We made reservations here for Wednesday after we were politely refused a table the night before without them. Overall, our experience was somewhat disappointing and the least enjoyable of the three restaurants we patronized during our first days in Lisbon.
The decor of this restaurant is an odd combination of Spanish furniture featuring dark, heavy wooden chairs upholstered in bright red velour cushions, with old movie stills filling the walls. American oldie music plays in the background, which is a bit incongruous for Lisbon’s Alfama neighborhood but not at all unpleasant.
The food and service were ordinary. Our waiter was visibly annoyed that we did not order a bottle of water, asking only for the tap. From that point forward, our service was polite but perfunctory.
But the main dishes were not to the level of the other restaurants we had enjoyed in the neighborhood. My grilled whole sea bass was well prepared but lacking in flavor, as the heavy salt on the skin pretty much masked the taste of the fish. My wife’s duck leg had little meat around the large bones.
Prices are quote reasonable, as they all are among restaurants in Alfama. In fairness, the restaurant did not charge us the customary coperta for the bread and olives, nor for their potato skins that they serve in advance.
This is not a bad restaurant but there are better ones just yards away.