Tag Archives: Restaurant

Vila Vita Parc, Portugal: Restaurants & Wine Cellar

Posted on June 4, 2014 | Leave a comment

Breakfast overlooking the ocean

at the Atlântico restaurant: exhilarating (picture 1)! Around 10 am, the sun is already pretty strong and the day before we were afraid it would rain! The green garden bordering the coast, draws perfectly on the ocean blue.

The view is stunning: picture 2, taken at the Ocean restaurant, the ocean view is quite similar to the terrace of the Atlântico! Every day we choose a new table at breakfast with a different view of the ocean.

The buffet of the Atlântico restaurant is varied: excellent fresh fruits bursting with sunshine, with a friendly discreet service. Photos 2, 3 and 4: Ocean, the famous gourmet restaurant with two Michelin stars! Photo 2: Empty wine decanters, like in an alchemist’s lair … Photo 3: A giant Fabergé egg in malachite!

The best fish in the world

I dreamed of a great fish to change (LOL!). We dine “casual chic” in Adega, the restaurant of Portuguese specialties. Discovering my huge dish, I am impressed by the size of the fish (picture above and on the last picture of this article : photo 1, the terrasse of Adega)!

I learned that chefs of gourmet restaurants in London and New York charter aircraft with fish caught in the area the same day. This year, the fish of the Algarve have received the title of best fish in the world.

I’m not a foodie, but I can appreciate some great ingredients: my fish is excellent! As a starter, I chose delicious shrimps! A kind of proteins orgy : )

Do you know the Portuguese Pétrus?

No, this is not a Madeira wine, but a grand cru of Douro, North of Portugal: the Barca Velha (picture above).

At seven meters under ground (the adventure begins!), we meet the sommelier José Figueirinha for a private tour of the Vila Vita Parc wine cellar. Exceptional cellar in Portugal, with an average of 11,000 bottles (pictures below 2 & 3).

Many great Portuguese and French wines (including Château Latour), but also Italian, Spanish or South African wines … And a room especially dedicated to Porto Vintage.

Informations

www.vilavitaparc.com, the restaurants : Atlântico, Ocean, Adega & the Wine cellar, Cave de Vinhos

Bordeaux, France: The Bordeaux Wine School

Castel Fragsburg: A Fantastic Gourmet Restaurant In A Charming Hotel

LIFESTYLE, HOTEL REVIEWS & DESTINATIONS

My friend and I were hosted by the Vila Vita Parc. As always these are my opinions! Many thanks to the Vila Vita Parc team.

Vila Vita Parc, Portugal: Restaurants et cave à vins

Posted on June 4, 2014 | Leave a comment

Petit déjeuner face à l’océan

au restaurant Atlântico, euphorisant (photo 1)! Vers 10h, la lumière est déjà vive, dire que la veille nous avions peur qu’il pleuve! Le vert du jardin bordant la côte, se dessine parfaitement sur le bleu de l’océan.

La vue est juste superbe : sur la photo 2, prise au restaurant Ocean, la vue sur l’océan est assez semblable à celle de la terrasse de l’Atlântico! Chaque jour nous choisissons une nouvelle table, pour prendre le petit déjeuner avec un point de vue différent sur l’océan.

Le buffet du restaurant l’Atlântico est varié : excellents fruits frais gorgés de soleil. Et le service discret et agréable. Photos 2, 3 et 4: le fameux restaurant gastronomique Ocean, deux étoiles au guide Michelin! Photo 2: carafes à vin vides, comme dans l’antre d’un alchimiste… Photo 3: Un oeuf Fabergé géant en malachite!

Le meilleur poisson au monde

Je rêvais d’un excellent poisson, pour changer (LOL!). Nous dînons “casual chic” à l’Adega, le restaurant de spécialités portugaises. Lorsque je découvre ma maxi-assiette, je suis impressionnée par la taille du poisson (Photo ci dessus)!

J’apprends que des chefs de restaurants gastronomiques de Londres et de New York affrètent des avions avec les poissons pêchés dans la région le jour même. Cette année, les poissons de l’Algarve ont reçu le titre de meilleurs poissons au monde.

