Brisa Do Rio - Alcoutim

I never would have found this place if it were not for Bart, the golf pro and all around good guy at nearby Benamor Golf Club. Thirty of us played 18 holes of wonderful Stableford golf at Benamor, then only 20 headed to Brisa do Rio for dinner because there just was not enough room for all 30 of us.<br/ <br/ We were met with tables already laden with bottles of water and wine as well as bread, olives, fish pate, and butter. Once we all had been seated, the appetizers started to flow family-style. Fresh octopus sauteed in a zesty tomato sauce, razor clams in olive oil, garlic, and parsley, as well as chevre cheese topped with honey and apricot jam, I believe. They we all sublime.<br/ <br/ My entree was the lamb chops, four of them, perfectly seared and cooked to a medium rare accompanied by a mint sauce with a bite, likely a bit of a local favorite, piri piri (chilli) sauce. The chops were delish, accompanied by new potatoes perfectly seasoned and roasted to a semi-crispy dark brown.<br/ <br/ The service was impeccable with three servers keeping watch over our party of 20, replacing empty water and wine bottles and clearing empty plates post haste. The dining room is simple, yet sophisticated with just enough light to be able to read a menu without hurting my light sensitive eyes. There is also a dining room in the back to handle overflow as well as provide a place for wine tastings, from what I understand.<br/ <br/ An excellent meal and value at 30 Euros for a four course dinner, including wine and coffee, I recommend getting a reservation because they are fully booked pretty much every night.<br/ <br/ CombatCritic Gives Brisa do Rio 9 Bombs Out Of 10 With Room For An Extra Bomb For When I Return ... More Bombs Are Better!

Comida fresca e deliciosa! Staff amigável, recomendo!

We booked for 8pm but when we arrived all of their tables were occupied. We were offered a free glass of wine in the roof terrace but it was quite a chilly night so not ideal. It was 8.45 when we were told our table was ready. We ordered our meals which were a selection from steak to fish as well as chinked stroganoff. We all agreed that the food generally lacked flavour. The pepper steak sauce was bland and the stroganoff was bland with rice that was dry and tasted as though it was left over from lunch! The service was good but overall everything took forever to arrive. It was €180!for four of us so quite expensive in Tavira terms. We all wished we had dined at Bossa or O’Tonel which are far superior for less money.

Our fist return from what used to be one of our favourite restaurants 18 months ago. Due I think originally with problems with staffing etc. Tonight was a very pleasant surprise, The food was excellent however this would have been a 5 star if it were not the couvert. Very overpriced for what it was, a series of tiny saucers which could only hold at best 3 olives in one saucer and an olive and 3 carrots in the other. 2 saucers with lovely pate but a tiny portion, 2 saucers with an anchovy and olive. The bread was a very small serving for 5 people. If You were to go in any other restaurant you would get a decent basket of bread and good portions of carrot and olives etc…. However our mains were excellent, black pork, steak Dianne, 2 Prawn curries and a child’s steak meal. (Child’s steak meal a good portion but another tiny saucer of grated carrot). All this said you can see how the owner has a good team to back him up, he no longer is in the kitchen, he is back, front of house. Although there was space for many more tables, this was seen as being reduced for the amount of tables which were manageable for the staff. We will be back, hopefully 5 star soon…..

Foi bom para um lanche no meio. O serviço foi rápido e falava inglês. Preço agradável. A vista da Ponta Romana também é única. Porém, provavelmente devido às fortes rajadas, muito lixo se acumulou embaixo das mesas e nas bordas. É uma pena para o ambiente.