Al Mare — Restaurant in Porto

Re: Yes, I visited your restaurant in January 2023, and I’ve added the photos I took that day to prove it.

Also, not everyone reports food-related illnesses—often, people don’t know the source, or they might be tourists who choose not to report it. I hesitated to write a review for over two years because I don’t like leaving reviews that could hurt a business. However, seeing people dining at Al Mare every day made me feel concerned for their well-being. That’s why I ultimately decided to write a review—to help others avoid getting sick.

It’s shocking that you chose to make excuses and question whether I confused your restaurant with another, rather than offering a sincere apology. Your response speaks volumes about the way your restaurant treats its customers.

The bottom line is that dining at your restaurant caused me to vomit and scream uncontrollably throughout the night, ultimately requiring serious medical treatment for many weeks. The location is great, the upscale atmosphere is nice, and the view is beautiful, so I went twice.

The first time, I ate raw oysters, and about two days later, I got the worst case of food poisoning and had to go to the emergency room. After receiving an IV and taking medication, I recovered.

About a week later, not knowing that the food poisoning had come from this restaurant, I went back and ordered raw oysters again—only to suffer another severe bout of food poisoning. I had to go to the emergency room two more times.

Eventually, I had to take antibiotics. For weeks after that, I had to be extremely careful with what I ate. PLEASE, DO NOT GO. I ended up spending a lot on...

I had no reservation and just walked in for lunch because I knew the place. New interior, new staff...only when I get the menu, I realise that the former brasserie is no more and has been replaced by Italian cuisine. Ok. A waiter comes to me: no reservation? A lot of tables are empty..no? Wait at the bar. (Maybe a please? Or that will be no problem or just a minute?... anyway I get a table: this one or that one. No one helping you with moving the table so you get in..

First course salmon with bottarga, the salmon is excellent, but the bottarga you have to search with a magnifying glass.

Pizza then as main course because I don't feel like having pasta or one of the other dishes.

Deliciously crispy, only I wanted an extra ingredient: impossible. It is confirmed to me by the two grumpy waiters. You take the pizza as it is, we don't have any anchovies, although I see another pizza with anchovies. But they stick to their guns. No anchovies, I can get ham, olives, no anchovies. Well, I've never experienced in my life that in an italian restaurant you can't add some element to a pizza... but so be it. But strange.

I have little to say about the food, good quality, but what a disaster in terms of reception, service and customer service. I had the feeling of being in an army canteen. Not for a moment a 'please, a smile, a friendly word. Eating out is a total event: the atmosphere, the food, the service. The latter is really below everything else. Congratulations on the new decor and to the chef. But your 2 managers better follow a training course somewhere in...

Nicely designed restaurant close to the sea with a beautiful veranda. Service was friendly yet very slow. Found the food somewhat bland and flat. We went as a group of six and it was the overall consensus. Here is what we had: Starters: prawn cocktail - small portions vs other starters and lacked taste. aubergine parmigiana - grilled aubergine topped with cheese which was flavourless. Tomatoes on top were raw. beef carpaccio - sauce had no flavour and we had to ask for salt and pepper Mains: no clear understanding between the difference of the normal pizzas and “romana” pizzas on the menu. Would have expected the dough and style to be different but just toppings. pizza was underwhelming and overly salty (capricciosa pizza was ordered) margaritas were nothing to write home about cacio e Pepe pasta were essentially pasta with cream and nothing to do with the Roman dish. Was bland and lacked pepper. osso-buco pasta was excellent and the standout. Risotto dishes were bland and lacked flavour overall. Had to ask for Parmesan and salt. Desserts: Pastry chef is excellent! profiteroles were amazing strawberries very good as well and pear tart was out of this world.

Overall. Location, deco and desserts are great. Starters, pizzas and mains need to be reworked and extra flavour added.

Do note that I write this review in the first weeks of the restaurants opening so kinks need to be worked out and I am sure things will improve.

The restaurant is a welcome addition to this...