Patio Restaurant, Tavira, Portugal

We have just arrived back from a few days break in Tavira, and whilst we where there we ate at O Patio, the food was just great.

We rang and booked before we travelled and also confirmed as there was 7 of us in the group.

Our table was ready for us at 8-00pm. We where shown to our table which was large enough for 8 and given our menus. The choice is a variety of the local fish and meat.

Our waiter came along with a tray of starters, mezze style, which includes warm goats cheese covered with nuts and honey, anchovy in oil with sliced onion, olives, carrot and garlic in oil, fish pate, duck pate and baskets of thin sliced bread and butter. Whilst eating this you perusal the menu and your taste buds are really alive. Our waiter then came and brought out a small pan of local cockles that he cooked on the table for us, a wonderful touch and even nicer that they where complimentary.

As we had travelled out early in the morning we decided that we would have a bowl of soup, and they have green soup, vegetable soup and fish soup. The green soup is as it sounds, made from green vegetables, vegetable soup is again as it is a wonderful blended tomatoes and vegetable soup, and the fish is again as it states.

Two of our group ordered a Cataplana, which is an al in one dish of a mixture of fish, meat and vegetables, they had pork and prawns and this is cooked in a tomato based soup/broth. It takes some getting through and is only available for two people. This came with a plate of thin fresh cooked, not frozen fries, very light and golden.

Three had ordered again a local dish of chicken in almond sauce. This was breast of chicken very well cooked and no skin on it, with a wonderful creamy almond sauce and flaked almonds. On the plate with the chicken is served chunky fried potatoes, a side salad is also served with this dish, which is an array of colour of fresh beetroot, carrot, red cabbage and lettuce.

One of us had sword fish, which came with a plate of cooked vegetables, green beans, potatoes, onions and tomato.

The last was a fillet steak in mushroom sauce. This was cooked as requested, well done and no blood, and served that way. Side dish of the same salad and the fries just made it wonderful.

We had 2 bottles of the local house wine, 4 beers and two bottles of water.

The bill for this gastronome evening came to 17 eruo’s per person and that included the tip.

The name as it suggests O Patio, does have a patio area, and is open when the weather allows but as it was January still too cold to eat out in the evening, but in the warmer lighter evenings it must be an asset to them.

You have to access the restaurant via a staircase which is a little on the steep side, there is another entrance around the side but again via steps, but we have not used these so cannot comment.

The toilets are very very clean and very well maintained.

All in all a great evening and well worth a visit if in the area.