One last lunch, one last chance to take in all the yummy hospitality I’d come to expect while travelling through Portugal – a stop in the seaside town of Comporta en route to the airport in Lisbon yielded one of the best meals I had during my stay in the country. With an emphasis on serving traditional dishes from Alentejo using fresh, local, sustainably sourced, and mostly organic ingredients – the family owned O Zé Restaurante Lounge pleased my palate and ensured I headed back London satisfied to be sure yet already longing to return for more festive feasting.
O Zé has been in the same family now for three generations. Now in its 114th year of operation and currently run by Cesário Severino (grandson of the original proprietor), it’s a great place to try regional favourites, especially if you love fresh caught fish and seafood. I adored my hearty bowl of massinha de lingueirão (elbow macaroni with razor clams sourced in the Sado River). According to Cesário this down home dish is as traditional as it gets with respect to coastal Alentejan food. But up until he recently decided to serve it, no other restaurants did (or ever had as far as he could tell). It’s now the most ordered item on his menu. A few bites into mine, I could definitely taste why it proved so popular.
In addition to the restaurant’s elegant dining room, there’s an ace whisky bar, a “gelati lounge” (Cesário and his wife are Italian certified gelato makers), and even a little shop offering the chance to purchase some of the great regional products featured in O Zé recipes. I had a wonderful time there, enjoyed the utterly gorgeous scenic drive getting there from Vidigueira as well as the easy journey onwards to the airport. I want to go back.
That just about wraps up my Portugal Please miniseries. I’ll chime back in soon with one final piece listing all the posts for easy linking access. I hope you’ve had fun reliving the good times of this tasty week in one of the most welcoming destinations I’ve ever been and that when planning your own visit you’ll find the series a useful resouce. Obrigado!
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