A famous restaurant tucked away in a passage in Evora (Fialho Restaurant (Evora))

Member Name: Praskipark

Product:	Fialho Restaurant (Evora)
Date:	02/11/09 (86 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good old fashioned Alentejo cooking,calm ambiance, great service

Disadvantages: A little difficult to get to because of the narrow streets

The Alentejo has always been known for its traditional regional recipes and about twenty years ago when I first started visiting this dry, sunny region the area only had a handful of restaurants. Travellers nowadays can select restaurants with care and can expect a more gastronomic experience. Especially in Evora you will be spoilt for choice.

Fialho is a restaurant that is tucked away down a little side street off the Praca Joaquim Antonio de Aguar and can be difficult to find. While chefs in other restaurants in Evora are taking the Alentejan traditions in new, lighter directions, the Fialho still remains a shrine to traditional Alentjan cooking.

Sixty years ago this restaurant was a little diner where workers and families used to go to eat. Its owner, Manuel Fialho, has now passed on the traditions and his recipes to his sons, Gabriel and Amor. Its popularity has grown over the years and the small diner is now a famous restaurant serving classic dishes from this bountiful region of earthy delicacies. Both chefs have won many an accolade for their traditional recipes.

The interior is plain and traditional but by this I don't mean uninteresting. The walls are white with the odd arch here and there. Hanging on the stark white walls are plates and hunting trophies such as large antlers. There is a log fire for winter months which is the focal point and the tables and chairs are made from a heavy wood such as dark oak. Tablecloths are white and ironed with precision - seviettes matching. On every table sits a glass vase of freshly cut flowers. Cutlery is of the heavy silver variety and all plates, bowls and dishes are plain white. The only colours to be added are the ingredients of the dishes which are served in front of you.

Tasty classic dishes are on offer such as my old favourite, dogfish soup (sopa de cacao). The dog fish is a member of the shark family - a very small member. The fish itself doesn't have a lot of flavour although its texture is meaty. The exciting flavour comes from the garlic, olive oil (virgin olive oil from the Alentejo) and coriander. Other dishes which we adore as a family are; lamb stew - cooked to perfection in a slow oven, pork with migas - tenderloin pork accompanied with breadcrumbs or sometimes whole pieces of bread that has been fried in lard. Not very healthy but delicious especially on a cold Alentejan morning when the wind is whistling around your head and ears. Hare risotto is a wholesome dish as is acorda de bacalhau. This is a bit like a stir fry with onions, garlic and tomatoes. Flaked cod is the main ingedient which is added to the stir fry and then the final gem is a piece of soaked bread with an opening like a pouch where a poached egg sits on top. Not everyones cup of tea but I love the taste of this dish - the saltiness of the cod blends well with the smooth yellow yoke of a freshly poached egg.

All these dishes are traditional and are served all over the Alentejo. Last year when I travelled to Evora and visited Fialho I notice that a few very old dishes had been rediscovered and introduced to the menu. Such beauties as royal bean and game stew. Royal beans meaning fava beans which are broad beans and are particularly rich and tasty when blended with partridge and other varieties of game. Another soup that caught my eye was purslane soup which is a variety of weed and in the olden days was used as a tonic - probably still is in some parts of Portugal. The soup I tasted at the restaurant came served in an enormous white bowl and was filled to the top with pureed potatoes, peas and leeks and this old-fashioned healing weed. What did it taste like? - delicious especially with a dollop of yogurt on top and a side plate of fresh crunchy bread.

Sweets and desserts are exemplary here at Fialho's. You can choose from those famous Elvas plums, poached and served with a sweet egg-and-sugar, cinnamon flavoured pudding. These are a real treasure as are the black cherries and small sweet apples known as Bravo de Esmolfe apples. However, my favourite dessert is tecolameco but I have to be careful not to order a second helping as it is so sweet and rich and weighs heavy in my tummy. This glorious cake is a rich, sweet orange almond cake which originates from Portalegre. Absolutely mouth watering and delicious.

The Alentejo is famous for its red and white wines and they are very popular in Portugal and throughout Europe.The wine list at Fialho's is excellent. My favourites are the reds as they are easy to drink. This a very dry area where the grapes ripen easily and I think this can be reflected in the taste - it is smooth and very fruity - no acidic after taste. Prices of wine vary on the menu but a bottle of Borba red will only knock you back about 10 euros. You can pay a lot more if you wish but for me this is adequate and I am quite happy with this price. You can buy half bottles also but wine is not served by the glass or it wasn't the last time I visited.

To sum up - Fialho's is a traditional restaurant in the Alentejo serving good, tasty regional food and some very old dishes from days gone by. The atmosphere is calm and pleasant, not at all stuffy. The owners are friendly and attentive but not over the top. The wine list is very good and the overall ambiance is excellent. Meals including wine and three courses start from 40 euros per person.

Car parking is difficult as the street where the restaurant is situated is in a higgledy-piggledy passage so a car will have to be left in a public car park. Toilets are in pristine condition and there is also a separate washbasin outside the doors of the toilets to wash your hands in if you don't need to use the loos. This is common practise in Portugal. I didn't notice a disabled toilets.

You can find Fialho's on Travessa das Mascarenhas, Evora, 7000-757

For reservations:Telephone Number is +351 266 703 079
Email: restaurante_fialhoiol.pt
Web site: www.restaurantefialho.com (in Portuguese but has an option too be translated into English, French and Spanish).

Please note that the restaurant is closed in early January usually for decorating and re-furbishment.

Enjoy your meal when next time in Evora!

*Also posted on Helium, I GO YOU GO, Trivago and Ciao*

Summary: One of Evoras' many gems