Excellent visit to Praia da Adraga + Restaurante d'Adraga

 The beach @ Praia da Adraga – some hardy souls braving 

the sea on 8th December 2016

Always a dramatic sea

 

Today we headed out to Praia da Adraga – our favourite beach in the Lisbon area. It is close to being the most westerly point of mainland Europe. The beach constantly changes shape sculpted by the elements. 

After a stroll on the beach it was time for lunch at the Restaurante d'Adraga – great seafood and one of the best restaurant views in the world, especially if you are lucky enough, as we were, to get a table by the window. The food is simple but excellent.  

All in all a sensible version of Brexit!

 Shot into the bright sunlight – the white building 

at the end of the beach is the Restaurante d'Adraga

What a restaurant view!

A delicious white 2015 Vinhas Velhas (old vines)
from Luis Pato 

Bical (50%), Cerceal (25%) and Sercialinho (25%) 

Very reasonably priced at 15€ a bottle

 Our first course: a wonderfully fresh crab 

Below ready to start work!

 

 Before: a garoupa for three (above)

After: a garoupa perfectly grilled (below) 

 A plain salad

A wickedly good strawberry pavlova

Restaurante O Apeadeiro, Sintra

One substantial benefit of our fruitless journey to Praia Adraga yesterday (see here) was to discover a reasonable restaurant in Sintra. Restaurante O Apeadeiro was recommended to us by our very friendly and helpful taxi driver who took us Praia Adraga and back. As soon as we got into the taxi he did warn us that ours might be a wasted journey due to the recent damage wrought by the sea. We decided we would take a look anyway.  I think the taxi driver, who originally came from the Vinho Verde region in Northern Portugal, found the sight of the foaming sea fascinating too as he also took photos.

On our way back we asked him if he could recommend a decent restaurant in Sintra. Reassuringly he dismissed all of the establishments in the centre as tourist traps. Instead he suggested O Apeadeiro, which is close to the station. We got to the restaurant just after 1pm and it was almost full mainly with locals – many enjoying the €15 menu – thick, creamy vegetable soup followed by a pork dish, dessert and coffee. 

Not wanting a big meal we didn't go for the menu instead Carole chose Arroz de Tamboril (monkfish with rice) and I opted for the Sole Meunier (€15). Both were fine but not as good as we would have had a Praia Adraga, although they would probably have been more expensive.

On the wine list I spotted the Vinho Verde from Palacio da Brejoeira for €25. This is easily the most expensive Vinho Verde made, we had never previously got round to trying it and very reasonably priced for a restaurant. No vintage was listed but it turned out to be the 2008 (12.5% alc) and very good it was too. Naturally there was some bottle evolution – buttery, nutty, full flavoured with refreshing lemony acidity. One of the best Vinho Verdes we have ever drunk.   

At the end we were offered a glass of Tawny Port – just to ensure that we could doze on the train back to Lisbon! So O Apeadeiro is good value with reasonable cooking and definitely friendly service ideal if you want lunch in Sintra.

Restaurante Apeadeiro (Santa Maria e São Miguel): 219 231 804
Open every day of the week except Thursday, so I wonder where the locals go that day?

 

Praia Adraga (Lisbon Coast): extraordinary sights today

 Praia Adraga: not soap suds but foam from the sea!

 

We went to Praia Adraga today intending to eat at the very good restaurant there that specialises in fish. Unfortunately it appaers to be closed due to damage from the recent storms and very rough seas. The visit was, however, worth while as the sea was a mass of foam! I have never seen anything like it. 

 The cark park by the restaurant 

 The beach

Foam beach and sea (CRM)

 

The beach covered with heaving foam as the sea water moved under it 

Most of the sand seems to have been washed away

The sea! 

 Bubble bath!

The restaurant looking sorry and abandoned at the moment!

Boarded up restaurant on the seaward side (CRM)

Calmer seas@Praia Adraga – July 2011 

Summer 2008

Sintra and Praia Adraga

Camara Municipal de Sintra (Sintra Town Hall): above and below

Last Thursday we took the train up to Sintra from Rossio Station in Lisbon. Then strolled along from the station to the centre of the small town. 

Palácio Nacional de Sintra

Buildings in Sintra

Looking from the centre of town back towards the town hall

Then it was back to Sintra Station to get a taxi to take us to Praia Adrega. Curiously the taxis in the centre of the town are apparently only allowed to circulate in the town.

The beach at Praia Adraga was virtually deserted with the customary, creamy Atlantic rollers to watch. Once again the small stream that follows into the sea at Adraga had changed course over the beach during the winter. Either the stream or winter high tides (or a combination of the two) has destroyed the small wooden broadwalk that runs from the car park across the stream to the beach. 

Praia Adraga

We had time to sit for half an hour on the beach before heading for a latish lunch (2pm) at the Restaurant Praia Adraga. One of the good things about Portugal is the relatively flexible eating times. In many parts of France the chances of being able to sit down to lunch at 2pm are decidedly slim. Indeed it can be tricky from 1.30pm.   

Ameijoas à Bulhão Pato

We had a table by the window overlooking the ocean. Lunch as ever here was excellent – a dish of ameijoas à Bulhão Pato (clams cooked in olive oil with garlic, chilli and coriander) to share between the four of us. This was followed by simply grilled seabass and turbot – again shared. We drank a very good bottle of 2009 Alvarinho, Vinho Verde, Muros Antigos.

Sea bass (in foreground); turbot (behind)