Guide to Lezíria do Tejo Certified Restaurants Guide to Lezíria do Tejo Certified Restaurants Editing and copywriting: Entidade Regional de Turismo do Alentejo e Ribatejo www.visitribatejo.pt Editing, graphic design and pagination: Caminho das Palavras Legal Deposit: 446209/18 ISBN: 978-989-8784-71-1 September 2018 Certification by: Preface “Tough” people by nature, in the distant past, Tejo voluntarily accepted the commitment with hardly any resources, the people from to respect and implement a quality Ribatejo proved to be skilful in the art of reference cross-cutting the products used creating different products that throughout in the cooking, the service and the welcome time were established as unique, particularly given, by displaying a distinctive seal. in what concerns cuisine. The genuine Ribatejo value and cooking, The quality of the endogenous products the inspiration from ancestral recipes, from the Ribatejo lezíria has inspired chefs the use of endogenous products, the and those curious, who have unknowingly excellence of the service and the left a vast and rich legacy for menus of all information provided, the décor, the types of restaurants, from the most noble to ambient, the presentation of menus the humblest, such as the region’s tascas, mostly consisting of typical dishes from tasquinhas, casas de pasto or taverns. Ribatejo and a list of wines from the region Aware of the historic and cultural are surely values present in the certified importance of this gastronomic collection, restaurants which, in perfect harmony with and the potential that the product the Confraria da Gastronomia do Ribatejo – Gastronomy and Wines has in attracting responsible for the dissemination of the visitors and tourists, the new generation Gastronomic Charter of Lezíria do Tejo –, of cooks or chefs has been continuing to contribute towards the promotion of a use authenticity to prepare the dishes that valuable heritage. make up the menus, and entrepreneurs This book is, above all, a homage to the have also known how to invest in the professionals, entrepreneurs and local management of establishments that dignify government members who, in close and communicate the brand Ribatejo. partnership with the Regional Tourist Office, Conscious of this reality, the Regional strive to dignify, safeguard and project Tourist Office felt the need to help preserve the traditional products and gastronomic one of the symbols of the identity of this delicacies of Ribatejo, both inside and region by way of a project that recognises outside the country. and certifies the restaurants of Lezíria do Also available in electronic e-book format – Tejo whose basic concept is the tradition, in this way allowing for the possibility to know-how and flavours of Ribatejo. include other restaurants that may come to In response to the Certification process be certified –, this guide is an invitation to implemented by the Alentejo and Ribatejo visitors and tourists to come and enjoy the Tourist Office, 35 restaurants from Lezíria do flavours of Ribatejo. António Ceia da Silva President of Turismo do Alentejo/Ribatejo 4 Entidade Regional de Turismo do Alentejo e Ribatejo Guide to Lezíria do Tejo Certified Restaurants 5 In the beginning was the Tejo «No, Tejo, It is not you who you see in me, – it is I who I see in you!» Alexandre O’Neill The Tejo is the structural axis of a natural and fish and shellfish from the watercourses cultural region to which it gave the name, by and dams; ox meat and other beef, pork, adding the word riba, which means margin goat – roast kid is emblematic – and game; or bank: Ribatejo. It was always a place of sausages, cheeses, sweets, fresh fruit easy passage thanks to the low, extensive and dried fruit, wine and so many other land; and it was the point of arrival because high quality products that Ribatejo offers! the fertile soil and waters abounding with Combined and prepared according to rules fish attracted workers. Ratinhos, caramelos of extremely old and traditional recipes and gaibéus (from Beiras), avieiros (Vieira transmitted from one generation to another, de Leiria), varinos (Ovar), cagaréus (Aveiro), or prepared with new culinary techniques barrões (Alto Alentejo), among others, that respect the same principles in new some for the seasonal work and others ways, result in unprecedented delicacies. In to settle for good. All of them contributed Ribatejo gastronomy, tradition and innovation with their tastes and traditions towards the go hand in hand along the paths leading to construction of a Ribatejo lifestyle. their regional culture. Yesterday’s novelties The Tejo crosses the region from one end are today’s classics. But the essential values to the other. The extremely fertile lands of of tradition are respected both at home with the Borda-d’Água – lezíria, fields –, produce family meals and in restaurants