Rustic Lunch

Our friend, Ed Eusebio, contacted us to let us know he was back in Portugal for a few weeks.  We were introduced to Ed by a friend of Mark's back in El Dorado County.  Ed was born in Sao Bras de Alportel, about a 30-minute drive from Tavira, but has lived in the US since the 1970s.  However, he maintains a house and close ties to the Algarve and visits regularly.  We decided to have lunch, and we were happy to show Ed a new lunch spot that we had discovered. 

O Monte Velho ("The Old Mountain") is a quaint lunch spot in the countryside, about a 20-minute drive north of Tavira.  There is no menu; you eat whatever the cook has prepared for the day, over a five-course Portuguese lunch.  When we were there, we had cocktails, wine, salad, three meat courses, dessert and coffee.  Total cost per person was 20 euros ($22) which included tip.  

A terrine of duck, potatoes, bread and berries

Pork cheeks and rice

Roasted pork tenderloin and fries