Barra Este — Restaurant in Maia

The long-dead plants in the corner ought to have been a warning. How can a restaurant a) let them die, and b) not notice or do nothing about it? When we sat down, the waiter informed us that it was cash only, which would have been understandable if it were a cafe, rather than an apparently smart restaurant, give or take the plants. It was an 1800 metre round trip to the nearest atm and in the pouring rain. We ordered the tempura menu at 18 euros each. First up was a fairly average little fishcake with a cabbage garnish. Mine would have been better if there wasn't a pool of water on the plate, presumably from the cabbage. Next was a bowl of tepid miso soup. The highlight should have been the tempura but it was a big disappointment. Thick chunks of raw vegetables with a couple of almost raw prawns, all in soggy batter. Thick slices of aubergine had not been cooked at all on one side and the batter was still liquid, suggesting that it had not been deep fried. We returned the aubergine, only to get the same pieces back again after a further dip in hot oil. Next was sushi, which was dry and tasteless as if it had been assembled a good while ago. Even the wasabi didn't have it's usual kick. I've had better sushi from the supermarket. I won't be...

It started badly when we were told there was no multibanco. We enquired where the nearest bank was and my husband went to draw some cash. He was ages. It was 1km away. We ordered the tempura menu. The soup was lukewarm and strange. The tempura wasn't cooked properly. The large 1 cm thick circles of aubergine had raw batter on the underneath. Nothing had the crispy batter that tempura is. It must have been shallow fried. We complained about the aubergine and the waitress took the pieces away. They were not replaced, they were just refried. The onion was raw inside. Another indication of shallow not deep frying. We ate what we could and this was followed by a tray of sushi. It was not fresh. We had the coffee because it was included. The bill was €42 I insisted on a tax receipt and while he was typing my number in I noticed the till had an option for multibanco. When I pointed it out, he said he did not have the pad. I'm sure I could have paid using the multibanco app...

What a gem of a place! Though I was staying in Porto with friends, we decided to take a quick drive outside of the city to Barra Este based on trusted recommendations and it did not disappoint.

The space alone is stunning - a sleek modern design that feels refreshing and comforting. Those two descriptors can be carried over to the food as well, as every dish was carefully and creatively crafted. With only the freshest ingredients, the chef knows when to let the fish shine and when to get add necessary touches to elevate dishes to that next level. Definitely add on some hot dishes to accompany the fantastic sushi, and do not skip out on dessert - both the cheesecake and the banana cream cup are must-haves.

Can’t wait to revisit soon -...