The Location is Fantastic but the Food Quality is Wanting : This bar on the breakwater enjoys a splendid location. For parched, sunbathers this is a convenient place to get a drink. Baia Saracena is the first café/bar that visitors will see when they come off their boat from one of the other villages. It is a nice place to stop and have a drink, whilst enjoying the sea view. It's fantastic location also makes it an ideal place to enjoy that sundowner and watch the sunset. Food Quality is … [Read more...]
Trattoria da Sandro – Vernazza
March 31, 2010 by
Even the Slow Food Movement would Baulk at the Slow Service here: Maria, our landlady recommended this place and said that she and the locals would dine here. This trattoria is on the right-hand side of via Roma as you walk towards the train station. There is an inside restaurant, but even without any views, we prefer al fresco dining . What I remember most about Trattoria da Sandro is not the food, but the extremely long wait for service and meals. There was only one other couple who arrived … [Read more...]
Ristorante Al Castello – Vernazza
March 30, 2010 by
Ristorante Al Castello - a Restaurant with Incredible Views: For our final dinner in Vernazza we dine at Ristorante al Castello which is high above Vernazza's main square, just below the castle. To ensure we got a cliff-side table overlooking the sea, we hiked up here earlier in the day to make a booking. Yes, the restaurant enjoys an incredible location and the views from up here is breathtaking indeed. Ristorante Al Castello is owned by Monica and her husband Massimo. … [Read more...]
Trattoria Gianni Franzi – Vernazza
March 29, 2010 by
At Trattoria Gianni Franzi you'll find typical Cuisine of the Cinque Terre: For standard of food, service and price of meals, Trattoria Gianni gets our vote for the best trattoria/restaurant in Piazza Marconi. This trattoria enjoys a full house most evenings, leaving the other restaurants salivating over its success. We also notice that when Trattoria Gianni closes on Wednesday night, the other trattorias and restaurants on the square get a few more diners. Trattoria Gianni is on Piazza … [Read more...]
Dining Out in Vernazza – Cinque Terre
March 29, 2010 by
Restaurant Dining in Vernazza: Vernazza has a nice square by the harbour that is filled with a range of restaurants, trattorias and cafés. Along the main street, via Roma, there are more eateries. If you're staying in this town during your Cinque Terre holidays, there are enough restaurants and trattorias here to keep you nicely fed. We certainly found it convenient to have all our evening meals here as hopping on trains to get to the next town for dinner and back is too much of a bother … [Read more...]
Chez Lapin | Porto Restaurant | Eating Out in Porto
October 24, 2009 by
French by Name but Portuguese in Cuisine: Tonight we find ourselves in Chez Lapin, a rustic restaurant on Oporto's waterfront, close to where we disembarked from our river cruise. Although this restaurant has a French name, Chez Lapin serves traditional Portuguese and Oporto cuisine. I ask Sergio, the owner's son, what was behind the French restaurant name and he explains that his mother's side of the family is French, I think, which explains Sergio's looks. Chez Lapin has been serving … [Read more...]
A Cataplana Meal in the Algarve
October 14, 2009 by
The Flavours of the Algarve: Portuguese food in the Algarve is more than just grilled sardines and grilled chicken. To get away from the stereo-type touristy food, and for a taste of the true flavours of the Algarve, have a dinner at a cataplana restaurant. Cataplana - The Utensil The cataplana is a wok-shape hammered copper pan with a hinged domed lid. It was introduced to the southern Portugal region during the Moorish occupation in the 8th century AD. The cataplana is meant to be a … [Read more...]