XL, (Lisboa, Assembleia da Republica)

name: XL

type place: famous portuguese restaurant.

location: Calçada da Estrela 57 - Lisboa1200-661 LISBOA

tel: 213956118 open every day but only for dinner

price idea: less than 40 €

Went to this restaurant with high expectations. Supposed to be one of the better lisbon restaurants. And yes it is stylish nicely decorated with i do not know why an american feel to it and the food is good. Extensive not overpriced winelist but... yes there is a but the food is only good not really special... An extraordenary good cheese buttery sheep cheese (queijo de ovelha amanteigado) from the alentejo, really delicious. The starters we ordered arrive very quickly...waited longer for a mac donalds already :)

The tartaro de salmao (salmon tartare) was delicious, the foie gras ok the potato skins disappointing. Would like to give the chef a recepy that is a milion times better. The main dishes were ok, the sauce of the steak xl (bife xl) is good but served with thin fries (i hate them too greasy nothing better than traditional cut double fried fries) not a slice of tomato, leaf of salad or vegetable... for over 20 euros that is not ok. Deserts again were ok but not spectacular. Not a bad restaurant but i was disappointed... for the same money i prefer to go to bica do sapato.

mmm: **

O Delgadinho, Setubal

name: O delgadinho  rodizio de peixe 
location: Av Bento Jesus Caraça 136, 2910 Setubal
Tel: 91 6118908
Closed on monday !

info: A regular portuguese restaurant nothing fancy but what hits your plate is GOOD.  Fresh grilled fish keeps coming, if you like it you accept or wait for the next plate.  With this fresh fish you get boiled patatoes, salad and açorda.  The fishes they grill is the catch of the season.  This time we had Dourada, Lulas, carapau, salmon, besugo... if you want the names in english good luck try on the internet :) but it was all very fresh tasty and for a very reasonable price. 12.5 euro per person including wine and desert.  We liked it if you in the area try it !
mmm: ***

Indian Cottage, Paço de Arços

name: indian cottage
indian restaurant (with italian specialities :))
location:  R. Adriano J. Silvo 2, 2770 Paço de Arcos

tel 214426392
info: It was difficult to find and it had another name on the building but on the menus it said indian cottage. Confusing and the message that they do indian and italian specialities is not really something that convinces me to visit the restaurant, but it was late and we were hungry.  Decoration of the restaurant was poor but it looked indian including a traditional indian (it looked liked the boss with the tipical indian hat (you remember the british series "some like it hot" yes that hat).  The food was ok to good but overpriced and then i got charged for a 2 people portion of mixed grill where i did not specify that.  I felt bad walking out.  I will not go back. There is at least one nice indian alternative in carcavelos, o Khim Badahur Gurung :) that moved to another location 100 meters from the previous and that we will visit again soon. Indian cottage for me is disqualified !
mmm: disqualified

Caruso, Lisboa (marques de pombal)

name: Caruso
italian (huge) restaurant
location: Rua Artilharia Um, Páteo Bagatella, Loja O, Lisboa (in the triangle Amoreiras Marques de pombal, Rato

telefphone 21 383 04 55.

Daily 1130-1530, 1930-2300

info: This restaurant has 3 rooms (1 smoking) and must have room for over 300 people. It also has a very big outside terace where it must be very nice to have dinner when the weather is good. Inside it is very noisy because it is so busy and everything is stone nothing to absorb the noice. Food: well i was very disappointed to receive a escalope milanaise with boiled vegetables and patotoes but apparantly wikipedia says that the way i like it and always seen it (served with pasta, tomato sauce and parmesan) is not the original way... so stupid me i did not know we are dealing with real italians :) Still i did not like it at all. One of my friends liked the orrichietti with lamb meat, the pizzas did seem ok. I have seen osso bucco (picture) served more stylish and tastefull but my friends liked it. A traditional filet mignon with mushrooms is not to be recomended. It was not good. Mixed feelings. I was going to give a very bad note but if you stick to pasta, pizza and osso bucco maybe it deserves another visit on the terrace.

We made the other visit and no... this is not the place where i will choose to go again.

mmm: *