ALGARVE ON YOUR PALATE | THE VERY BEST OF THE EAST
O Infante E. N. 125 Altura, Castro Marim Tel: + 351 281 956 817
Located just minutes from the Spanish border, O Infante caters to an assortment of locals, Spanish day-trippers and wellinformed tourists.
Clearly visible from the N125, the restaurant overlooks the sands of Praia Verde and is popular with groups celebrating special occasions. I am pleased to say that its local reputation is well deserved.
Service is accomplished and professional – O Infante is a place to dine and not simply a place to eat. While the large number of waiters may seem intimidating to early diners, this well-oiled machine is a pleasure to watch as the establishment begins to fill.
Upon entering the restaurant, a large tank containing crabs and lobsters is visible. A large platter of shellfish including these delicacies is one of O Infante’ s signature dishes.
The gargantuan platter for two includes lobster, king crab legs, prawns of various sizes and both mussels and clams, all accompanied by bread and fruity rice. The platter could really serve four, so anyone choosing it should prepare for a feeling of guilty decadence upon failing to finish every succulent morsel!
The restaurant’ s large menu also offers a number of meat dishes for sharing. On our last visit, however, I bypassed these to enjoy a one-person main course consisting of three fillet steaks with three sauces
Expecting one steak divided into three, I was surprised and daunted to receive three generous slabs of meat, accompanied with béarnaise, peppercorn and mushroom sauces as well as chips, rice, green beans and delicately crispy onion rings. The same side dishes accompanied my wife’ s choice of lamb cutlets and both were flawless plates of food with meat cooked exactly as requested.
Such generous main courses usually cause us to bypass dessert on our visits, but the menu offers typical Portuguese stables including chocolate mouse and molotov. The wine list is extensive and the usual Portuguese favorites are present and fairly priced.
O Infante offers decent value. While shellfish is inevitably pricey, other options are priced competitively. My wife and I are happy to join the many others in the area who choose O Infante for their special occasions.
Ben Taylor has lived in the East Algarve for three years. When he’ s not busy cooking, eating and enjoying the sunshine, he writes about Portugal, wine and cuisine for a number of publications and websites.
32 | Summer 2012 | www. portugal-life. net |