Je ne suis pas un fin gourmet, mais je sais apprécier de très bons ingrédients : mon poisson est excellent! En entrée, j’ai choisi de délicieuses crevettes! Une orgie de protéines : )

Connaissez-vous le Pétrus portugais?

Non, ce n’est pas un vin de Madère, mais un grand cru du Douro, au nord du Portugal : le Barca Velha (photo ci-dessus).

A sept mètres sous terre (l’aventure commence!), nous rencontrons le sommelier José Figueirinha, pour une visite privée de la cave à vins du Vila Vita Parc. Cave unique en son genre au Portugal, comprenant 11000 bouteilles (photos ci-dessous 2 et 3).

Multitude de grands vins portugais et français (dont du Château Latour), mais aussi des vins italiens, espagnols, sud-africains etc… Ainsi qu’une pièce spécialement dédiée au Porto Vintage.

Informations

www.vilavitaparc.com, les restaurants : Atlântico, Ocean, Adega & la Cave de Vinhos

Autres articles :

Bordeaux, France: l’Ecole du Vin de Bordeaux

Castel Fragsburg: superbe restaurant gastronomique dans un hôtel de charme

LIFESTYLE, HOTEL REVIEWS & DESTINATIONS

J’ai été invitée avec une amie par le Vila Vita Parc. Comme toujours ce sont mes opinions! Un grand merci à toute l’équipe du Vila Vita Parc.

Areias do Seixo: Awesome Eco-luxury Hotel in Portugal

Posted on April 24, 2014 | 2 comments

Before exploring the beautiful cliffs and beaches near the Areias do Seixo,

I have tea with a friend in the large lounge-dining room of the hotel (pictures 1, 2 & 3). I really like how light brings rhythm in the big hall, drawing shadows, chiaroscuro. The view of the nearby ocean (photo 7). Decoration: a successful mix of raw concrete, antique objects, the omnipresence of wood, cabinet of curiosities and ultra modern structure. The whole creates an unique world really contemporary and poetic. We are in the Costa de Prata, under an incredible blue sky, but I can also feel a little elsewhere, Morocco, Scandinavia … nomadic setting.

In the evening I meet Gonçalvo Alves,

co-owner of the Areias do Seixo with Marta Fonseca who are a couple of travelers, from Torres Vedras:

– We wanted a big house where people meet to share simple things. We also had a real interest in ecology and sustainable development. We wanted something beautiful and very simple in hippie chic spirit, the best of luxury. We worked with the architect Vasco Vieira and designer Rosarinho Gabriel to create a unique place dedicated to people who are in love.

How the Areias do Seixo is it an eco-friendly hotel?

– We have a green cover on the roof to balance temperature. To consume less, geothermal underfloor heating and thirty solar panels for electricity and heating. We use compost to fertilize our garden and vegetable garden. Products of the restaurant are from organic agriculture and most of them are from the region, including wine.

Ninety percent of people who work at the hotel are locals. It becomes common to worry about the environment in Portugal. Our great-great grandparents were very green and sustainable. And Portuguese remained very authentic, very attached to their roots. We draw our knowledge among the ancients. We apply the rule of the 3 R’s: reduce, reuse, recycle.

What would you like your guests to take away from their experience of Areias do Seixo ?

– Some say they have redesigned their life and relationship to the environment after their stay here. It’s wonderful for us because it is our passion !

Obrigada to Gonçalvo Alves, Marta Fonseca and all the team !

Informations

Areias do Seixo – Charme Hotel.

Areias do Seixo: A Room With A Small Fireplace

3 Restaurants in Lisbon, Portugal

HOTEL REVIEWS & DESTINATIONS

My friend and I were guests of the Areias do Seixo hotel and as always these opinions are mine.

2 Comments

Posted in "On the road again", Fooding & Bars, Hotels

Tagged 5 star, Architecture, Costa de Prata, Décoration, Design, Ecology, Europe, Exclusive Interview, Exclusive Photos, Exclusive Pictures, Gonçalvo Alves, Hippie Chic, Hotel Reviews, Lounge, Marta Fonseca, Nature, Near the Atlantic Ocean, Organic Agriculture, Organic Products, Portugal, Respect for the Environment, Restaurant, Sustainability, Tested