Traveling Through Food
  • Home
  • Food
    • Restaurant Reviews
    • Plate of the Day
    • Taste Test
    • Experiences
    • Inspired By Travel
    • Share A Recipe or Story
    • Recipes >
      • Recipe Reviews
      • By Ingredient >
        • Apples
        • Bacon Recipes
        • Bean Recipes
        • Beef
        • Egg Recipes
        • Pasta Recipes
      • Potato Recipes >
        • Central American Recipes
      • By Region >
        • North American Recipes
        • Europe >
          • Italy
          • Portugal
      • By Meal Type >
        • Breakfast
        • Lunch Recipes
        • Dinner Recipes
        • Soup Recipes
        • Dessert
        • Snacks
  • Recommendations
    • Best Travel Credit Cards
    • Tools & Gadgets
  • Travel
    • Portugal
  • About Us

Traveling through food

Eating at Ikea in Portugal

7/15/2022

0 Comments

 
Filed Under:  Algarve Restaurant Reviews • Portugal • Restaurant Review
To start off with some irony, after you have sold all of your precious and well chosen belongings in order to move abroad, one of the first things you will likely need to do upon arrival to your new country is... buy some of those things again. 

Yes. It's kind of annoying. Yes. It sort of feels like a waste of time and money. It's just a reality and part of the process for the vast majority of expats and immigrants. So now that we have that out of the way.. 


​Depending what you need, you may be very happy to see the familiar blue building adorned with yellow letters that we all have come to know, love, and hate (you just get so tired by the end!) synchronously - Ikea!

​It's very helpful to have somewhere you can find many home items, at a decent price and with decent quality in one place. 
Picture
Terrace View Ikea in Algarve Portugal Loulé
It's even more helpful when that same place has a restaurant on site so you can refuel after the exhaustion that will more likely ensue. Let's check out Ikea's restaurant at Mar Shopping in Loulé Portugal!
Picture
Ikea Loulé Portugal Algarve Restaurant
As you can see, the restaurant seating area is stylish and truly massive and it also extends outside. 
Picture
Some of the soft drinks available at the self serve beverage area at Ikea restaurant in Loulé Algarve Portugal. 
Picture
Prices at Ikea's restaurant remain quite affordable from vegetable soup for 0,50€ and full meals for €3-9. Beer and wine are also available as are a variety of desserts, and side salads, fruits etc. 

Pernil de Porco (Smoked Pork Knuckle)

Almost every Portuguese person in front of us in line ordered the Pernil de Porco and a wise friend told us before we left to always do what the locals do ;) 
I've had a lot of pork in my life and must admit this ranks at the top of the list. Incredibly tender, juicy, and flavorful. Even though we were eating outside, sweltering under the blazing sun in an effort to stay a distance from the crowd... it was worth it. We chose broccoli and mashed potatoes as sides for the meal which was the most expensive at €9 but fed both of us! 

Cheesecake

Picture
Ikea Portugal Berry Cheesecake
Not even a cheesecake person, but the berry cheesecake at Ikea was super yummy. 
--> Check Out Hotels & Long Term Rentals in Loulé Portugal

How To Get A Free Pastel de Nata At Ikea:

At the end of the restaurant line you can buy a pastel de nata and a cafe for 0,50€. 
Or you can buy a cafe for ...0,50€. 
So why not snag both for the same price?!
You're welcome. 
Picture
Ikea Portugal Pastel de Nata
As you finish the meal with a cafe and a nata, take a moment to enjoy where you at. Look at the view from the terrace of the Ikea restaurant in Loulé Portugal. A beautiful location, hard to capture in a hasty pano. 
Picture

More Algarve Restaurant Reviews:


Picture
0 Comments

Mourapao Vilamoura Portugal Restaurant Review

7/14/2022

0 Comments

 
Filed Under: Vilamoura Restaurant Reviews • Algarve Restaurant Reviews • Portugal • Restaurant Review
Mourapão will always hold a special place in our hearts as it's the first place we ate after arriving in Portugal on the D7 visa. After those hectic final weeks waiting for the visa to arrive, selling belongings, hoping nothing important was forgotten, visiting with family, traveling and moving internationally for the first time (& during a pandemic!), handling canceled flights etc.... to finally arrive in Vilamoura was surreal. Nothing felt more simultaneously comforting and rewarding than the prospect of a pizza and a pastel de nata at the same time. 

