Restaurante Adraga, Praia Adraga

Never known the sea to be calm@Praia Adraga

I've written about this restaurant before but worth doing so again as I think it is one of the great fish restaurants of the world. It's not sophisticated, although there is, I think, Barca Velha, on the wine list but it does brilliant grilled fish as well as clams in garlic and delicious crabs. Reasonably priced, the restaurant is the only building of any substance in a wonderfully unspoiled cove and beach. Furthermore the staff are friendly and welcoming. If you get a table by the window you have an uninterrupted view to the USA.

The unglitzy Restaurante Adraga from the beach: window looks out over the ocean

Today three of us had Amêijoas à Bulhão Pato (clams in garlic and coriander), a crab and then a perfectly cooked sea bass accompanied by a bottle of 2008 Alvarinho. In Brittany or Nantes, Muscadet would be the ideal choice but here in Portugal, Alvarinho works extremely well. Amêijoas à Bulhão Pato is a speciality in these parts and is cooked in a similar way to moules marinières except there is less liquid. You need plenty of bread to mop up the juice.

Very fresh crab

2008 Alvarinho Quinta de Gomantz

Restaurant Praia da Adraga: tel: 21 923 00 28