Padrino's Cuban Restaurant Review With PhotosTraveling to Southern Florida provides one with ample opportunity to indulge in authentic Cuban cuisine! Seeing as we already respected our Pittsburgh roots with a couple of trips to Primanti Bros, it was time to nod to my Cuban heritage with a visit to Padrino's. 
Padrino's Cuban Cuisine Fort Lauderdale Florida
Padrino's Cuban Cuisine is a family owned restaurant with a few locations in South Florida and has been rated Best Cuban Restaurant in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine multiple years in a row! Padrino's MenuPadrino's serves up some of the most popular cuban dishes like a cubano (cuban sandwich), pan con bistec (palomilla steak sandwich), ropa vieja (shredded flank steak), lechon asado (slow roasted pork marinated in citrus mojo), arroz con pollo (yellow rice with chicken and chorizo) and paella (all your favorite seafood cooked with yellow rice). 
Padrino's Menu | Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Frijoles negros (black beans), maduros (sweet plantains), tostones (green plantains) and boiled yucca make for classic cuban side dishes. For dessert try tres leches cake or cuban flan paired with a cafecito. Padrino's drink menuLooking for a cocktail? A classic Cuban Mojito will never steer you wrong! 
Padrino's Drink Menu | Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Still, if you're planning a Cuban Night or Havana Nights Dinner Party, you can get some inspiration from some of these cocktails and menu entries!
Added to Category: Inspired By Travel
PAdrino's Drink Specials
Padrino's runs some midweek drink specials including $6 mojitos on Mojito Tuesdays, Half off bottles for Wine Wednesdays, and half of sangria carafes on Sangria Thursdays.
Padrino's Drink Specials | Fort Lauderdale, Florida
If I was local, I would be stopping in on Tuesdays for Mojitos or Thursdays for Sangria, how about you? Fort Lauderdale Food Tours:
Padrino's Cuban Cuisine Fort Lauderdale, Florida
There's plenty of seating inside and if you're more of a booth person, Padrino's has you covered! 
Padrino's Cuban Cuisine Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Enough decor, let's get to the grub. Cubano - $13Classic Cuban Sandwich of sliced ham, pork, swiss cheese, and pickles in a hot-pressed sandwich. 
Cuban Sandwich at Padrino's Cuban Cuisine Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Ropa Vieja - $13Flavorful shredded beef, slowly cooked with green peppers and onions in a light tomato-based sauce, served with white rice & black beans and sweet plantains. 
Ropa Vieja at Padrino's Cuban Cuisine Fort Lauderdale, Florida
PAella - $30A combination of scallops, shrimp, mussels, flounder, chicken, and chorizo sausage cooked with a flavorful yellow rice. Served with sweet plantains. 
Paella at Padrino's Cuban Cuisine Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Combinacion Cubana - $18Fiesta tostones, croquetas de jamon, picadillo empanadas, mariquitas and black bean salsa. 
Combinación Cubana at Padrino's Cuban Cuisine Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Now let's break down every part of this delicious Cuban Sampler Platter! MariquitasCrispy plantain chips served with fresh black bean salsa and garlic mojo. 
Mariquitas at Padrino's Cuban Cuisine Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fiesta tostones + croquetas de jamonIn the foreground we have the croquetas de jamon - traditional ham croquettes. 
Croquetas de jamon y fiesta tostones at Padrino's Cuban Cuisine Fort Lauderdale, Florida
In the background to the right with the glistening chunks of meat are the fiesta tostones. Pressed green plantains, topped with creole chicken or chorizo sausage, melted cheese and fresh pico de Gallo. Picadillo EmpanadasCrispy pastry filled with perfectly seasoned ground beef, served with homemade guava chutney 
Picadillo Empanadas at Padrino's Cuban Cuisine Fort Lauderdale, Florida
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Padrino's Cuban Cuisine Pics & Review
FORT LAUDERDALE RESTAURANT REVIEWS
Affordable Fort Lauderdale Tours
FLORIDA HOTEL REVIEWS
- Port Everglades Cruise Port Hotel Review: Gallery One Doubletree by Hilton Fort Lauderdale
- Hyatt Place Fort Lauderdale Cruise Port Hotel Review with Photos
- Holiday Inn Sebring Florida Hotel Review (HGTV Hometown Takeover) - coming soon
- Hyatt Regency Miami Cruise Port Hotel Review with Photos - coming soon
- Villa Lemon Tree Venice Beach Pool House Review with Photos - coming soon
Miami Restaurant Reviews
- El Primo Red Tacos Miami Review - Too Good To Go Review
- Meraki Greek Bistro Restaurant Review - Miami Happy Hour Review
- A Family Brickell Review - Too Good To Go Review
- Dumplings Mi Amor Review - Miami Ramen and Dumpling Restaurant Review
- Marabu Coal Fired Cuban Cuisine - Miami Happy Hour Review
- Raccoon Coffee and Kitchen Miami Food Truck Review - Too Good to Go Review
- Versailles Cuban Cuisine Miami Restaurant Review
- Azucar Ice Cream Company Review - Miami Little Havana Calle Ocho
- Miami Slice Review - Pizza Review
Port Everglades Cruise Hotel Review
After disembarkation day from our Southern Caribbean Cruise on Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas, we checked in to GalleryOne a Double Tree Suites by Hilton in Fort Lauderdale for a few days.