that exhibit fields of corn, tomatoes, melon and others, the regional cuisine of Ribatejo. Fortunately, vineyards and pastures with bulls and there are many restaurants, and here we are horses, that became, together with the cattle proud to record some of the best. It is the herders, symbols of Ribatejo. But the Borda- regional gastronomy that unites them and d’Água is only a small part of the region with at the same time displays their differences. Bairro and Charneca, both complementing We have divided them into four groups each other: Bairro, on the right bank, is more according to the following characteristics: hilly with olive groves, vineyards, corn, wheat and pastures for goats and sheep; Charneca, • Contemporary restaurant: with the extension of the lezíria towards the contemporary cooking and plating Alentejo, covers an immense area of sandy techniques. The service is considered soils with cork oak montado, dry farming, a priority. vineyards, grain and some irrigation farming. • Typical restaurant: where relevance is With so many different productions, such a given to rustic and typical décor. There is a variety of peoples and such easy contacts characteristic feeling of the region. with other regions, the cuisine of this • Traditional restaurant: associated with the region could only be diversified and rich. value given to a nostalgic image of Ribatejo. Wheat bread (“ribatejano” and “caralhotas”); Traditional recipes and presentation. cornbread which is an indispensable • Informal restaurant: informality and ingredient of mangusto; olive oil, the people’s familiarity associated with the quality of the favourite seasoning; tomatoes, essential food served – a tasty homemade meal – to the region’s economy and gastronomy; are the decisive factors. 6 Entidade Regional de Turismo do Alentejo e Ribatejo Guide to Lezíria do Tejo Certified Restaurants 7 Arripiado 17 Portugal 22 23 24 26 Golegã Alcobertas 18 30 Pinheiro Grande Lezíria do Tejo Pombalinho 25 Rio Maior 27 29 Chamusca Lisbon 33 35 Santarém Alpiarça 7 Almeirim Cartaxo Almeirim Coruche Aveiras de Cima 15 16 1 1 David Parque 19 Coruja Chef 9 2 O Forno 20 O Farnel 3 O Pinheiro 21 Sabores de Coruche 4 O Toucinho 5 O Zézano Golegã Azambuja Escaroupim 6 Tertúlia da Quinta 22 Café Central 31 23 Lusitanus Vila Nova da Rainha Alpiarça 24 O Barrigas Salvaterra de Magos 8 7 O Cavalo do Sorraia 25 O Peso 32 26 Rédea Curta Azambuja 8 Mercearia do Peixe e Cia Rio Maior 19 21 9 Oficina dos Sabores 27 O Pancinhas Coruche 28 Palhinhas Gold Benavente 29 Salarium 10 A Coudelaria 30 Terra Chã 11 Chico do Porto Benavente Foros de Almada 11 14 12 12 O Telheiro Salvaterra de Magos Porto Alto Santo Estevão 13 Santo Gula 31 O Escaroupim 13 Samora Correia 14 Vila Hotel 32 Quinta do Parque Real 10 Cartaxo Santarém TEJO RIVER 15 Taberna do Gaio 33 Dois Petiscos 16 Taxo 34 Taberna do Quinzena 35 Taberna Ó Balcão Chamusca 17 O Moinante 18 Taberna da Rita 8 Entidade Regional de Turismo do Alentejo e Ribatejo Guide to Lezíria do Tejo Certified Restaurants 9 Informal Restaurant David Parque Address Largo da Praça de Touros, 15, 2080-030 Almeirim Telephone +351 243 591 475 and +351 918 210 299 Website www.davidparque.rbx.pt E-mail [email protected] GPS 39°12’08,5”N 8°37’39,0”W Forms of Payment Cards are accepted Opening Hours 12.00-10.30pm Closing Day(s) Located in the area of the sopa da pedra, restaurants in Wednesday Capacity 110 seats Parking On the street front of the Almeirim Bullring, David Parque is marked Average Price €15 No Smoking Wi-Fi connection available by the sobriety of its unpretentiousness and by the simplicity of its cooking with no frills, only with high quality produce and cooking. As soon as we enter the big white room, sustain the ceiling. This is intentional for asked to be taken away. There are good which is fried with shrimps and cream, we notice, to the left, a long service all the décor is very discrete with few fish dishes, particularly the codfish house the steak with champignons, similar counter and an open-plan kitchen, which paintings or mirrors on the walls. It makes special, which is slowly cooked on the but with mushrooms, and the loin and allows us to witness the organization us think that we should be concentrating grill after being embedded in olive oil shrimp skewer also stand among the and care with which the ingredients are on what we are about to eat. and bread, squid on the skewer with most sought after. Traditional desserts, handled and cooked; in front and to the The menu is quite varied save for the prawns, both served with boiled potatoes such as the doce da casa (a specialty of right, we see the eating area, with good starters that are few and rarely ordered. and cabbage and also the monkfish rice the house), egg pudding and chocolate sized tables well detached from each What is always on demand is the sopa and the prawn açorda.