À Bolina

À Bolina is hands down the best and not only Portuguese restaurant we got to know during our travels through Portugal. Of course, there are probably "better" ones but most certainly not within this category – which also means price range – and certainly there are no better waiters, period. We have been there two times and although there might be people who endure more wine which, to be honest, results in being better guests, Pedro and his colleagues were warm and welcoming, knowledgable when it comes to food, wine and port and first and foremost you do not get the ubiquitous impression that it is merely the want of economic success that powers this wonderful small restaurant a couple hundred meters away from the touristy hotspots of Porto. We had a variety of tapas, red wine that was better than it price suggested and both the 10- and 20-years-old Tawny by Quinta de Santa de Eufémia, one of the smaller and perhaps underrated producers of the Douro valley. Combined with tasteful music that one would expect mostly from larger and more expensive restaurants it became a place we will certainly return to one day. Not just for what is written here but also to give the tip I wasn‘t able to leave at the second evening. The postcards on the walls by many, many grateful guests from all countries serve as a well-earned proof of nearly global appreciation.