There are many and varied menus that promise to transform Portimão into the national capital of snacks from September 6th to October 13th, in the 70 establishments that will give flavor to Rota do Petisco 2013.
Rota do Petisco is an invitation to discover not only the center of Portimão (blue, green, yellow and red areas with 37 establishments), but also Praia da Rocha (orange area with 16 establishments) or the village of Alvor (brown area with 8 establishments), one of the novelties of this edition being the inclusion of a Guest Zone outside the municipality of Portimão, which this year will be Ferragudo (pink zone with 9 establishments).
The 70 stops of this true gastronomic marathon correspond to participating establishments, which offer participants on their menu the “Snack” modality, consisting of a small plate and a drink at a unit price of 2,50 euros, and the “Regional Sweet” modality, consisting of a dessert and a drink, with the unit price of 2 euros.
The selection of restaurants and patisseries for the Petisco Route implied the offer of traditional Algarve or national cuisine, or regional patisseries. The location in areas where several participating spaces are grouped was also a criterion, allowing the appetizers to go through several places in a pedestrian way.
Blue Zone – Portimão (Riverside Zone)
On the riverside, looking over the Arade towards the mouth, the flavors of the sea touch the land, between cockles and corn, or prawns and cowries with beans – filling the Forte e Ugly taste. Meet Ù Venâncio and O Meco by the river, and À Ravessa, the girl from the city in patanisca.
Afterwards, it's to refresh your stomach with soup at Taberna da Maré. Tuna, this one is Almareado in a muxama with Italian refinements.
From the Mediterranean to the North Sea, an appointment with a faithful friend in a bush at Bacalhoada. Dona Benta has horse mackerel and Zizá, tentacular, offers a feijoada. All together, because the Union is strong. There are many slices, but these are stuffed.
Yellow Zone – Portimão (Central North Zone)
Going up to Mó, there is Pica Pau in Petala Doce and not even the pigs escape roasting. From Mataporcos towards Café Brasil, a fresh salad in a summer that is ending. Before setting off into the night, be real: a steak in Hortinha followed by a patanisca in Os Unidos.
Those with a sweet tooth will find the Mira pie with very Algarve flavors. The night is still young and you have to bite at Kim's Bar.
But man does not live on flesh alone. Sardines are preserved in Porta Velha and cockles, armed with clams, are said to be from Bulhão Pato at Taberna Cool 33.
Green Zone – Portimão (Central Zone)
The center of Portimão comes alive with a smell of the sea. Maria came from the Sea with sardines in the canasta and even Lusana surrendered to her, hot and good. One in a tiborna, the other in a saddle. Comidinhas also went to sea and brought oysters from neighboring waters. Kibom!
Then, a small plate of gizzards to compose. A candy? Not yet. Before, a prank. Pipo, without any qualms, serves the cod's “sentence”.
For dessert, the choice is wide and varied. Casa da Isabel welcomes you with a corn pie and the Inglesa has fig cheese for those who visit. The fig is also king in Arade and arrives at the voluptuous chocolate.
That's the sweet Algarve: Amênd & Fig, the first bitter and with soft eggs in a very Portuguese pastry. What is National is good and the cake is in the pan.
Red Zone - Portimão (Central South Zone)
Near the river, in the building that was once a factory, the snack is not for boys. To Sal e Fogo, a very refined double. The sausages have Portuguese blood at the Loja Portuguesa and the chicken arrives small, in the mouth of a bird who enters JJ 25.
Other numbers are at stake in O Tennis. But picking up the rackets after a razor clam feijoada would be too radical. The best thing is to go to the Youth Park and enjoy a Galician octopus, winking to the south.
Then, refresh your palate with a tuna stupe. Serves The Dutchman, surrendered to the Algarve. Here, the orange is not mechanical but sweet. A cake at Café Creme and a pie at Milénio, in the shade of an almond tile.
Orange Zone – Praia da Rocha
Going to the beach, there is Mar e Sol and… Surprise! Everything for every taste. The fish is fed in Branquinho, which is even served red. The mackerel dresses up in fillet and goes to the Aqua Lounge at the Tivoli Marina. At Tasca da Marina, the squid is full.
A sardine ventures on a Safari, in Mediterranean flavours. Another appears in Indian costumes and is a Salsada, according to Zé. Even O Pirata adjusts his glass eye to see the shrimp better. Ah, blowtorch! Moving across the Atlantic to other latitudes, you gain accent. You want Food & Wine and satisfy your senses with a tuna that arrives marked.
