Sushi Ya Restaurant

When we first moved to the Algarve, there wasn’t a Japanese restaurant in sight. This was a sad thought for sushi lovers like us, so we resigned ourselves to making it at home. Then one day while driving through downtown Faro, we spotted what appeared to be a mirage….a small, new van with the words SUSHI written on the side….could it be?!

Since we were in an one-way lane, we needed to circle back to get more information off the van. Excited to find where fresh sushi was hiding, we made a quick turn, and headed back…only to discover, it was gone!… :o(

Feeling a bit like we just lost our family pet, Moses and I returned home, and tried to forget how close we came to having sushi that day. Knowing it was “somewhere” near by, we asked around every chance we got. Then finally, a friend who also happens to love sushi directed us to where we could find it!

Feeling a bit like kids at Christmas, we planned a dinner and even took an uninitiated soul with us. On arrival, we couldn’t believe this place had been under our nose the entire time, “Sushi Ya”. We had driven on a crossing street to the restaurant dozens of times, but now we were here and excited to try sushi in the Algarve.

Quinta da Esperanca - Alentejo Wine

I have a bit of a love hate relationship with wines from the Alentejo right now. There are so many of them; I couldn’t possibly keep up unless I developed a habit. Plus, most of the time, my palette just fancies trying different regions, and considering Portugal is full of wine regions, its hardly a problem satisfying a promiscuous pallet.

On a way out to dinner at a friends, we thought to pick up a nice bottle of red, unsure of what would be served it was a a bit of a gamble, so when we came across a bottled decked out with metals resembling a decorated soldiers uniform, we thought we were in good hands.

When time came to serve this highly awarded red, we were excited to see what the fuss was all about. But on trying the wine, the look on the faces at dinner said something else….no one seemed impressed…what? Hummm, not the reaction we expected or hoped for - the wine was flat, and dare I say, chalky. Feeling let down, we went on with dinner anyway, then about 3/4 of the way through, we all noticed something…the WINE! Bold, rich, fruity and distinctive….that’s what the fuss was all about, this sleeping beauty needed to breath! Should have known better, especially with a 2004, we could have decanted Quinta da Esperanca well before, and had a wonderful wine right from the start. Note for next time.

If you’ve got a meaty, tomato or herb rich meal, or some great cheeses give this bottle a try. But remember to decant it, and give it lots of surface area to breath before serving, taking the cork out won’t do it justice, it needs room to breath. Saude!

Quinta da Esperanca 2004
Region: Alentejo (see photos on flickr)

More Info Here

Pasteis de Bacalhau - Portuguese Codfish Cakes

For some reason, I have an image imprinted on my mind that Pasteis de Bacalhau are the perfect snack - appetizer, tapa, picknick food, and all around great fast bite. I’m also discovering, I don’t make them often enough.

With summer around the corner, I’m thinking this is going to be a recipe I’ll be making much more often. One batch of these little guys goes far; well depending on how many hungry bellies are hanging around. When I make them to have at home, they last for a couple of days and are great pulled apart and added to a salad or filling for a sandwich…but best of all they’re good hot or cold. But my favorite is hot out of the fryer and lightly dipped in a nice aioli. I know aioli is Italian and not Portuguese, but hey my forefathers navigated around the globe bringing back spices, herbs and all sorts of foreign influences…why not do the same today? Sometimes mixing things up can produce some delicious results!

Porca de Murça - Douro Tinto 2005

Some days picking out a wine takes a lot of contemplation, other times its a quick grab, and hope for the best. Recently, with guest about to arrive and no time to prepare, I made a quick dash to the new and very hip Pingo Doce supermarket, in Faro - my mission, wine and cheese!

Casa do Polvo Restaurant - The Octopus House, Santa Luzia

What a treat we stumble on…actually have to give all the credit to our friend Rui, who found and took us to the little gem last summer. Otherwise, we would have never found this spot, that we now frequent whenever we’re in Tavira.

Casa do Polvo - Santa Luzia

Their number isn’t listed, and the number I did find took some work (thanks Sulezio), it might just be the owners cell…so use it wisely, I don’t want any run-ins with angry Octopus’ or their captors.

Casa do Polvo, is a unique little restaurant dedicated to Octopus, that’s right - the multi tentacle invertebrate, most people aren’t really sure what to make of. Well, all I can say, is cooked up right, it’s absolutely wonderful, and this little place knows how to choose, prepare and cook it deliciously.

Things To Do in Algarve - April 08

The Algarve Tourism center recently released their Algarve Guide for April 2008. If you’re planning a trip to the Algarve in April and looking for things to do and see, here’s a full guide to make your trip to the sunny south, a memorable one.