Vistas Rui Silvestre

PASSIONATE AND PLAYFUL, SEASONAL AND SUBLIME… EVERY MOUTHFUL IS PERFECTION

“My mom was from Maputo in Mozambique and my grandmother from Goa in India, so I’ve used my childhood memories to create most of my dishes,” he says.

Food

E

ATING AT a Michelin star restaurant has always been on my bucket list, so when the invitation came to review Vistas Rui Silvestre, I was beyond excited. It lived up to every expectation and more. The experience starts the moment you arrive at the 5-star Monte Rei Golf and Country Club and are guided to the classic restaurant overlooking one of Portugal’s top golf courses.

With a beautiful summer evening as a backdrop, we were seated on the terrace and presented with Vistas new Ocean Promenade menu – Chef Rui’s ode to the sea that sustains the Algarve he grew up in and adores.

He has taken the plunge to now offer an entirely seafood-based

Words: DEBBIE REYNOLDStasting menu, largely, he says, “because we’re ten minutes from the sea in a place that has some of the best seafood in the world”.

Taking chances and being true to his heritage is what earned Rui his first Michelin star – at 29, he was the youngest chef to do so in Portugal – which was awarded to Carvoeiro’s Bon Bon restaurant: Eight years later he has notched up a star for Vistas and dreams of making it a Michelin two-star soon.

His 11-course menu delivers on his invitation to “dive into my childhood memories and embark with me on this sea of sensations where each flavour has a story to tell”.

It starts with a tribute to the Ria Formosa with a delicate trio of

Seafood tasting menu with Algarve, Indian and Mozambican fusion flavours.

DECOR

Classic elegance with with stunning views over the golf course and Atlantic Ocean.

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PRICE

He’s quick to point out, however, that on this menu the only ingredients not sourced locally are caviar and Champagne. He unashamedly admits that he is a ‘food nationalist’ who will always champion local. There’s also a playfulness about his food, which is reflected in his kitchen, where he insists that the seriousness of creating Michelin star food is balanced with fun.

I’d need another page to describe the wine pairing experience, so suffice it to say sommelier José Marta echoes Rui’s passion for local, offering a wine list of 300 Portuguese wines, 70% of which come from estates with an annual production of under 2,000 bottles.

Having the privilege to orbit Chef Rui’s culinary world will remain one of the highlights of my ongoing Algarve adventure.

Through The Fog

Taken: January 2023, Praia Ursa

Camera: Canon EOS M50 Mark II

“This is the coldest time of the year, but you’ll still find people enjoying the secluded and mystical nature of this beach. It’s a mission down and a mission back up, but it’s a place to disconnect from the stress of life and reconnect with yourself.”

Keyword: Reflection

APG member Kayla Meirinho, born and raised in Toronto, moved back to Portugal to be near her family. She’s bounced around in marketing and content creation, recently focusing on her interest in communications and creating 360 Virtual Tours