A taste of the good life in foodie paradise
Outstretched on a sun lounger next to my private pool, I relax in the glorious Portuguese sunshine feeling absolutely stuffed.
For I’ve just enjoyed filling fish dishes at Dos Passos, a restaurant on Praia do Ancão, famed for its tiger prawns. This quirky restaurant perched on stilts is accessed by a boardwalk and, inside, floor-to-ceiling windows make the most of amazing views over the Atlantic Ocean.
However, this is only the first stop on a gastronomic, Algarvian adventure. Naturally, I’d consumed the tiger prawns at Dos Passos and washed them down with a bottle of Joao Clara white wine, before a fishy feast of crab, salmon, white bait, clams and – my favourite – sea bass. A walk along the deserted sandy beach at Ancão helped work off the carob cake dessert which is a great alternative to chocolate.
I’m staying at Four Seasons Fairways in Quinta do Lago, an exclusive resort just a 25-minute drive from Faro airport and 165 miles south of Lisbon.
Unlike many guests, I am not here to spend hours perfecting my golf swing. Instead, I want to try the culinary delights which mark out this sunspot as an emerging foodie’s paradise.
After freshening up in my three-bedroomed Four Seasons villa, I dine at Bovino, a steakhouse only a € 4 taxi ride away.
It’s an eaterie with a cosy-country-pub feel, albeit with a luxurious twist, and I enjoy the Bovino burger cooked medium-rare, just the way I like it, while my fellow guests tuck into a selection of signature cuts, including fillet, rump and ribeye.
The following day, I sign up for a guided walk along a 9-mile stretch of the Barranco do Velho (Hill of the Old Men) route.
A stark contrast to the Algarve’s sprawling beaches, this mountainous route winds its way up and down through oak forests. It’s just 12 miles outside the city but feels as if it’s much more remote.
There’s a beautiful little restaurant on the N2 Faro-chaves road, called Tia Bia. Run by chef Nuno and
wife Catia, Tia Bia serves traditional homemade food in pots, perfect for sharing, and symbolising the Algarvian way of life.
From deer to wild boar to pork cheeks, Tia Bia’s menu is a must-try for meat-lovers (vegetarian options are available, though).
In nearby Loule, another walking challenge awaits. This time, I’m joined by tour guide Joao who speaks about the history of the salt mines underneath the town; points out Arab influences; and explains how Loule’s Projecto Tasa is keeping crafts such as basket-weaving) alive; before we pop into Café Calcinha, a Brazilian-style gem with marble-topped tables and art deco interior.
Shattered, I arrive back at the resort for drinks with fellow guests (including former Grandstand presenter Steve Rider, a member of the resort) before dining in Vivo, one of two on-site restaurants (there is also the choice of Michelin-star-quality cuisine at Amara).
As if I had not tried enough delicious food, the following day I end my “eating my way around the Algarve” trip with a Fisherman’s Food Tour in Faro with entrepreneur Joana Martins.
The five-hour sojourn might seem a long time to be walking around the city. However, this tour – which includes eight food stops
– is both entertaining and interesting. Time just flies by.
The first stop is a traditional snack bar, then on to a bakery, cheese producer, café, restaurant and a museum. Our final stop is a private property where we demolish desserts, on top of the city wall, looking out over southern Portugal’s multi-inlet lagoon system.
Life does not get much better!