Portuguese food with an arresting flavour

dinner or lunch.

Parreirinha was started in 1975 by two brothers and quickly became known for its traditional Portuguese food, particularly seafood and steaks.

We were met by a not-so-friendly waiter whose service was not great, but his food knowledge was.

There is a huge variety of seafood dishes from prawn cakes, bacalhau, clams, sardines, squid, mussels, oysters, crayfish and langoustines, all served in the traditional Portuguese way – slightly grilled/charred with special herbs and spices.

We were brought warm rolls and butter and, after expressing interest in the prawns, were brought a platter of sample prawns, crayfish and langoustines differing in prices and sizes from R90 to R479. One could even opt for a single, tiger giant prawn at R175.

We opted for six small prawns at R90 which turned out to be not-so-small. In fact, it was a good-sized meal for the price. The prawns were accompanied by well-cooked chips and came with a salad.

My partners opted for the fillet espetada at R159 which was a good choice – huge, tender chunks of meat which melted in the mouth. These also came with chips and salad, but rice or vegetables are also offered. Also on offer are steaks with various sauces, chicken peri-peri and pregos. Desserts are usual except for one, the barril de nata (custardfilled pastries), which rounded off our meal perfectly.

The bars of the cells still exist in parts of the restaurant, which is vibey and noisy. The ceilings are adorned with hundreds of ties left behind by men in a tradition which started years ago.

A separate mercado (market) menu offers some of the restaurant’s delights to take home – peri-peri sauce, green or black olives, frozen prawn cakes and dressed chickens.