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In This Post:Port Everglades Cruise Hotel Review
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If you're looking for a hotel near Ft. Lauderdale's Port Everglades for an overnight stay before or after your cruise, hopefully this photo review will help you decide if GalleryOne DoubleTree is the right fit for you!
Water TAxi Stop 7
You can purchase a water taxi ticket for $38 that gives you unlimited rides. They also offer multi-day passes and annual passes.
Outdoor Space
One fun thing outside of the hotel was the placement of outdoor games to pass the time along the water.
Would you be playing corn hole or jenga?!
Outdoor Bar
There is a nice outdoor bar if you would like to enjoy a drink along the waterway with plenty of palm trees in view!
This area gets lively in the evenings and when the hotel holds events.
Pool
Lobby Cafe
There is a small cafe counter in the lobby of the Double Tree where you can order a latte if the in-room coffee isn't cutting it for you.
Cafe Menu with prices
Below you can see the menu with prices for some non-coffee beverage options including Julius Meinl teas.
You can also grab a quick breakfast yogurt parfait, fruit cup, piece of fruit or croissant/bagel.
Vue on the Water Restaurant Menu with Prices
If you're wondering what the prices are like at the restaurant and what kind of foods they offer, here is the menu for Vue on the Water.
Smoothies for $10 and beers are $7.50/8.50.
Lobby Bar
If you'd like to enjoy pre-dinner drinks with your friends, there is a bar in the lobby.
Second Floor Views
With some time to kill before check in, we explored the public spaces of the hotel. On the second floor you can enjoy some nice views from these floor-to-ceiling windows!
Checking In at Galleryone Double Tree Ft Lauderdale
It was finally time to check in and if you have allergies you will be happy to know that Double Tree now carries allergy friendly cookies for their guests!
More on the cookies later.. 😉
Room Tour
The GalleryOne Double Tree in Fort Lauderdale offers suites, meaning the rooms are very spacious as you will see!
Kitchen
Upon entering the suite, the kitchen was located to the left. It is well equipped with a dishwasher, microwave, and small refrigerator.
Coffee Station
The in-room coffee setup was a cuisinart double brewer. There were coffee pouches, sugar and sweeteners, creamers and some tea bags.
Dining And Living Areas
A dining table that seats four makes eating a meal or working on a laptop very convenient at this hotel.
Of course there is also a couch to lounge upon as well as an oversized chair in the opposite corner.
A pocket door separates the living/dining space from the bedroom.
bedroom
The spacious bedroom includes a large king size bed, 2 night stands and a dresser, Tv, recliner and closet space.
If you have hanging clothes, you will appreciate that there is a closet.
The hanging height is a bit short as there is an upper shelf in the closet which houses the in-room safe and iron. There is also an ironing board.
The closet doors offer full sized mirrors which is a great and often overlooked detail in accommodations.
Bathoom
A tiled walk-in shower with rainfall shower head await. The DoubleTree also provides shampoo, conditioner, and body wash in the shower.
There is a spacious countertop surrounding the sink and a large mirror.
The View
Being on an upper floor, our suite had nice views!
In the other direction you could see the intercostal waterway and the ocean!
Looking straight down you could see the pool area along the waterway.
The Doubletree Cookie
And this is definitely one of the best backdrops you can get for your Double Tree Cookie!
We opted for the original cookie as we don't have any relevant allergies and my is she a beaut!
