Eating out

ON THE EN125 IN ALCANTARILHA, TAKE THE TURNING TO ARMA ÇÃ O DE P Ê RA, AND FOLLOW THE ROAD DOWN TO THE BEACH. PITCH UP AT NANA ON THE BEACH, AT THE ARMA ÇÃ O BEACH CLUB, SIT BACK AND ENJOY THE GREAT MEDITERRANEAN-INSPIRED FOOD

OPEN NOW for the summer season, this member of the Vila Vita Parc family is a treat. First, its location. On the quiet easterly stretch of the coast, past the famous Fisherman’s Beach, NANA on the Beach sits in dazzling sunshine off the boardwalk. Next, its environment. Relaxed, calm and quiet with dazzling views out to the vast expanse of sea that’s the same brilliant blue as the sky. Now its décor. A crisp white wood beach house with a big, covered terrace, pastel-coloured chairs that say summer, scrubbed white tables, easygoing sofas and pots of succulents. If you arrived wearing shoes, you’ll have them off in minutes. And of course, the reason why you are there… the food.

Think tastes that come from the Mediterranean islands, traditional flavours that combine with textures and have made Greek cuisine so popular internationally. But then think of those tastes modified, added to, played with, and given a new distinct personality that is very much its own. Read the menu, and you’re tempted to try everything. And when their order arrives at the next table, you’ll be craning you neck to see their choice.

Okay, so let’s talk basics. Pita bread. But at NANA on the Beach it is anything but basic, and far removed from the supermarket stuff. It’s light, fluffy, warm and wantable. Perfect with a glass of cold wine while you make decisions.

The dips are the way to start. Forget the standard taramasalata and hummus – these are on a different level. There’s a feta cheese dip with fragrant roasted red peppers, a chickpea version with tahini and smoked paprika, and a yoghurt dip with cucumber and fresh herbs. The olives that come with them are a treat in themselves. Order the dip trio – one portion is enough for three or four to start your meal off. Just ask for extra pita.

Then launch into the starters that include crispy calamari (who doesn’t love that?) with a spicy mayo and garlic lemon dip, and a filo wrapped treat of fresh cheese with honey and thyme. Dolmades, yes; aubergine millefeuilles, yes. Fancy a salad? Yes – they are big and beautiful, cool and crisp and piled high.

You can enjoy an orzo dish at this point. They come in two person portions – with lamb meatballs, or shrimps, seabass with cockles, or bio vegetables, or cuttlefish –you take you pick.

But you want to – and must – make room for the mains. And there’s a very sensible way of sampling here – just get each member of your group – we were three – to order a different dish! We had a glorious vegetarian moussaka, a huge platter of garlic-marinated lamb chops served with crisply lemony potatoes rolled in chopped rosemary, and a souvlaki of chicken on skewers sitting on a yoghurt dipping sauce on warm pita.

The staff at NANA on the Beach are a dream. You want to take them home with you. But failing that, I’d settle for one of their amazing, flower-sprigged aprons. They talk you through each dish, make their own suggestions and return to check back on your dining progress several times over.

There are four desserts on the menu, but one in particular is seriously outstanding. A freshly-made baklava with ricotta, and apple cubes in a spiced syrup. It’s the sort of surprise taste that wakes up the senses and has you wondering if you could order it again, right there and then.

NANA on the Beach is not an inexpensive beach bar experience. Starters are up to €17.50 (that’s for the calamari), salads are between €12.50 and €14.50, main courses go from €18 to €32. But this is not a fast-food burger bar; it’s something special, and every dish is cooked and served with love. Vegetarian, vegan options and gluten-free and lactose-free dishes are clearly marked.

Valleys

Taken: April 2020, Arneiro

Camera: Huawei Pro30 mobile phone

“When I take my dog for walks this is one of the views I see every day. During April the wonderful smell of the orange blossom wafts up from the valley. I love the feeling of calm when I take in this view.”

Keyword: Space

Marijke McBean retired here and has been living in the beautiful town of Alte for the past 11 years. A keen amateur photographer and a member of the Algarve Photographers Group, Marijke is also a talented artist and many of her photographs inspire her paintings.