Portugal

396
WHERE TO DINE IN FUNCHAL MADEIRA & PORTO SANTO
15
in the village of Santana. Fresh fish and shellfish dominate the menu, but the best dish
is cataplana de marisco (savory shellfish stew). The tuna steak is grilled to perfection, and
you can also enjoy tender, perfectly seasoned peppercorn steak or chateaubriand.
Estrada Monumental 153. & 29/176-67-00. Reservations recommended. Main courses 15€–30€. AE,
DC, MC, V. Mon–Sat noon–3:30pm and 6–10:30pm. Closed Aug. Bus: 1, 2, or 4.
INEXPENSIVE
Casa da Carochinha (Lady Bird) ENGLISH/TRADITIONAL PORTU-
GUESE Casa da Carochinha faces the Centenary Gardens, near the tourist office. This
is the only place on Madeira where the chef doesn’t use garlic. Specialties include coq au
vin (chicken cooked in wine), beef stroganoff, roast beef with Yorkshire pudding, and
duck with orange sauce. The cuisine is refined but hardly imaginative. You’ve had better
versions of all these dishes, but the food is still satisfying and filling.
This is a favorite with families, especially those from Britain and the United States,
because the cooks prepare familiar food without a lot of regional spices and seasoning.
Because all the food is cooked to order, families can request fish, meat, or poultry dishes
pretty much as they’d like them (nothing too complicated, of course). There is no children’s
menu, but the cooks will prepare smaller portions for kids at reduced prices.
Rua de São Francisco 2A. & 29/122-36-95. Reservations recommended for dinner. Main courses 8€–
22€. AE, DC, MC, V. Tues–Sat noon–2:30pm and 7–10pm. Tea Tues–Sat 3–5pm. Bus: 2, 12, or 16.
Dos Combatentes TRADITIONAL PORTUGUESE Dos Combatentes is a
good choice for regional food. At the top of the Municipal Gardens, the simple restaurant
serves well-prepared dishes, including rabbit stew, roast chicken, stewed squid, and
swordfish with bananas. Most dinners begin with a bowl of the soup of the day. Portions
are ample, and two vegetables and a green salad come with the main dish. Desserts are
likely to be simple, such as caramel custard, chocolate mousse, and fresh fruit. The waiters
are efficient but not adept in English.
Rua Ivens 1. & 29/122-13-88. Main courses 6€–18€. AE, DC, MC, V. Mon–Sat 11:45am–3pm and 6:30–
10:30pm. Bus: 2, 12, or 16.
O Celeiro TRADITIONAL PORTUGUESE This rustic restaurant serves
some of the most authentic and best regional dishes in the capital. O Celeiro attracts
visitors and businesspeople with reasonable prices and big helpings of delicious fare.
Freshly caught swordfish is cooked with bananas, a longtime island favorite. Tuna steak
is marinated in wine and garlic sauce and served with fresh mushrooms. Our longtime
favorite is cataplana de marisco, a kettle of seafood stew that tastes different every time we
sample it. You might also opt for a tender steak in peppercorn sauce. With espetada
(skewered beef on a spit), you’ll want crusty bread for soaking up the juices.
Rua dos Aranhas 22. & 29/123-06-22. Reservations recommended. Main courses 12€–28€. AE, DC, MC,
V. Mon–Sat noon–3pm and 6–11pm. Bus: 2, 12, or 16.
ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF FUNCHAL
A Seta TRADITIONAL PORTUGUESE A Seta (The Arrow) specializes in
supreme regional cuisine. It’s almost midway between Funchal and Monte, 4km (2 1 ⁄2
miles) from either, along winding roads. The mountainside restaurant, a favorite with
tour groups, is a tavern where you can order inexpensive yet tasty meals. The rustic decor
incorporates burned-wood trim, walls covered with pine cones, and crude pine tables.
All meals start with a plate of homemade coarse brown bread still warm from the oven
being brought to your table. Above each table is a hook with a long skewer of charbroiled