You get wings in Belek. From the chicken, serve the breast and, since the filling is in the middle, the alheira leaps to the palate. Casalinho made it in strips and turned it creamy with a touch of spice. The Pope, who is not Francisco but Jorge, brings little gizzards instead of blessings.
Anyway, sins aside, no one can resist gluttony. Participants know the cream will save them. Even more, with a view of the sea in Fortaleza… and No Solo. There is also ice cream to refresh, in the Algarve, with figs and almonds, the same ones that are pie, washed down with liqueur in the Euro Doce Pão.
But the night is not over, no. At dawn, search the lunchbox. What's? A green broth and chorizo bread to comfort the stomach.
Brown Zone - Alvor
This year, the Route is also made in Alvor. And even D. João would give the kingdom for a snack. Next to the Ria, in Restinga, cod and chickpeas come together in a fresh salad. Horse mackerel come with another rank, fed on Captain Table.
Continuing with a British accent at Old Up, the invitation is to enjoy an Albur Tapa washed down in red. The razor clam is by Alvor at the Central Café and the ear defies appetizers, both professionals and amateurs, at Flor de Sal.
It is known that this is the land of Plagues, but it won't be necessary to release them. After all, even those who have renounced the pleasures of meat (and fish) have a place in a French garlic patanisca.
If not, just try what Atrium 53 has to offer: the salty goat cheese with the sweet touch of honey. Muggle made, it's going to another stop.
Pink Zone - Ferragudo
Another novelty on the Route: crossing the river, Ferragudo invites you to have a snack. Then start southeast. To whet your appetite, a razor clam soup.
Stomachs will also be warmed up after a clam soup at A Ria. Prepared for the task, is putting teeth to the test. In Ferragudo, there is a Casa Grande where the sardines are made of vinaigrette and the red wine. Another House is Green and brings the eight-armed lord made in salad. He also sees himself fried at the Café Duplex.
From octopus to pork, it is minced in the Barril and with a very Portuguese seasoning. Not even chicken is saved on a kebab at Tempo Bistrot. Tortures aside, the stop is the kiosk. The suggestion is a toast that is said to be from Ferragudo at Q Café.
Afterwards, it is important to sweeten the spout. The Neighbor offers a cookie. How to say that, in the Neighborhood's Mercearia, even the pennyroyal gets drunk on liquor?
How to get a passport for the snack
To experience this marathon of finger food, all that is required is for anyone to obtain the respective passport, with all the necessary information and available at the participating establishments, as well as at the Tourist Offices of Portimão, Praia da Rocha and Alvor, at Casa Manuel Teixeira Gomes, at the Posto Ferragudo Post Office and the Portimão Museum.
Petiscadores are invited to make a donation of 1 euro to the “Piggy Bank of the Route”, in a solidarity gesture whose funds will be allocated to the cafeteria of Centro Social de Nª. Sr.ª do Amparo in Portimão, the Bom Samaritano Children's Home in Alvor and the Support Center for the Elderly in Ferragudo.
For each establishment visited, the petiscador gets a stamp in his passport and, by collecting the stamps, he can qualify for the Route Awards, such as visits with tastings to Algarve wineries, sailing baptisms and experiences in a sidecar by Bike My Side. Those who complete at least 15 stops on their route are also entitled to a participation gift, consisting of a double invitation to visit the Museum of Portimão.
In addition to providing several advantages, this is also a solidarity document and therefore, in exchange for the Route Passport, participants are invited to make a donation of 1 euro in the existing piggy banks, thus supporting three solidarity institutions, namely the cafeteria of the Social Center of Nª. Sr.ª do Amparo in Portimão, the Bom Samaritano Children's Home in Alvor and the Support Center for the Elderly in Ferragudo.
One of the secrets that explain the success of this initiative is based on the various synergies that Teia D'Impulsos has been establishing, with emphasis on the partnership with the Municipality of Portimão, which is combined with the support of the Parish Councils of Portimão, Alvor and Ferragudo , Portimão Tourism Association, Algarve Tourism Region, Algarve Tourism Association, Algarve Wine Commission and ACRAL – Association of Commerce and Services of the Algarve Region.
All information about the Portimão Petisco Route 2013 can be found on the website http://www.teiadimpulsos.pt.
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