Velense — Restaurant in Velas

I had the shrimps as the appetizer and they were really good. The main platter came about 8-10 mins. after my appetizer, which was a very short time to eat and so I ended up eating the main dish before finishing the appetizer. The main dish was ok. The beef was overcooked and therefore really chewy but the mushroom sauce was delicious. Everything else was good too. The desert (mango cheesecake) was way too big for 1 person (even though I can eat a lot) which is sad because they had to throw away the rest. In general I saw a lot of people not finishing their plate, which is a sign that other dishes may be too big aswell....

We were a little nervous, given some past reviews, but actually had a very pleasant evening! Contrary to what people have said before: 1) the menu was in Portuguese and English, 2) the waitress was friendly, prompt and spoke plenty of English, 3) the food was cooked and served quickly. We had the Cataplana for 2 people (€38) which was very tasty, filled with loads of fish and seafood! The almond dessert and cheesecake were also very nice. Ok so the restaurant doesn't have a view, but the dining room is nicely decorated and has fans....

I arrived on the morning ferry from Faial and couldn't check into my guest house until 2. A short walk around Velas and I found Cafe Velense. It's a nice place not far from the terminal. I had the chicken with cream and mushrooms. It was very good. It came with rice, salad and french fries. The sauce over the chicken cutlets was delicious. It was a creamy mushroom sauce with a subtle hint of cheese. The drinks were cold and refreshing after the...