OLIVOLA ristorante — Restaurant in Loulé

Exceptional meal, humble yet professional, effective and thorough service, charming reception and locale. We loved the whole experience. Started with a tuna tartare followed by ravioli with porcini (cépe) mushrooms. Both delicious and well seasoned. For dessert a celebration of pistacio featuring an ice cream bathed in a bed of crushed pistacios, an unexpected and blissful surprise and finale. My companion tool the duck samosa followed by risotto with pork cheek. Both were exceptional and the samosa crust was fine, crispy, and amazingly light. The cuisine is more well travelled-international than specifically Italian. The setting with potted plants and trees all around disguises well the urban location along a trafficked street. It's an oasis of sorts and the contrasts are alluring. I love this kind of small restaurant because you immediately feel the energy of the principals, and in this case their years of traveling and serving the world. The owners and staff are polylingual, so they happily welcome, and interact with, all. Will we return? As soon...

Overall very disappointed, though not with the quality of the food. I ordered a glass of house wine and what came was tiny! I complained and my second and third were a little more generous, though by no means to the normal Portuguese standards, which is often 250ml and sometimes 350ml. In most restaurants one glass would satisfy me. As for food, I ordered the turkey with asparagus as my main course. I expected at least as much asparagus as turkey. Instead, I received 4 three centimetre pieces! I asked for more and again was disappointed with the amount, especially as they charged me for an extra portion on the bill! Yes, the beautiful greenness of the surroundings and deliciousness of the food were a compensation, but the meanness of the portions spoilt it for me. They could have cancelled those items from the bill when I complained, but were not forthcoming. I doubt I...

I was working in the area yesterday and today. From my hotel it was a short walk up the hill to the town. Walked in to what appeared to be a quiet restaraunt, still early, was greeted by a very pleasant member of staff and shown to a table. The overall impression having sat down was WOW. Having been offered a drink and given the menu and shown the specials board I perused over my drink decided on a choice and ordered a starter and main. A brief pause ensued while my food was prepared which was filled with a lady playing background music on acoustic guitar which only added to the ambience. The salad the steak were absolutely fantastic and I then succumbed to a sweet, not normally my M O but hey I was really enjoying the experience. I purposely left other guests present out of shot when I photographed the terrace. Thank for a...