Not only is this cookie a looker, but it's actually an absolutely delicious cookie.
As a big chocolate chip cookie girl, I was actually shocked how good this cookie was!
| And I don't mean it was "good for a free cookie". I mean it was legitimately one of the better chocolate chip cookies I've had ever. Hands down better than the one from this French Boulangerie. |  |
PF Changs Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Irrespective of how delicious the double tree cookie was, we were starving and needed to get some real food.
It had been a long day after disembarkation and waiting around for check-in time so we just wanted to get take out and call it a night.
If you're looking for somewhere within walking distance from GalleryOne Doubletree Fort Lauderdale, try PF Changs!
PF Changs Lettuce Wraps Pics
We went for the cult favorite chicken lettuce wraps.
PF Changs Spicy Chicken Pics
PF Changs Spicy Chicken bowl.
Mongolian Beef
PF Changs Mongolian Beef
| The only disappointment was that we could not eat our meal outside as we were shooed away by the restaurant management. We assumed the outdoor tables and chairs were available for hotel guests. The sign was promptly pointed out to us. |  |
Good thing our suites have nice dining tables! :)
Galleryone Fort Lauderdale Cruise Port Hotel REview
The GalleryOne by Hilton near Port Everglades can be a great choice before or after a cruise. It's conveniently located, the rooms are spacious, and the access to a kitchen is convenient.
And we can't forget the cookies! ;)
If you have time to kill you can take the water taxi all over creation as a DIY excursion, visit the mall next door, or walk to the beach.
There are also plenty of great restaurants to try near by!
Fort Lauderdale Restaurant Reviews
- Best Hoagies In Fort Lauderdale - Laspadas Hoagie Review
- Manhattan NY Pizza in Ft Lauderdale - Delivery Review
- Primanti's Fort Lauderdale Pizza Review - A Pittsburgh Favorite in Florida - coming soon
- Padrino's Cuban Cuisine Ft Lauderdale Restaurant Review - coming soon
FLorida Hotel Reviews
- Hyatt Place Fort Lauderdale Cruise Port Hotel Review with Photos
- Holiday Inn Sebring Florida Hotel Review (HGTV Hometown Takeover) - coming soon
- Hyatt Regency Miami Cruise Port Hotel Review with Photos - coming soon
Want to Get a Free Pre-Cruise Hotel Stay?
Check out this post: Hilton Free Night Certificate
Before sailing on our favorite cruise ship yet, we found ourselves with a few days in Miami.
Miami isn't necessarily the cheapest city to eat in when you're on a shoestring budget so we made great use of TooGoodToGo and Happy Hour Menus to enjoy some of the culinary offerings without completely breaking the bank. Enter El Primo.
Miami isn't necessarily the cheapest city to eat in when you're on a shoestring budget so we made great use of TooGoodToGo and Happy Hour Menus to enjoy some of the culinary offerings without completely breaking the bank. Enter El Primo.
El Primo Red Taco in Miami
El Primo Red Tacos is located at 179 E Flagler St in Miami, Florida. A short walk from where we stayed at the Hyatt Regency.
Check out the Hyatt Regency Miami Review Here
The pick-up window was between 9:30 and 9:45 pm. The restaurant was clearly empty by that point and you can see they offer plenty of seating both inside and outside.
How much is a Margarita in Miami?
Well, at El Primo Red Tacos they are serving $6 margaritas and cerveza (beer) all day, every day!
Well, at El Primo Red Tacos they are serving $6 margaritas and cerveza (beer) all day, every day!
what we got.
We ordered 2x Surprise bags from El Primo Red Tacos at $5.99 each. Each container had 2 tacos, topped with cilantro and a fresh radish slice as well as some tortilla chips, salsa, and a lime wedge.
We were also surprised to receive agua de horchata x 2!
What we Thought.
It had been such a long time since we had tacos period, that I was so happy to eat these tacos! Even after carrying them back to the hotel they were still so tasty.
