Quinta Santo Antonio do Rio

We’d only just heard about this all-you-can-eat buffet a couple of days earlier, so my friends and I headed there for lunch. The restaurant is outside town. Follow the sign down the country road to a church, then take the dirt track behind it to a small entrance in a farmhouse. It’s easy to miss where the restaurant is tucked away. From outside, it looks like a farmhouse with a few decorations. Inside, though, it’s a beautiful restaurant with vintage furnishings, relaxing music, and a lovely atmosphere. A friendly staff member greeted us. I’d been looking forward to the buffet, but it wasn’t available because it has to be booked in advance. They brought us little bread rolls, some blood sausage, and chorizo while we looked at the menu. The blood sausage had a nice crisp skin; the chorizo was very fatty but tasty. We took their suggestions of roast beef and creamy fish pie. The food came quickly. The three beef portions were served on one platter with sliced roast potatoes and mashed vegetables. The beef was tender and juicy, and went well with the sides. My friend said her fish pie was one of the best she’d ever had. We finished with the house cheesecake, which was delightfully cheesy and had a great texture, then coffee. The staff were welcoming, and we all enjoyed lunch, though I was disappointed to miss out on the buffet. It cost €67 for four, a little more than a standard lunch, but worth it. I’d definitely come back for a special occasion.