To the right: Daniel, the owner and sensible one

Having friends to stay has been a good opportunity to get out and show them some of our favourite Lisbon restaurants. The first night it was Adega do Teixeira (see here), so on Wednesday night we headed northwards on the metro to Carnide and O Galito and the Alentejo cooking of Dona Gertrudes. It is her grandson, Daniel who is now in charge front of house. When we first starting going in early 2003 it was Henrique, Daniel's father who was very much in charge but now he is taking a back seat to Daniel.

2008 white from Quinta do Pinto

O Galito is not only known for its cooking but always for its fine selection of wine and this is now very much Daniel's area. Wine wise we started with a bottle of the rich but mineral 2008 Quinta do Pinto Branco, which is a nicely opulent blend of Viognier, Marsanne and Roussane with some oak still present but with a good mineral finish. This saw us through the various starter dishes that come as standard. On Wednesday they included the always very good slivers of rabbit with broad beans as well as scrambled egg with wild asparagus.

2001 Syrah, Quinta do Alqueve

A bottle of 2001 Syrah, a Vinho Regional Ribatejano from Quinta do Alqueve, was our first red. I'd noticed it among the special offers listed at the front of the substantial wine list. The 2001 still has very attractive spicy fruit – still youthful and quite soft but with an edge and well balanced. It worked well with our bacalhau cooked with tomatoes and onion.

2004 Calda Bordealez, Bairrada

Having shared the salt cod dish, we moved on to an estufa of hare, which was also delicious. Daniel suggested we have a 2004 Calda Bordalez from Bairrada. This opulent and powerful red (15.5% alc), which is a blend of 10% Merlot, Petit Verdot 15% and 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, split the party. Three liked the wine finding it more interesting and complex than the 2001 Syrah. I disagreed. I thought the Calda Bordalez was a clumsy fruit bomb that was just too powerful and sweet for the hare dish.

*

'The best Portuguese

Henrique Galito has not enough walls to display so many newspaper articles and awards won by his traditional restaurant along the years. He will have to find a spot yet for his newest prize: that of best Portuguese restaurant in Lisbon, granted by VEJA Lisboa jurors. Within this small 42 seat-room, Alentejano blood reigns in the recipes and also in the decoration, made up of hand-painted rustic furniture and Portuguese cobble stone. The house's special seasoning is prepared by Maria Gertrudes Grave Fortes, aka Dona Gertrudes, who, at 77 years of age, is still happy to serve at the tables. Her son, Henrique, receives the customers, together with his own son, Daniel. Three generations of a family that migrated from the Évora district to make a name in the capital, with a menu that offers, for example, eggs with tomatoes (4.50), oven-baked cheese with oregano (6.50), Alentejano crumbs (12.00), partridge in escabeche sauce (24.00), encharcada (4.50) and bread cake made with pumpkin (4.50). During the game season: hare stuffed with grain and turnips, rabbit, and feijoada with wild hog ribs are also served. Customers also can drink well since displayed on a brick shelf is a selection of the best Portuguese wines: Vale de Ancho, Reguengos Garrafeira dos Sócios, Carrocel, Chryseia, among others. Clients who are not interested in a full bottle may always ask for a glass of wine.

(From a review of the restaurant when it won a readers' competition in 2007.)

Rua da Fonte, 18D, Carnide, Lisboa, Colégio Militar. Tel: 21 711 1088 (42 lugares)

Praia Adraga

I know they are not in the Loire but these are my two favourite restaurants in and near to Lisbon and to go to the two on consecutive days has been a really treat. After all Lisbon does begin with an L!



First to the restaurant at Praia da Adraga, which is on the Atlantic coast not far from Sintra and one of the most westerly points in Europe. Adraga is a small unspoilt cove, down from the village of Almocageme and the one restaurant does sensational grilled fish, as well as crab and clams. The clams are best done in the style – ameijoas à bulhão pato: a little like a moules marinières with garlic, coriander and a little chilli. Nothing is fancy here but everything is brilliantly and perfectly cooked.

Yesterday the restaurant was quiet and we were lucky to have a table by the window, which gives you a sensational view out over the sandy beach and the Atlantic Ocean – next stop the US of A. Ameijoas à bulhão pato to begin with followed by grilled sea bass for two with a fine bottle of 2007 Muros Antigos Alvarinho Vinho Verde. In the Loire the natural choice would be a good bottle of Muscadet but this is a most acceptable substitute. Difficult to see how life could get better.

View from our table in the restaurant@Praia Adraga

Then this evening off to O Galito in Carnide, now a suburb of Lisbon but which once must have been a quite village away from the bustle of Lisbon. Here you will find wonderful Alentejo cooking married to a sensational wine list. Dona Gertrudes remains in charge of the kitchen while her son is increasingly ceding the front of house to his energetic son. It's a small restaurant, so essential to book on Saturdays and probably very wise for the other nights of the week. It is also open at lunchtime but closed Sundays and for holidays.

2006 Pêra Manca

Tonight we enjoyed sopa de cação (shark soup) then migos de espargos c/ lombo porco alentejano grelhado (migos is a bit like a light bread dumpling and, in this case, mixed with asparagus). Also another delicate pork dish this time with rice and coriander. We started with a very fine bottle of 2006 Pêra-Manca white (Adega Cartuxa) from Évora in the Alentejo and made from Arinto and Antão Vaz. All in all – concentration, complexity and minerality. For the red we had another wine from the Alentejo – the 2006 'Moon-harvested' Herdade do Grous. Naturally deep coloured as 100% Alicante Bouchet this is a big, rich wine but a little lacking in complexity, although it did develop in the glass.

2006 Moon harvested (!) Grous

Easily reached by the Metro (Carnide) O Galito is highly recommended.

Restaurant Praia da Adraga: tel: 21 923 00 28

O Galito, Rua d Fonte 18 – D, Carnide, 1600 Lisboa. Tel: 21.711.10.88