Small corn tortillas are my favorite and home made tortilla chips can't be beat! The tacos at El Primo Red Tacos are birria and the only problem that I had with them was I wanted more. lol
Small corn tortillas are my favorite and home made tortilla chips can't be beat! The tacos at El Primo Red Tacos are birria and the only problem that I had with them was I wanted more. lol
| The Horchata was unbelievably tasty. Typically made with rice, flavored with cinnamon and sweetened with sugar, this horchata was refreshing and a nice balance to the savory tacos and spicy salsa. To pay $5.99 in Miami for 2 quality tacos, chips and salsa, and a drink was a great deal! I could have easily eaten more, but I was happy for the opportunity to try El Primo Red Tacos at a discount while in town and I wouldn't hesitate to return next time I'm in Miami! |  It's hard to beat eating tacos with this view of Miami from Hyatt Regency |
More Miami Food & Travel Blogs:
- Hyatt Regency Miami Review
- Meraki Greek Bistro Review - Miami Happy Hour
- A Family Review - Argentinean Delights in Miami
- Dumpling Mi Amore Review - Ramen and Dumplings in Miami
- Marabu Cuban Cuisine - Miami Happy Hour Review
- Raccoon Coffee & Kitchen Miami Food Truck Review
- Versaille Miami's Most Famous Cuban Restaurant Review
- Azucar - Little Havana's Best Ice Cream
- Miami Slice - Overrated?
- Free Public Transportation in Miami - Trolley, Metro Mover
More too Good To Go Reviews:
- Rei do Churrasco Review - Quarteira, Portugal
- Too Good To Go Portugal Review
- A Family Miami Too Good To Go Review
- Raccoon Coffee & Kitchen Miami TooGoodToGo Review
With so many outstanding dining options included in your cruise fare onboard Celebrity, you may be like me and wonder "Are the specialty dining options really worth the extra cost?"
It's a great question! In this article you will get to see what the dining experience is like at Le Grand Bistro onboard Celebrity's newest ship the Ascent. You'll learn how much it costs, what the ambiance is like, and our favorite dishes that we tried.
Allons-y! :)
It's a great question! In this article you will get to see what the dining experience is like at Le Grand Bistro onboard Celebrity's newest ship the Ascent. You'll learn how much it costs, what the ambiance is like, and our favorite dishes that we tried.
Allons-y! :)
Le Grand Bistro Celebrity Ascent
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Le Grand Bistro
If you're dreaming of visiting France but find yourself on a Celebrity cruise to the Caribbean, don't worry! The boulangerie-patisserie Le Grand Bistro on Ascent will definitely do in a pinch! ;)
And PS you can find plenty of Celebrity Cruises stopping in France ;D
Outside Le Grand Bistro at night. The doors close for Le Petite Chef dining experience.
Le Grand Bistro is located on Deck 4, midship, between its upscale French dining neighbor, Le Voyage by Daniel Boulud and the buzzing Craft Social Bar where you can enjoy beer flights and bar bites.
Fresh Baked Breads on Display at Le Grand Bistro
Whether you sit down to dine at dinner, enjoy a casual lunch, or prefer a demi baguette and a latte at breakfast - Le Grand Bistro has something for you to try!
Le Grand Bistro Menu on Ascent
Le Petit Chef Menu:
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You have a few options if you're interested in dining at Le Grand Bistro.
The interactive dining experience Le Petite Chef can be reserved in the evenings for a fixed price. The Menu on Ascent was as follows:
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Le Petit Chef Menu Celebrity Ascent
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Le Grand Bistro Main Menu
On the other hand, if you're craving a morning croissant or an afternoon croque monsieur then the a la carte menu is for you!
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In addition to always-available starters, soups, salads, entrees, sandwiches, charcuterie, and pastries you will find "Plats du Jour" (Dish of the day) If one of these French classic tickles your fancy you will want to time your visit accordingly each special dish is only available on a set day of the week. |
Le Grand Bistro Menu Celebrity Ascent
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Le Grand Bistro Cocktail, wine, and beverage menu
Sip in style with French cocktails and wines or a hand crafted espresso-based beverage. Prices range from $4 for a single espresso to 25 for a glass of Veuve Clicquot, Yellow Label Champagne.
Le Grand Bistro Dessert Menu
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All of the desserts and tarts at Le Grand Bistro cost $5 each and include the following tasty treats:
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Dessert Menu at Le Grand Bistro
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Le Grand Bistro To go Menu
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Early in the day you will be delighted to see a counter full of freshly baked goods available for $2 a piece. The offerings may include:
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To Go Menu at Le Grand Bistro
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Lunch Experience at Le Grand Bistro on Ascent
We decided to visit during lunch as we didn't want to miss dinner with our families in the main dining room. As the bistro was not especially crowded on the day of our visit, we chose to sit beside the window in order to enjoy the ocean views.
