Maria's is a gem of a restaurant, situated prominently on Praia do Garrão near the Vale do Lobo resort. It also, at least on the surface, seems nicer than Julia's or Izzy's, two other beach restaurants a little bit east. At the very least, it is more polished and caters more towards families. Izzy's, by comparison, is definitely more of a party place for the younger set.
I wandered in here after shooting some lovely sunset photos. The place was bustling, and without a prior booking I was afraid there wouldn't be a table. Greeted warmly by the host, I was quickly shown a table and had my initial drink order taken just a moment later. Sipping my ice cold local lager, I perused the menu. This was to be my first proper dinner in Algarve, so I thought seafood the best option. Debating between the turbot and the sea bass, I settled on the latter. I chose as my starter a tricolore salad, which is very similar to a carprese. However, in this case, the tomato and mozzarella are paired with avocado (which the menu refers to as "avocado pear"). Sadly, though, they were out of avocado and I was asked if I wanted a different kind of fruit to replace it. I guess I never really thought of avocado as a fruit, although I suppose that makes sense. Anyway, the waitress started to list a few available fruit options. I opted for melon, although wasn't told which kind. Turns out that the melon in this case was honeydew and, interestingly, it paired very nicely with the ripe tomato and creamy cheese. A touch of sea salt and a bit of olive oil really brought it all together.
Up next was my sea bass (Branzino, not Chilean, of course); two filets which had been fire grilled. Served alongside was a nice potato gratin and a simple mixed green salad. No sauce was offered for the fish, and none was needed. A liberal squeeze of lemon and a little drizzle of olive oil was the perfect dressing. The fish was cooked perfectly, with a little smokiness expressed in the firm, yet delicate, flesh. The gratin was quite tasty as well, not overly creamy or cheesy.
All of the above was enjoyed with a nice, easy drinking local rose wine. The wine list isn't terribly expansive, but it seems to have the right mix of options.
Throughout my meal, I received excellent and friendly service. I would absolutely eat here again and may just do that before I leave this place. read more
