CombatCritic's TravelValue™: Olhão, (Algarve) Portugal: Quaint, Tiny And Tasty

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Tuesday, December 1, 2020

Olhão, (Algarve) Portugal: Quaint, Tiny And Tasty - A Definite TravelValue ... HOOAH!

Tasca O Galo

Rua da Gazeta, 7

8700-396 Olhão, Portugal

Phone: +351 964 709 746

Facebook Page

Reservations: Yes

Prices: €€€€ (€40 for Two - Including Wine)

On a tiny alley in the back roads of Old Town Olhão, you will find a tiny tasquinha with old world charm, excellent service, and outstanding food at very reasonable prices. It is called Tasca O Galo, some calling it Tasquinha O Galo, roughly translating to tavern of the cock (get your mind out of the gutter, it's a rooster dammit).

TripAdvisor told us that they opened at 18:00, but they often get things wrong (leading me to tell them to shove my 'Top Contributor' designation a few years back) and we were 30 minutes early for dinner. No worries, we will come back shortly, I told the nice lady who spoke pretty good English.

A cute little place, maybe a wine cellar a couple of centuries ago, they have three four-tops and two tables for two, so you had better get there early if you want to eat. There are cocks all over the place in tribute to their name and to the Rooster of Barcelos, one of the most common symbols of Portugal. This tavern has a comfy and homey feel, the perfect spot for a tasty southern Portuguese meal with some influence from a few other delicious cuisines (Belgian/French, Thai, Japanese, Italian, and others).

We started with a bottle of 2016 Herdade Grande (€15), a robust red (tinto) from Alentejo, the gastronomical capital of Portugal well known for their excellent wines. Along with the tasty red, we ordered a basket of fresh, homemade breads (€1.50), a delicious olive tapenade (€1), and a bowl of fried potato cubes with slices of savory chorizo (€4) ... YUM!

My better half ordered a spinach and cheese omelette (€8.50), more like an Italian fritatta than an omelette, coming with a side of hot, crispy fries. My wife gave me two thumbs-up, a definite winner in her book.

I decided on the filet with roquefort sauce (€18), cooked medium/medium-well, also coming with a side of fries, a savory cooked cabbage, that I thought were onions, and a dab of pureed plum compote. The filet, three good size medallions, was one of the most tender cuts of meat in memory and the roquefort sauce sublime, plentiful enough to coat my crispy fries as well. The only faux pas, and I am not sure it was unintentional, was that my filet was cooked much closer to rare than medium/medium-well. I am not a blood lover and normally would have sent it back, but after giving it a try, I found it tender and flavorful without gushing blood all over my decadent roquefort sauce. The chef obviously knows what he or she is doing, but following orders is obviously not a forté.

Finishing our meal off by splitting a dark chocolate mousse sprinkled with sea salt and a hint of chili pepper (€3.50), we left very well satiated with thoughts of 'what will I have next time'. Being new residents of Olhão, we will likely be returning to Tasca O Galo for years to come. Less than €38 for a bottle of wine and a meal like that, all I can say is ... HOOAH!

CombatCritic Gives Tasca O Galo 9 Bombs Out Of 10 ... With A 1 Bomb Deduction For A Chef Who Thought They Knew Better Than The Customer ... More Bombs Are Better!