Enter Mourapão.
Picture
Um café e uma tigelada em Mourapão
Located in Vilamoura near the Marina, Mourapão is a short walk from the secret apartment. 
With indoor and outdoor seating available as well as an extensive menu, mourapão can cater to just about any guest.
Bonus, it's open until at least 10pm!

​Here's what we have tried: 

Tigelada 

Tigelada is a traditional Portuguese dessert made with eggs, milk, and sugar. Typically baked in a wood fired oven inside a Portuguese ceramic bowl, this sweet dessert is all about the texture as shown in the photo above.
--> Shop traditional Portuguese Pottery 

Pastel de Nata 

Pastel de Nata is easily the most popular pastry you must try in Portugal with its flakey crust, pudding like custard filling and optional cinnamon topping. Remember when we made Pasteis de nata at home?

Margherita Pizza 

For an optimal experience, be sure to dine in at Mourapao and enjoy classic pizza made with fresh ingredients.
(Although you can get take out or pizza delivery in Vilamoura through apps like Glovo fyi) Take a look at that pizza slice - the cheese pull, the browning, the sheen... If this pizza is for you, you will know it. ;) 

Discover more Pizza in Portugal here

Best Places To Stay in Vilamoura, Algarve Portugal 


Algarve Restaurant Reviews


0 Comments

How To Make Fire Crackers - Easy Party Snack Recipe

7/14/2022

0 Comments

 
Filed Under: Snacks • Recipes
Picture

What are Fire Crackers?

Fire Crackers are a super simple recipe that make an addictive snack or appetizer and are a fun way to spice up (literally) some plain saltines! Follow along as I show step by step how to make this recipe, which I quartered.

How to Make Fire Crackers:

1. Measure out a quarter cup of oil. I use olive oil. I had this evoo on hand.
Picture
Shop: Pyrex Glass Measuring Cup
2. Add 1/4 ounce of Ranch Dressing Mix. I had a Tuscan Valley Ranch Mix from Aldi via Instacart.
Picture
Shop: OXO Kitchen Scale
3. Next add 1/2 Tablespoon of crushed red pepper flakes and 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder.
Picture
4. Whisk it up with your baby whisk!
Picture
5. Next take a sleeve of saltines and stand them up in an airtight container. I had a leftover Thai Takeout container. Then drizzle the olive oil spice mix over all the crackers.
Picture
6. Put the lid on securely and turn the container upside down. Gently shake it side to side and flip it back and forth every 5 minutes or so over 20 minutes, just to try to get the crackers evenly coated.
Picture
7. One commenter suggested baking the crackers in an oven at 250 degrees F for 10-20 minutes (flipping once) to seal in flavor and help them last longer. So I gave that a go! 

Here is the delicious end result:

Picture
Baked Fire Cracker

As Seen In This Post:


More Recipes:

0 Comments

Best Kitchen Knives on Amazon

7/13/2022

0 Comments

 
Published October 2021 • Updated July 2022
Filed Under: Tools & Gadgets
Picture
Having a good kitchen knife that is well cared for can make the difference between an enjoyable cooking experience and literally a dangerous one. Did you know that a dull knife can actually be more dangerous than a sharp one? You see, when a knife is dull you tend to push harder to force it through whatever you’re cutting and you are far more likely to lose control and cause injury that way. On the other hand, a quality and appropriately sharp knife will glide through efficiently and safely. Now you know!