Dining by a huge window at Le Grand Bistro
The meal started with our choice of bread and butter. In the main dining room you always receive a basket of assorted bread/rolls/etc and admittedly it did feel fancier to have the slices hand delivered at Le Grand Bistro.
The bread was really good and I wish the basket came back around during the meal without having to ask.
French Cocktails - $12 + $17
Steak Frites - $24
Lobster Bisque - $10
Lobster Bisque with Tarragon and Puff Pastry - Peeling back the cute little puff pastry beret (lol) to show you the soup inside!
By the way, have you ever wondered what the difference is between a soup and a bisque? I hadn't until just this very moment! In a nutshell, a bisque is a type of soup that has a thick, rick, creamy base and is traditionally made with some sort of shellfish. These days non-seafood creamy soups are also called bisques.
Take for example the following food math equation: tomato soup + cream = tomato bisque. Voila!
The perfect companion for soup is a salad, right? We did, but didn't, end up with 2 salads. You will understand by the end.
Take for example the following food math equation: tomato soup + cream = tomato bisque. Voila!
The perfect companion for soup is a salad, right? We did, but didn't, end up with 2 salads. You will understand by the end.
Baby Arugula Salad - $8
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Big fan of arugula over here as well as the beauty of simple ingredients that are well prepared making the best of bites!
This baby arugula salad had toasted pine nuts, balsamic vinaigrette and 3 deep fried balls of goat cheese more elegantly known as croquettes. After procuring this glamour shot we got to wondering where the pork belly was... and the poached egg? |
Baby Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese Croquettes
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Wait.. Was this even the salad we ordered. Oops. No it wasn't. Quickly the correct salad arrived.
Frisée Lardon Salad - $8
Featuring crispy pork belly, poached egg, pickled shallots and parmesan on curly endive, this salad was a treat. Perfectly poached, if you're team dippy-egg yoke then this picture will no doubt bring you joy.
Lardon Salad
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Perfectly Poached Egg
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The whimsical texture and freshness of curly endive played nicely with the salty, fatty pork belly and the bright yellow yoke of the poached egg added a pleasing pop of color and richness.
Crème Brûlée - $5
Caramelized vanilla egg custard with fresh berries.
Creme Brûlée is a quintessential French dessert much loved by cruise passengers. You may never order it out back home, but on a cruise you can usually indulge in several of these during your voyage.
Creme Brûlée is a quintessential French dessert much loved by cruise passengers. You may never order it out back home, but on a cruise you can usually indulge in several of these during your voyage.
Creme Brûlée at Le Grand Bistro
We decided to try the creme brûlée at Le Grand Chef because we genuinely wanted to know if it was different than the "free" creme brûlée available in the main dining room.
To complete the experiment we ordered creme brûlée at dinner in the main dining room that night and we can confirm that YES, it is different! When you are paying extra you want to know you are getting a different product, a better quality, an advanced technique, a personal touch..
To complete the experiment we ordered creme brûlée at dinner in the main dining room that night and we can confirm that YES, it is different! When you are paying extra you want to know you are getting a different product, a better quality, an advanced technique, a personal touch..
Make it at home:
While you can use your oven broiler to caramelize the sugar topping, it's way more fun to use a butane torch ;)
Chocolate Chip Cookie - $3
I've never been to France and I have no concept of what a French-style chocolate chip cookie should be like. For context, I'm an American who loves a chocolate chip cookie that has that little bit of crunch on the outside, a super chewy inside and the deep toffee notes that only come from the labor of love that is known as browning butter.
When I ordered a $3 chocolate chip cookie I was envisioning a large bakery style cookie. I didn't expect it to be the cookie of my dreams, but I also didn't expect it to be this little fluffy nugget. lol
When I ordered a $3 chocolate chip cookie I was envisioning a large bakery style cookie. I didn't expect it to be the cookie of my dreams, but I also didn't expect it to be this little fluffy nugget. lol
Chocolate Chip Cookie at Le Grand Bistro
This chocolate chip cookie was more on the cake-like side and it honestly wasn't my jam.
I was teetering on whether to order it or not but overhead a lady at the table next to me tell the waiter that they are the best chocolate chip cookies she has ever had and that she had been coming down to order one every day! That locked me in.
The fact that I didn't care for it just goes to show how everyone's tastes are different. There is no right or wrong when it comes to food, it's all preference. So take posts like this with a grain of salt. Read them through the lens of the preferences you know you have already.
