. Cauliflower, carrots and broccoli were served in a terra cotta steamer - we didn't know if they had been cooked in this dish or just served but the texture of the vegetables was perfect. A huge potato dish was placed on the table consisting of potatoes with skins on, sliced into roughly 4 quarters and cooked with onions and thin slices of red and green peppers in a little seasoned stock and white wine - marvelous. We ate the lot and enjoyed every mouthful!

Surprisingly, three of us had room for small desserts and almond cake, an ice cream and a confection of coffee ice cream, cream and coffee beans were also consumed with gusto! We lingered over coffee, chatting: it was a lovely warm night and the glass screen between the outer and inner parts of the restaurant was completely drawn back so it was as though we were all dining outside. Our bill for all this wonderful food was €130!

The menu includes a selection of Algarvian dishes which look very interesting and tempting. This just requires a little planning as the restaurant requires 24 hours notice and you will need to find another 3 people to eat with you as the dishes serve four - something, however, we shall be trying to arrange before too long.

By the way, Agua na Boca means “mouthwatering” and this restaurant certainly lives up to it's name.

Agua na Boca is closed on Wednesdays and as the restaurant was full when we visited at the end of September, booking is recommended: telephone number: (00351) 282 695 651

Maggie    

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