A Restaurant Fit for a King (Restaurante Reis (Lagos, Portugal))

Member Name: Praskipark

Product:	Restaurante Reis (Lagos, Portugal)
Date:	10/01/09 (367 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Exquisite food made from very fresh ingredients, buzzing atmosphere

Disadvantages: None whatsoever

Restaurante Reis translated into English is King's restaurant. A very appropriate name indeed as the food served here is fit for any King. I have been visiting this restaurant for over twenty years and I can still remember the day it was recommended to me. It was a cool September evening and I was standing on the deck of my parent's boat which was anchored in the old fishing harbour in Lagos. In those days the luxurious marina hadn't been built. My husband and I had just arrived from UK to visit our parents and at that time we hadn't moved to the Algarve. As usual, we arrived unexpectedly and our parents had visitors so we sort of disrupted their timetable. Rather than interrupt their party we decided to go into the town for something to eat but we needed to know the wherereabouts of a good restaurant. On a small boat in the middle of the water was a friend of our parents who had lived in the Algarve for years - since the early sixties, and I remember my mother-in-law shouting at the top of her voice - 'Tony, can you recommend a decent restaurant in the town.' An echoed voice came back with the words Reis - Go to Reis. You won't be disappointed at Reis.' And to this day we have never been disappointed. So thank you Tony for your expert advice.

So where is this restaurant that is fit for a King?. It is situated at No 21 Rua Antonio Barbosa Viana which will probably not mean anything to you so I will describe how to find it. If you find yourself in Lagos town, go to the square (Praca de Gil Eanes)where there is a modern statue of the famous King Dom Sebastiao. You can't miss the statue as he is dressed like a spaceman. With your back to the statue proceed in a straight line until you come to a smaller square with orange trees at the far end and a beautiful tiled building in different shades of verdant green directly ahead of you. Here two streets branch off, take the one directly next to the green building. This is Rua Antonio Barbosa Viana and you will find Restaurante Reis along this street about midway on the left. It doesn't stand out from any of the other restaurants in the street so you will have to look out for the name above the door.

Once inside you will immediately be greeted by the owner who is a handsome Portuguese chap with a very enchanting smile and sweet personality. I have never visited this restaurant without being made welcome and a big fuss made as though he has known me and my family for years. Well, I suppose he has. Let's say, we have grown old together. We never did find out his name but over the years we have always called him, Laughing Harry because of his cheerful disposition.

The restaurant is a very large L shaped room and if you arrive early you will be able to have first pick of the seats. We generally sit near the window because I like to see what is going on in the busy rua. The dominant colour of the restaurant is white mainly because all the walls are painted white, the tables are adorned with white linen cloths and the waiters and waitresses wear white blouses/shirts. Let's say the decor is a little old fashioned - a bit like a restaurant would have been in the UK in the 1940's. It has a Portuguese old charm about it which most of the restaurants still have in Lagos and I still find very charming. A flash of colour in the form of a hand painted mural of the Algarve, as it was a hundred years ago, breaks up the stark blankness of the whiter than white walls and hand painted azulejos, the famous Portuguese blue and white tiles, are dotted here and there, to remind you of Portugal's seafaring history.

Tables and chairs are of the heavy oak design that the Portuguese love so much. Chairs have very high backs and rattan seats which can sometmes be a bit uncomfortable depending on how long you sit upon them. Usually one fresh flower of the day, a pretty rose, or a burnt orange lilly, graces the table in a small glass vase. Napkins sit neatly at the side of silver cutlery and clear sparkling glasses await to be filled to the brim with either blood red wine or slightly cloudy, honey coloured wine of the region.

From every angle of the restaurant the solid oak bar is on view filled with a wonderful array of vibrant coloured bottles. This is a sight that brings me joy not only because I love to see all the different wines and spirits on view but I love the whooshing noise of the steamer as the milk used for making coffee froths up into a fluffy foam. A little noisy but not as noisy as when the wet coffee grains are banged on the side of the coffee machine to release the grains from the strainer. A sound logged in my memory for ever and one that you cannot escape from in Portugal.

Once you have chosen your seats you will be given an Ementa which is the menu. Thankfully, it isn't one of those menu's that is heavy and looks like a bible. I really dislike enormous menus where it takes 15 minutes to read and by the time you have reached the last page you have forgotten what is actually on offer and you end up ordering anything because you are embarrassed because you can't make up your mind and the waiter/waitress is hovering. Also how can all those dishes be cooked using fresh ingredients? You don't have to worry about that at Reis - you will never hear the ping of a microwave in this restaurant. I can honestly say with my hand on my heart that everything served is fresh. The fish will have been bought at the market in Lagos the same day and all the vegetables will have been freshly picked the same day.

