Here in Madeira
there is no
shortageof
restaurants. If you seek an international or gastronomical
kitchengo to
the hotel zone and to the marina of Funchal. If you prefer the local
kitchen (yum-yum) go to the
old townand visit
the "Jango"
restaurant.
The prices are very reasonable there for tasty food and lots of
it.
Apart from Funchal, the choice is limited to one or two restaurants per
village, but these establishments are often of better quality. Do not
leave without
visiting "Santo António" or "As
Vides"
in "Estreito de Câmaras de Lobos" about
20 minutes from Funchal by
car.
Mealtimes:
Lunch
between midday and 15h. Dinner
between 19h and 22h.
The menu:
The
kitchen is mainly Portuguese. However the island has its own specialities.
The aperitif:
Obviously the
famous Madeira wine (18°).
Be careful. Very
frequently you
will be served a plate of cheese
and
cold meat
before beginning the meal.
It is worth pointing out that
these
items are not free and a charge will
appear on the
bill.
Bread:
We recommend the
famous and delicious "bolo do caco",
garlic
toasted
bread
Starters:
Local soup
with tomato, onion and poached egg (ourspecial
preference)
Caldo verde:
Portuguese soup with
curly kale and pieces of chorizo
Açorda, garlic soup and
bread
Fish and
Seafood:
Caramujos (winkles)
delicious
Lapas grelhadas
(roasted limpets).
The espadarte
fumado (smoked
swordfish).
The espada:Specialitynot
to miss. Scabbard fish
generally served
with a banana.
The bacalhau (or
Cod)
can
be cooked
in 365 different ways. For each day of the year.
The octopus and the squids (lulas)
can be been cooked
cold in
salad,
and hot, either fried or in ragoût
Do not
miss!!! The caldeirada of fish
(fish, potatoes, tomatos and onions) and the
cataplane (clams, sausages, ham, onion, parsley, garlic,
paprika and white wine).
Meats:
The espetada
is “A MUST”.
Very tender
meat traditionally threaded on a branch of bay-tree and suspended on the table
with bars of iron.
Chicken
is also ever present
: simple, roasted, or with a curry
sauce.
Accompaniments:
The
dishes are accompaniedby
salad, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fried and polenta (fried cornstarch).
Desserts:
Tropical
fresh
fruit salad (papaya,
pineapple, mango), or custard pudding with the "maracuja" (passion
fruit).
Wine:
There is one local
wine: the
Rosé Atlantis. If not choose between the green wines (vinho verde), red wines
(tinto) or white wines (branco). The "Dão"
and the "Monte
vermelho "red
or white, are two good choices. We
adore the "Mateus" rosé
wine semi-sparkling in bottles in the shape of bottles of Armagnac.
Take care, it's quite potent!
SO WE
WISH YOU ABON
APPETIT AND FORGET YOUR WEIGHT UNTIL YOU GET HOME !!!
PLEASURES
OF THE
TABLE
The aperitif:
Fish and
Seafood: