Food & drink
Fine dining in a rustic setting BY TONY AND ANNE Gulli Bistrot is a subtly trendy, informal Italian restaurant just south of Aljezur on the EN120. A pleasant drive from Lagos, six of us went there for lunch to celebrate our friends anniversary. On arrival we were immediately greeted and seated (we chose to eat outside on a balmy December day – try telling that to friends in Northern Europe!) We liked their attention to detail, the couvert was beautifully presented on a wooden board, with small jars of olives, flavoured butter, fresh bread & breadsticks etc. We all skipped the starters (although they sounded tempting) apart from a huge platter of freshly baked garlic bread which came piled high with rocket and parmesan shavings. However for the main course we all diversified! Two of us chose scaloppini, thin slices of black pork, which melted in your mouth, served with tagliatelle dressed with pesto, sundried tomatoes and almonds. We sampled each other’s, and they were all unique and delicious. They ranged from thinly sliced red tuna (which was like cutting through butter), tasty
prawn risotto, steak with Italian vegetables and fresh pasta with smoky bacon. The presentation was amazing and the portion size was good. Again, we all chose different desserts, tiramisu with fruit (served in a jam jar), lemon ice cream with cardamom topped with a syringe full of lemon curd which you injected into the centre, tiramisu with espresso and whisky served in a large brandy glass. We all returned to Lagos with huge smiles on our faces. We cannot fault this restaurant, the food is both original and delicious yet reasonably priced, the staff are friendly, efficient but not obtrusive. Opening times are 12.30pm to 10pm, (3.00-6.30pm pizzas only) Tuesday to Sunday. They have recently opened another restaurant in Aljezur called Varzea which specialises in Portuguese food. If Gulli is anything to go by, we can’t wait to try it! +351 282 994 344
Chocochic A new café has opened to satisfy all chocolate lovers. Chocochic, located opposite the Câmara building, serves coffee and various hot chocolates from the indulgent to the alcoholic. Grab yourself an after eight Chocolate Quente or even a Chocotail including Baileys, Tia Maria or even Jim Bean, all with chocolate of course! Nayara and her husband, Alessandro, opened the café at the end of January after closing their restaurant in Meia Praia. Originally from Brazil, Nayara has lived in Lagos for over 15 years. The café has outside seating so you can catch some sun. The choc heavy menu doesn’t just include drinks, you
can treat yourself to a waffle with Nutella and fruit or a gelado crepe. It’s the perfect place for a lunchtime snack too, if you haven’t got the sweetest tooth then you will find toasties and soups are on offer throughout the day, just check the specials board. Nayara and Alessandro greet their customers with a warm smile and hot chocolate on tap, so beat the lunchtime rush and head over for a bolo or two. Chocochic-Lagos
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