Island Cafe

snowbirds · Post by **snowbirds** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 4:15 pm

We went to this cafe/restaurant for the first time today and had lunch. The food is very good, the spinach salad was the best I have ever had and was really well presented. The sandwiches are excellent too and there is a good choice of appetizers, meat and fish dishes also. Interesting menu if you are looking for something different.

It is at Presa de Moura, opposite Colina da Lapa - take the Sesmarias/Ferragudo Road from Carvoerio and just follow the road through Sesmarias and it is on the left just after a fairly sharp bend to the right. It is open from noon to 10 pm and closed on Sunday - the phone number for reservations is 282 353 406.

Misty · Post by **Misty** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 5:11 pm

I've driven past that a few times recently and have been tempted! Could you give me some idea of the price range there?

Thanks

Barry · Post by **Barry** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 7:16 pm

We ate there earlier this week to sample the St Patrick's Day menu. Unusual, and very good. My favourite on the menu is seared tuna, but they are having a problem finding good tuna at the moment, so it's off the menu. To answer your question Misty, the menu ranges from inexpensive burgers (nothing like the fast food variety) to steak, veal etc at 20 - 25 euros. We rate it very highly.

snowbirds · Post by **snowbirds** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 7:21 pm

Prices for appetizers are from 5-8 euros. For Entrees, salads (huge) start at 6 euros, my husband had the Monterey chicken sandwich for 8 euros, which was also very large on crusty bread (grilled chicken, roasted chili peppers, cheese, avocado, tomato and onion with lemon garlic mayonnaise) and it is served with fresh fruit, french fries or a small salad....my husband chose the fries! I had a taste of it and it was very good. Other entrees are from 9 up to about 20 euros - probably the higher priced items would be more of a dinner choice. Desserts are 5 each.

Wines start at 10 euros a bottle. They had Sagres beer and one other on tap, but I don't know the prices for them. It is higher priced than say the average restaurant in Carvoeiro, but the food is varied and the atmosphere and furnishings are really lovely. (The women's loo had real towels as well as hand lotions).... didn't look at the men's! There is a bar with comfy chairs and coffee tables, the restaurant is around the other side and in between the two is an open air outside patio area with a small fountain, which would be very nice on a warm day. Hope if you go there that you enjoy it as much as we did.

Misty · Post by **Misty** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 8:37 pm

It sounds great and better than I imagined. Thanks

Helen · Post by **Helen** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 11:38 pm

I've said before on previous posts how good this restaurant is, it's by far my favourite. You should try the rack of ribs with a choice of sauces and also the salmon salad - delicious.

Stevie-C · Post by **Stevie-C** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 8:33 am

This year I will be staying up behind QDP, 1 minute walk from O'Escondidinho. Anyone tell me how far it is to walk to The Island Cafe?

Cheers,

Steve

bifas 1st darling! · Post by **bifas 1st darling!** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 9:32 am

The women's loo had real towels

If ASAE go in they'll get a real fine to go with the real towels as it's not permitted by law, just think how many people used that towel before you. Only paper, dryers, or roll-a-towels. Makes sense really.

e-richard · Post by **e-richard** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 10:07 am

Stevie-C wrote:This year I will be staying up behind QDP, 1 minute walk from O'Escondidinho. Anyone tell me how far it is to walk to The Island Cafe?

Simply too far.

Stevie-C · Post by **Stevie-C** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 1:35 pm

e-richard wrote:
Stevie-C wrote:This year I will be staying up behind QDP, 1 minute walk from O'Escondidinho. Anyone tell me how far it is to walk to The Island Cafe?
Simply too far.

So it is further than walking into CVO then?

e-richard · Post by **e-richard** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 2:17 pm

Yes, seriously, I'd say its about 3 times as far - in the opposite direction.

To correct myself.... you could probably walk there, but would you want to walk back ?

Graham · Post by **Graham** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 3:29 pm

It's only that far 'cos you have such short legs e-richard

snowbirds · Post by **snowbirds** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 12:41 am

Hello Bifas 1st darling! The real towels are very small and there is a hamper for them after they are used, so you take a fresh one each time from the basket by the sink. What a shame that a nice touch like this is not considered legal.....we are being regulated to death these days!

Stevie-C · Post by **Stevie-C** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 8:08 am

e-richard wrote:Yes, seriously, I'd say its about 3 times as far - in the opposite direction.

To correct myself.... you could probably walk there, but would you want to walk back ?

I agree, it is too far. Oh well, a restaurant for another time.

Cheers

Steve

Barry · Post by **Barry** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 6:39 pm

Our villa is at the Sesmarias end of QDP and I clocked the journey last time we went (by car). It was 1.8 km. A bit of a hike, but not impossible on a pleasant evening. We regularly walk down into the village and thats about 1.5 km and takes about 20 minutes (25 coming back because it's uphill).

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