So what's on offer? Rather than go through the whole menu I will give you a sample of meals I have personally tried. You have to bear in mind that Portuguese cuisine is not a fussy cuisine. So if you are looking for gourmet meals you will be disappointed. This is Portugal not France. Meals are simply cooked using fresh fish, meat, vegetables and fresh coriander, plenty of olive oil and rock salt.

Couverts
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While you are choosing your dishes the waiter will bring forward a platter of couverts for you to try. If you don't wish to eat these then you must tell the waiter/waitress. The cost of couverts is generally about 1.50 euros Couverts generally consist of a small bowl of olives which are usually the purple variety, freshly cut bread, sardine pate, a small round Queijo de Serra which is a cheese from the Minho or Tras os Montes, made from ewe's milk. This has a hard outer skin but once cut into reveals one of the creamiest, slightly salty, and most delicious cheeses I have ever tasted. Sometimes a small bowl of sliced, cooked carrots marinated in fresh garlic, olive oil, herbs and spices will appear amongst the other couverts. These are delicious and I usually eat these like sweets.

Entradas
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These are starters and there isn't a lot to choose from. The main entrada is a homemade soup which is always tasty and wholesome. My favourite variety is Caldo Verde which is a kind of cabbage soup with potatoes and chourisco. A word of warning - soup in Portugal is generally served tepid and sometimes arrives cold. This is the way they eat it so if you prefer soup piping hot then you have to ask the waiter for it to be "Bem quente" ( pronounced bayn kent). Presunto is available as a starter. This is home cured ham usually from Monchique in the hills of the Algarve (see my review). This is very thinly sliced and is usually served on a plate garnished with salad and olives. Portuguese presunto is the best in the world in my view. The taste is so smooth, smoked but not too heavy like Polish or Croatian ham.

Pratos
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This is the main dish.

Atum
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Now, Reis is famous for fish dishes and we nearly always choose a fish dish. My favourite dish is atum (tuna) served in an onion sauce. I love fresh tuna and I have never been disappointed at this restaurant. It is always cooked just right. I don't like my tuna rare which some people do. I like the tuna to be soft when you touch the steak with a knife and for the flakes to fall away. I like to be able to taste the juices from the fish as well as the sauce it is cooked in. At Reis the tuna steaks are enormous and they usually come served but not drowned in a tasty onion, tomato and coriander sauce accompanied by boiled potatoes which are creamy white and cooked, so that they melt in your mouth, fresh vegetables of the day which will either be sliced green beans (favas), carrots or broccoli. I love the boiled potatoes served in this restaurant. Boring, maybe but they are so tasty.

Cavala
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Or mackerel in English. This is my husband's favourite choice of fish. Cavala is a fish that has quite a strong taste but if cooked to perfection is a culinary gem. For 3 euros you are able to taste two fish which fill the entire plate. They are always extremely fresh and you can always tell by the colouring and pattern on the skin of the fish. Even after cooking the colour of the skin should be bright and not dull. Fish is always cooked over a barbecue fuelled by wood so sometimes you will have to wait for your food to arrive but at least you know it is being cooked properly. Cavala is drizzled with olive oill and sprinkled with crushed rock salt, served with a fresh salad, potatoes or chips.

Salads as an accompaniment are rather large but delicious. Portuguese onions are succulent and so sweet to taste - not harsh or bitter in anyway. Tomatoes are generally beefsteak tomatoes which when placed with crisp lettuce, herbs and onions look a colourful and appetising meal in itself.

Sardinhas
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Be warned - when you ask for a plate of sardines you will get a plate of sardines. Not one, two or even three, more like 15 full sized fish with all the bones etc.. I do not jest. The first time I ordered sardines in this restaurant I couldn't stop laughting. It was a meal fit for Henry VIII. There was no way I could eat all of them. I know eating sardines is messy but if you can put that to one side it is great fun to eat them the Portuguese way. Instead of using a knife and fork use your fingers. Take the fresh white flesh from the skeleton and either eat it as it is or eat it with chunks of fresh bread soaked in olive oil and garlic. This small fish of the sea is nutritious and delicious and a lot of fun to eat. Sardines generally come served with salad and freshly cooked potatoes.

