Casa-Mae Lagos Portugal

Restored townhouse luxury boutique hotel

Located in the heart of the rustic seaside town of Lagos, southern Portugal, Casa Mae is a newly  developed boutique hotel. The traditional building has been restored and transformed into a minimalist, chic, yet still very much Portuguese haven nestled amongst the historic surrounds.The interiors have been sourced to perfection; using local fabrics and furnishings, not to mention the stunning yet discreet swimming pool outside the main building. There are three buildings which make up the premises: the main old house, the cabanas and the newly opened modern apartments. 

Saute'ed Prawns

As for the dining experience, the bar was set high for us as we’ve been coming to this part of Portugal for the best part of 10 years and having previously owned a house in the area, we’ve learnt what little gems lie in the town serving up great quality and incredibly inexpensive seafood. To our delight, the unfussy menu did not disappoint here at Casa-Mae. Breakfasts consisted of modern, creative dishes like avocado served with fresh lime, dried orange and chia seeds, perfectly paired with rustic bread and poached eggs upon request. The lunch and dinner menus did not leave us short of choice, every dish looked amazing. Personal favourites were the sautéed prawns of all different sizes (a nice visual touch) and the open air ‘Churrasqueria’ which served up a delicious plate of charcoal grilled Corvina (croaker fish) with a side of kale and roasted vegetables.

Julio the farmer

Poached Monkfish & Broccoli

What is really amazing about the food at Casa Mae is its local sourcing with most of the fruit and vegetables being grown at their nearby farm. The farmer, the nature-loving Julio Machado, grows Kale, Strawberries, Cabbage, Beetroot to name just a few and hand rears chickens for delicious eggs too. The chickens here were some of the best kept we’ve seen! Not only do they roam the grounds freely but they also have a luxury hen house, complete with antique-style chairs and a chandelier fit for any French interior design show! Julio’s hard work and genuine care for his farm comes out in the incredible flavours of everything he produces, a lovely man with a simple yet incredibly idyllic lifestyle…we’re jealous!

Overall, our stay at Casa-mae has been an absolutely incredible experience. Not only is it in our favourite part of Portugal, styled to feel just like the town we know and love, but it is a friendly, calming oasis to kick back and relax in the dry heat of the sunny Algarve. We’re already counting down the days until we can come back !

Portofino - A New Restaurant in Lagos, Portugal

Portofino is a stylish restaurant which opened in November 2013 at the upper level of the Marina de Lagos and is attracting a lot of positive attention. Established and operated by Paul and Gorrete it is easy to see why. They are experienced restaurateurs who have run several successful eateries in the UK and they have applied their skills here too. The decor and lighting is stylish and relaxing with a pleasant view of the marina from this elevated location. 

Portofino was recommended by my good friend Carlos Ramos who is the proprietor of O Cantinho Algarvio, a favourite restaurant of mine. Carlos really knows about food so I guessed we were in for a treat on his recommendation. I was right. We were warmly welcomed and shown to our table next to the window. Mood lighting and contemporary furniture gave the space an almost London feel which is quite rare in Lagos.

I opted for the Fennel Crusted Calamari on a bed of Rocket to start. Tender squid rings with a nice dry batter and a beautiful aniseed finish from the Fennel. Main course was pan-fried Monkfish with Onions, Bacon, White Wine and Lemon Cream Sauce on Mashed Potato. Beautifully  presented, this dish had great flavour and texture. 




I should say at this point that Portofino is not a seafood restaurant.  It is essentially Italian  cuisine expertly crafted from high quality ingredients. We tried the meatballs with spaghetti which was probably the best I have ever tasted outside Italy. There is also a good selection of Italian classic wines and some good Portuguese ones too. We opted for the 1/2 litre carafes each of house red and white both of which were outstanding and great value at €8:95 each.

Three of us ate starters and mains with two half litre carafes for a total of €70, which in my opinion was a bargain. Go there ! 

Spaghetti with Clams at Zavial Beach, Portugal

Praia do Zavial is one of my favourite places in the world.  It is a stunning beach on the south west corner of the Algarve about 20 minutes drive west of Lagos.  Golden sand and crystal clear water combine to give a great place to relax in the summer sun or play in the surf. Although the surf is moderated by the southerly aspect there is a good point break to the western end of the beach which provides great sport for the serious surfer in the winter months.  Zavial is popular with bodyboarders of a high standard as demonstrated by Ivo and Neuza who work at the Zavial Beach Restaurant.




This restaurant is located at the western end of the beach where there is ample parking.  The view is stunning and it is a great place to have a drink/snack and to take in the view and the cool sounds of the chill-out music.  Lunchtime and evening meals focus of fresh produce carefully prepared and beautifully presented. 

 

Local fresh fish and shellfish are a speciality as displayed on the menu board.  

I opted for one of my favourites, Spaghetti with Clams, which is a Portuguese version of the Italian classic, Spaghetti Vongole.  Large juicy clams are cooked with garlic and herbs and then combined with butter and oil in the white spaghetti. Simply delicious !









If you are visiting the Algarve this year be sure to check out Praia do Zavial and all that it offers.  

Fishing with Carlos

Spent a nice day at Zavial fishing with Carlos Ramos. We caught 4 fish, all too small to keep but it was lovely sunny weather. Carlos is the owner of O Cantinho Algarvio, a restaurant in Lagos which offers a range of fresh fish dishes. Thankfully Carlos doesn't rely on his catches but buys fresh fish from the local market every morning.

Fine wines and tapas in Lagos, Portugal

Portugal produces some high quality wines particularly from regions such as Douro, Dao and Alentejo but they are not always easy to find in restaurants. Visit Hortela-Pimenta in central Lagos and you will be spoilt for choice. Not only do they stock some of the finest wines (at prices to suit all pockets), the staff Rebecca and Sarah offer helpful advice when choosing. This modern wine bar, which would be equally accepted in Lisbon or London, is run by owners Sandra Korreia and Nuno Soares Franco. Sandra runs the front of house and has a good knowledge of wine, food and presentation and welcomes customers with her warm personality. Nuno is an accomplished chef who trained at a top hotel. His food creations are attractively presented and offer exciting combinations of flavours. Seafood options include Octopus Stew in Red Wine, Sautéed Garlic Prawns and Scallops with Garden Greens and Olive/Orange Dressing (pictured). So, for sophistication, great food and high quality wines visit Hortela-Pimenta.

Fine Dining in Porto de Mos

Senses restaurant is situated at the Cascades Hotel near to Porto de Mos. Chef Luis Batalha produces stunning combinations of flavours and colours.

Our starters included, lime and papaya soup with scallop ceviche, hot and cold tiger prawn with sesame and asparagus salad. For main we tried the turbot in crispy herb blanket with spinach risotto and a canneloni of chickpea pure in roasted red pepper. All were beautifully presented in this stylish restaurant with good service.
Our waiter kindly provided us with a range of wines to try before we decided on a bottle of 2010 Casa de Santar Reserva from the Dao region. This white wine was dry with a mineral finish and worked well with the fish.

Quality shellfish at O Cantinho Algarvio

Lobster and crab from the live tank at this quality restaurant in Lagos, Portugal. The lobster is simply grilled with a little butter. The crab is dressed with chopped pickles, mayo and a little bit of beer ! Delicious.