Hotel Cristal Setúbal — Hotel in Setúbal

Arrived from staying at another 4 star rated hotel in Lisbon which was flawless so this place had a lot to live up to and in fairness it was pretty good with a few exceptions. It's located a long way and a slightly uncomfortable walk through some pretty run down streets to reach the start of the town. Reception staff didn't really make you feel that welcome and frosty when I went to ask for some coat hangers as there were only 2 in our 6 foot wide wardrobe. I was told they didn't have any which is not acceptable in any hotel yet alone a 4 star. Man on the desk told me to lay my clothes out on surfaces throughout the room, with a refusal by me and a lot of resentement by him they found me 4 more. TV was tiny and no function to stream to or input your own Nextflix which is pretty common place nowadays. No dedicated shower, standing in the bath. Toilet roll holder not tighenend so rolls just fell off, takes about 5 seconds to fix and cleaner must have seen issue everyday but didn't fix or report. In their attempts to stop you leaving the ac on everything goes off when you leave except the fridge so unable to leave powerbanks, ipad, phones charging even when at breakfast which is really annoying. A fair bit of black mould in the bathroom on seals which can just be removed with the right cleaning product but hadn't been. Noisy extractor but great AC. It's a good 3 star hotel, remotely located but i needed to be there at short notice and appreciate it was available. Only really odd thing was when we went to reception to hand in our keycard no interest in asking us if we enjoyed it or thanks for choosing our hotel just a stern 'bye' 7/10 neither massivley impressed or...

The receptionsist Andre Severino instead of addressing the issue that my room was not fit for purpose took me on a run around of waiting for a new room to become available but it never happened. The place was always full although they promised to show me another option. Not once but two times I was let down. In fact I am still here in the hotel but so angry I am writing this to warn customers of the new techniques that count as service. I have been coming here for years with my wife and it has been good. I liked the fact I could park my car in the area. A bit of a walk to town but good exercise. The cleaners are great. Restuarant staff are good although the coffee is perhaps best avoided as are the cold beans and the other so called hot food. Yet we still liked it until this time with the lies. I have written to the Ombudsman in Portugal as the experince is so poor. One can put up with some issues in any hotel but being treated as if you doesn't really matter and can be wilfully lied to is not one of them. Oh dear, what happened to service, intergrity and hospitality?? I have still to meet...

Fomos conhecer o restaurante Cristal, restaurante do Hotel com o mesmo nome, em Setúbal, cujo cardápio tem a assinatura do Chef Óscar Fernandes, antigo chefe executivo das Pousadas de Portugal, que executa um trabalho cheio de aromas e sabores, sendo reconhecido pelo seu trabalho.

Espaço bem dimensionado, moderno e com decoração intimista, com entrada independente, capacidade para 200 lugares sentados, onde poderá degustar os pratos típicos da gastronomia setubalense, bem como da gastronomia nacional e internacional.

Tem como objetivo não ser apenas um restaurante de hotel, mas um espaço para todos, onde é possível degustar um almoço de negócios ou até um jantar romântico, estando também preparado para aniversários ou outros eventos.

O cardápio conta com produtos típicos de Setúbal, com especial destaque para o peixe, mas com outras iguarias para degustar.

A propósito de uma visita a Setúbal e aconselhados por amigo gastrónomo, fomos conhecer o espaço e provar as iguarias. Optámos pelas sugestões do chefe. Começámos com "bolinhas de alheira", "queijo de azeitão fundido com compota de tomate", "camarão frito à Chef", "salada de bacalhau com pimentos". Como prato principal degustámos "risoto com tinta de choco acompanhado com tiras de choco à Setubalense". Temos que dar nota elevada aos camarões, plenos de sabor e claro ao risoto. Bem interpretado, onde as tiras de choco fizeram sobressair a tinta de choco. Excelente. Parabéns ao Chef Óscar.

Acompanhámos com um Brejinho tinto reserva, com as castas Touriga Franca, Baga, Cabernet Sauvignon, onde a nossa memória olfactiva é reavivada pelos aromas balsâmicos e pela fruta vermelha madura. Poderoso e profundo, termina com uma elegância que só um tinto nascido à beira mar, nos faz sentir tão sublime sensação.

Excelente serviço. Atencioso e eficiente.

O cardápio é bastante variado. Para entrada, também pode deliciar-se com um queijo de Azeitão fundido com compota de tomate e tostas de pão ou um aveludado de ostras do Sado, entre outros.

Dos pratos de peixe há o clássico de Setúbal, que são as tiras de choco frito à setubalense e outros tradicionais, como as lascas de bacalhau com broa de milho ou o famoso polvo em azeite e alho.

Nas carnes, existem várias opções, entre elas os lombinhos de porco com croquete de batata e queijo de Azeitão ou leitão assado a baixa temperatura com vegetais salteados.

Tem pratos para partilhar como o robalo ao sal, ou o Chateaubriand, entre outros. Nas sobremesas, creme brulée, torta de laranja ou a overdose de chocolate.

Pode também aproveitar o serviço de bar com vinhos da Casa Ermelinda Freitas e Quinta do Brejinho ou fazer degustações de vinhos, espumante e Moscatel de Setúbal para dois, ou grupos, mediante marcação.

A não perder...

José Manuel Alves Webmaster do Gastronomias.com Grão-Mestre da Confraria dos Gastrónomos do...