A good knife can literally last a lifetime where as a cheap one will not perform well to begin with and will need replaced more often. Bearing that in mind.... here are some top knife choices available on Amazon.

Knives We Own & Love:

Victorinox Swiss Army Fibrox Pro 8” Chef’s Knife

What is a Chef’s knife used for?
​A chef’s knife is a go-to tool for all sorts of food preparation from slicing and disjoint ingredients large cuts of meat to chopping and dicing veggies, fruits, and more!
Picture
Check Price - Victorinox Swiss Army FIbrox Pro 8” Chef’s Knife

Victorinox Swiss Army 12” Granton Slicing Knife

What is a slicing knife used for?
​Slicing knives are thinner than carving knives making them more flexible and able to cut thinner slices of meat!
Picture
Check Price - Victorinox Swiss Army 12” Granton Slicing Knife

Victorinox Swiss Army 3.25” Spear Point Paring Knife

What is a paring knife used for?
​Because a paring knife is small and has a short blade, it is very easy to control for precision tasks - deveining shrimps, peeling produce, decorative fruit and vegetable cutting and more!
Picture
Check Price - Victorinox Swiss Army 3.25” Spear Point Paring Knife

Victorinox Swiss Army Fibrox Pro 10.25” Curved Bread Knife with Serrated Edge

What is a bread knife used for?
Well.... bread of course! The serrated blades manage to slice even soft breads without crushing them. Some people love using them to cut tomatoes too! 
Picture
Check Price Victorinox Swiss Army Fibrox Pro 10.25” Curved Bread Knife with Serrated Edge

So those are our absolute must-have kitchen knives. Our most used knives by far! 
What are your favorite knives? Leave a comment to share your must-have kitchen knives! :-) 

More Tools & Gadget Recommendations:

This post contains affiliate links & refer-a-friend links which help keep this website running while offering you a special discount!

0 Comments
    Traveling Through Food

    Oh, Hey!

    We're Justin & Marissa
    We love to travel & eat! 
    We created this space for all of us to share travel adventures through food together!  ​If you want to get involved - we'd love for you to share a recipe!

    Categories

    Aldi 
    Algarve Restaurant Reviews 
    Experiences 
    Family Recipes 
    Hello Fresh 
    Imperfect Foods 
    Inspired By Travel 
    Misfits Market 
    Moving Abroad 
    Pizza In Portugal 
    Plate Of The Day 
    Portugal 
    Recipe Reviews 
    Recipes 
    Restaurant Review 
    Saving Money 
    Take Out Delivery Review
    Taste Test 
    Tools & Gadgets 
    Vilamoura Restaurant Reviews

    RSS Feed

    Take a food journey around the world!

    Archives

    August 2022
    July 2022
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020

Explore

Recipes
Recipe Reviews
Inspired By Travel
Food Experiences

Shop

Travel Photography Society 6

Support

Share a Recipe or Story!
Collab
Shop on Amazon
Shop on Etsy

Discounts

$30 Free M1
​Butcherbox
Instacart
Hello Fresh 
Misfits Market
© COPYRIGHT 2021
  • Home
  • Food
    • Restaurant Reviews
    • Plate of the Day
    • Taste Test
    • Experiences
    • Inspired By Travel
    • Share A Recipe or Story
    • Recipes >
      • Recipe Reviews
      • By Ingredient >
        • Apples
        • Bacon Recipes
        • Bean Recipes
        • Beef
        • Egg Recipes
        • Pasta Recipes
      • Potato Recipes >
        • Central American Recipes
      • By Region >
        • North American Recipes
        • Europe >
          • Italy
          • Portugal
      • By Meal Type >
        • Breakfast
        • Lunch Recipes
        • Dinner Recipes
        • Soup Recipes
        • Dessert
        • Snacks
  • Recommendations
    • Best Travel Credit Cards
    • Tools & Gadgets
  • Travel
    • Portugal
  • About Us