Traditional dishes and sweets, made with local ingredients and recipes associated with the Mediterranean Diet, are the stars of another Gastronomic Fortnight of São Brás de Alportel, which will run until the 25th of April.
In this 13th edition of the event, there are nine participating restaurants, which, in addition to their usual menu, suggest a special menu, which refers to mountain gastronomic traditions, but which is also linked to Easter.
From the menus of the houses that have joined the Quinzena Gastronómica, there are the inevitable dishes based on lamb, namely stew and chops, but also dishes based on pork, beef and rabbit, as well as seafood, such as cod, tuna and other fish, whether shellfish.
«The gastronomic fortnight is, without a doubt, a way we have to promote our Mediterranean cuisine, our restaurants and our sweets, at this time of Easter», framed Vítor Guerreiro, mayor of São Brás de Alportel, on the sidelines of the presentation of the event to journalists, this Monday, at the Brilha Figura restaurant, one of the participants in the event, located in the Mesquita Alta.
The mayor assures that this edition “has been, in fact, a success”.
«There are many who visit us, with the pretext of coming to São Brás de Alportel for lunch or dinner. These people end up spending half a day or an unforgettable day in our county, getting to know our nature and our heritage and walking along the walking trails”, he added.
On the part of the restaurants, the feedback «has been very positive. (…) Judging by our Flower Torches Festival, which took place on Easter Sunday, this year is going well. We had thousands of tourists here».
Débora Alves, the owner of the Brilha Figura restaurant, confirms that «Easter was very good. I think people took advantage of this time to come here to the county».
This is a place that debuts in the Quinzena Gastronómica, not least because it has only been open for a few months – previously, the restaurant O Graciano used to work in the same space.
“We are still working on the house. We opened at a difficult time, during the pandemic, which didn't help much. But I hope that now in the summer everything will get better », she said.
Taking into account the experience of other restaurants that year after year join the Quinzena Gastronómica, this event can help to attract new customers.
«According to what the restaurants tell us, there are always many new customers, who know the spaces for the first time, and who return later throughout the year», assured Vítor Guerreiro.
Those who want to taste the delicacies of the Quinzena Gastronómica can do so at the restaurants “4 à mesa”, “Adega Nunes”, “Brilha Figura”, “Cantinho da Lili”, “Iguarias da Serra”, “O Marquês”, “Rui's Steakhouse” , “Sal da Serra” and “Tachinho da Avó Luís”.
Each of the participating establishments has a Fortnight menu, with a starter, one or two main courses, a dessert and a wine suggestion.
Suggestions for each restaurant can be seen here.
In common, the suggested dishes have the «cooked in olive oil», «seasonings based on herbs», «seasonal products, tastier and much healthier», «traditional ingredients of the Mediterranean diet», «nutritional balance» and « Easter flavors.
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