Restaurant: Eira Velha

Rua de Entrecampos 17A, Lisbon.  Tel: (+351) 217 974 960.

Open lunch (12.00-15.00) and dinner (17.00-22.00)  Mon-Fri, except bank holidays.

In this time of economic restraint, it’s good to find a restaurant where you get great food at a low price. This is our favourite, happily in walking distance from our Lisbon Office.

Good, honest quality defines this gem of a restaurant, tucked away behind the Avenida da República in central Lisbon. Don’t go for the decor or for a romantic or business tête-à-tête – the atmosphere is simple, crowded and, at the height of lunch, noisy. The food is outstanding and the prices astonishing. The fish is fresh from the boats and the meat chosen with tender loving care. Everything is cooked simply – no masterful sauces here – but to perfection. After all, why ruin a plump, juicy line-caught Dover sole (Linguado de Anzol) with anything other than a splash of olive oil and lemon and a few slices of garlic? What’s more it will only cost you 8 euros.

The portions are generous and prices include vegetables. All the fish is good but we especially recommend not only the sole but also the sea bream (Douradinha – 6 euros) and the salt codfish baked in olive oil (Bacalhau a Lagareiro – 8 euros). The meat dishes are also excellent, in particular the succulent pork fillet from free-range, acorn-fed pigs, (Secretos do boloteiro grelhados à Eira Velha – 7 euros) and the roast kid (Cabrito assado no forno – 6 euros). Accompanying vegetables are cooked, like the fish and meat, just right – fresh and juicy with the perfect hint of resistance, a welcome smidgeon past “al dente”.

The wine list is just fine: good wines at an honest price.  5 to 10 euros a bottle will bring you some excellent selections. To finish off, don’t resist their home-made chocolate mousse (Mousse de chocolate caseira -  2 euros), which we reckon to be the best in Lisbon.