Costelatas
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This is the name for cutlets and the meat on offer is generally lombo do porco which is pork loin. A very tender meat usually served in a thick creamy mushroom sauce with fresh mushrooms and oodles of cream. I love Portuguese sauces because they really know how to make a smooth thick sauce tasty. Not sure whether it is just the correct measure of cream, liquor, herbs, salt, pepper or what but these sauces will make Lloyd Grossman re-think his recipes. As for the tenderness of the pork - you can cut it into one swift slice and it melts like soft butter on your palette. Exquisite.

This is just a taster to give you an idea of the dishes and how they are cooked. Other meats served in the restaurant are chicken, lamb and beef. Other fish dishes served are the traditional cataplana and seafood rice. The price of a main meal usually starts from around 3 euros up to 15 euros

Sobremesas
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Desserts - Portuguese love sweets and desserts. They make lots of different varieties but my favourites are;

Pudim
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This is a home made caramel dessert made from fresh eggs and milk. Generally it is made in one big tray and then portioned out into huge slices which fill a dessert plate. The thin caramel sauce is poured on top of the pudim to give the dessert an extra bit of flavour and colour. I love the fresh eggy taste of this pudim and the caramel taste of the sauce just gives it a special kick.

Tarte de Nata
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This is always a cake I used to order for birthdays. It is like a creamy custard pie but with a biscuit bottom rather than pastry. The colour is white rather than pale yellow because it is made with pure cream. The texture is more like a mousse - ultra smooth and delicate.

Tarte de Amendoa
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Another favourite of mine because I love almonds. Believe me the almonds you buy in shops taste nothing like the creamy white nuts you pick off trees in the Algarve and these are what are used as the main ingredient for this honey flavoured cake. It is quite heavy on the digestion so I suggest a small portion only but then again you don't actually get small portions in Portugal.

Bebidas
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Now we have come to the time for drinks. I never obey any etiquette rules when it comes to ordering drinks in a restaurant and this is what I love about Reis - you are allowed to do what you like and just be yourself. Both my husband and I always have a cold beer to start with and this is ordered as soon as we sit down. Super Bock is my favourite Portuguese beer and I prefer it to be poured from the pump rather than from a bottle. It has a nutty flavour and has just the right amouunt of fizz.

We always have wine with our meal. Sometimes white and sometimes red. It depends on the mood. Portuguese white wines aren't that good in my opinion even the more expensive ones so we generally don't spend too much on wine. Around a fiver a bottle is what we usually pay and you can get a good Alentajo red wine for that price - either a Reguengos or Borba. If you only want half a bottle they are available and you can just have a glass of wine but that isn't cost effective.

After the meal is over we generally have a coffee. Well, my husband always has a bica (name for a very small cup - egg cup size) which is like his Greek coffee that he loves. Strong, black and full of sugar. I usually have a galao which is a milky coffee served in a glass. And last but not least - digestivos. These are a variety of drinks to help aid your digestion as the name suggests. My husband adores Maceira brandy which he puts a small amount in his bica and then drinks the rest with his coffee. I am a bit perverse with this as I love Licor Beirao which is an aperitif and not a digestivo but I love the taste. It is a honey, aniseed liquer. I will also mention that the measures served in Reis are of large proportions not like the miniscule measures you get in an English restaurant.

Before I finish I will just mention the atmosphere. This is a very busy restaurant during lunch times which usually start from around 12.30 and in the evenings which usually start from 6pm. If you want a cosy corner with mellow lighting you won't find it here because the lighting is extra bright and by 7pm the restaurant is usually buzzing with Portuguese families, ex-pats and businessmen.

The waiting staff are on the ball and it is fun to watch them skating around with god knows how many dishes balanced on their arms. Portuguese people are generally fun loving and somewhat rowdy when enjoying themselves which all adds to the atmosphere.

Don't be shy and afraid to speak Portuguese. The staff speak English but it is appreciated if you try to speak a couple of words of Portuguese. The staff are extremely friendly and helpful and will actually stop and ask talk to you and will go out of their way to make your visit an enjoyable one.

Also, don't worry about taking children into the restaurant. Portuguese love children and always make a fiuss over them especially children with blonde hair and fair skin.

Over the years I have taken all members of my family, young and old, to Reis and they have loved it and consequently every time they visit the Algarve go back for a visit.

Well, I think that covers it. I have made myself very homesick for Portugal writing this review and looking over my snow laden window sill I wish I was back there. Oh, I must not forget to pay the bill.

To ask for the bill in Portuguese you say - Queria a conta faz favour (care ria a konta fasz favor).

Enjoy your meal or as we say in Portuguese which is the same as in French - Bon Apetite!

* The address at the top of the page from dooyoo is incorrect*

Summary: A wonderful restaurant for all the family.