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Nearly every region of Portugal has a variety in shapes and sizes
when referring to restaurants. It can be a lowly "tasca" (tavern),
a "casa de pasto" (a set three-course tavern meal), a "cervejaria"
(beerhouse with food), a "restaurante" (offering a choice of dishes),
a "marisqueira" (specialising in fish and shellfish), or a
"churrasqueira" (spit or grilled food). It is not unusual for some
small cafés to serve a "prato de dia" (dish of the day). Depending
on location and style, prices are very reasonable when equating
with other European countries and the servings are normally
plentiful! Choosing the place is sometimes confusing until you
acquire local knowledge. You may often see smart business people
eating in what appears to be a scruffy "tasca". These people are
there for the quality of the food, the price and the friendliness
of the owners - and not the décor!
Hours of Eating
Generally speaking, lunch is eaten between 12.00 and 15.00 hours.
Dinner is from about 19.30 to 23.00 hours. However, it is not
uncommon to see a group of people arriving for lunch at 14.30 hours,
as they are know to the owner and already know what they are going
to eat. In smarter restaurants in the cities it is usually advisable
to make a prior reservation.
The Menu
In the tourist areas it is normal to see restaurants offering a "ementa
turística". This is a three-course meal served with a drink and all at a
lower price than quoted on the normal menu. In tourist areas you will often
find that the menu has been translated into more than one other language. As
soon as you have taken your seats at the table it is the custom in Portugal
to be served with bread, olives and often some assorted appetisers. You may
either be charged for what you have eaten but often it is used as a form of
cover charge. There is a good logical reason for these items to be placed in
front of you. In all Portuguese restaurant be prepared to wait. The chef
will only start cooking after your order has been taken as he is normally
only using fresh items to prepare your meal.
Vegetarians are not particularly well catered for although there are
in major city areas a limited number of specialised restaurants. As
the vegetables grown in Portugal can be excellent we recommend some
careful directions to the kitchen may produce some very satisfying
results.
Wines and Other Drinks
The grape in Portugal produces very satisfying wines and especially
in the case of the red. White wine is also bottled in quantity and
is very palatable but their grapes do not generally produce any
spectacular results. After eating it is a must to sample the two most
famous fortified wines known throughout the world, Port and Madeira.
It is also quite reliable to order the "vinho da casa" (house-wine)
to accompany your meal - however, please remember that it can be fresh
country wine and although good, not necessarily pleasing to your palette.
Please visit our Pages on Wine for more detailed
information.
General Notes
Portugal is an ideal holiday location for families with children.
In restaurants the children's misbehaviour may be completely
accepted as the Portuguese love children to the point of spoiling
them! Often the menu will indicate half-portions or a child's plate
and if not, reduced amounts and prices can be normally requested.
Smoking is still generally accepted in all eating establishments.
Recently there has been a Act published in their Parliament to
introduce no smoking zones. If you see the sign "proibido fumar"
(no smoking) you will this means "No Smoking".
One of the main problems in Portuguese restaurants is obtaining and
paying the bill. The attitude of every waiter seems to be that once
you have eaten you should sit and digest your food! Remember that
Portugal is a Latin country and the pleasure of eating is taken
seriously A suitable remedy for a lengthy delay maybe to stand up to
suggest you are leaving.
Somewhere in the greyness of time a tip was used as a reward for good
service. There is no law stating what percentage you should use as a
tip. When tipping at the table the Portuguese tend to leave either
nothing or 5%. It is generally expected for a foreign tourist to leave
10% and good service is to be encouraged as it helps to "make" the meal.
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