If you know you love cake-like cookies then go for this chocolate chip cookie! If you're not a fan of cake-y cookies then skip it (unless you just want to see for yourself which is also cool) and try a more French-y option like a Madeleine or a cherry danish!
I was teetering on whether to order it or not but overhead a lady at the table next to me tell the waiter that they are the best chocolate chip cookies she has ever had and that she had been coming down to order one every day! That locked me in.
The fact that I didn't care for it just goes to show how everyone's tastes are different. There is no right or wrong when it comes to food, it's all preference. So take posts like this with a grain of salt. Read them through the lens of the preferences you know you have already.
If you know you love cake-like cookies then go for this chocolate chip cookie! If you're not a fan of cake-y cookies then skip it (unless you just want to see for yourself which is also cool) and try a more French-y option like a Madeleine or a cherry danish!
Mocha - $5
Espresso, fresh steamed milk, cocoa powder
Mocha on Celebrity Ascent
Le Grand Bistro Ambience
Le Grand Bistro is very cute "inside" with a decorative piece constructed of French style baking dishes, pots and pans. The walk up counter where you can order pastries and fresh baked bread along with an espresso pulled from the copper espresso machine is a lovely concept along with the seating "outside" mimicking European al fresco dining.
It's important to note that just outside of le Grand Bistro is the Grand Plaza. Shown below is a view of the Martini Bar at night on the lower level of the Grand Plaza (deck 3)
Because various activities and music take place in the Grand plaza, during the day time when the doors of Le Grand Bistro are open, you lose a bit of the cute French bistro vibes. Consider checking the daily schedule and booking your reservation strategically.
I was surprised that during our visit there was no French music playing in the bistro. I would have really enjoyed that as well as having some of the shoji doors closed to block out the distracting lights and activity of the plaza and turn up the French charm. ;)
I was surprised that during our visit there was no French music playing in the bistro. I would have really enjoyed that as well as having some of the shoji doors closed to block out the distracting lights and activity of the plaza and turn up the French charm. ;)
LE Grand Bistro Review on Celebrity Ascent
Everything we ate at Le Grand Bistro was good, with the exception of the chocolate chip cookie that I found underwhelming based on my chocolate-chip-cookie-girl high standards.
We had steaks in the main dining room that rivaled the Steak Frites in Le Grand Bistro which is testimony to how good the food on Celebrity is. On the other hand, the salads and the lobster bisque were unique items we didn't see elsewhere during our cruise.
The Frisee Lardon Salad was excellent and unique. I would order that again next time I dine at Le Grand Bistro.
More Celebrity Ascent Reviews:
Tap a Celebrity Ascent Review Below:
See all of our Celebrity Ascent Reviews here
The baby arugula salad was taken away when we noted that we had been given the wrong salad and that was a bummer as we didn't get to try it to share our thoughts with you. I'm sure the waiter would have left it if we asked, but it happened so quickly that he shuttled it away in an effort to please us and bring the lardon salad asap.
The Lobster Bisque was very tasty. The puff pastry top and fancy bowl are always fun. I just wish there was a touch more bisque and that the lobster meat was more prominent.
Would you have ordered any of these dishes?
If you dine at Le Grand Bistro on your next Celebrity Cruise, I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Thanks to Celebrity for hosting this meal. All opinions are my own.
If you dine at Le Grand Bistro on your next Celebrity Cruise, I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Thanks to Celebrity for hosting this meal. All opinions are my own.
Ready to Book your next celebrity cruise?
Are you ready to book your next Celebrity Cruise?
Marissa Books Travel is ready to assist! :)
About this cruise:
On this 7 night Labadee & Cayman Cruise on Celebrity Ascent we sailed in an Infinite Verandah cabin. We visited the ports of Nassau, Perfect Day at Coco Cay, and Grand Cayman. Stops at Labadee were paused during this time period and exchanged for a Perfect Day visit.
Marissa Books Travel is ready to assist! :)
About this cruise:
On this 7 night Labadee & Cayman Cruise on Celebrity Ascent we sailed in an Infinite Verandah cabin. We visited the ports of Nassau, Perfect Day at Coco Cay, and Grand Cayman. Stops at Labadee were paused during this time period and exchanged for a Perfect Day visit.
Cantinho da Villa is a very local Portuguese restaurant in Texugueiras - inland from Albufeira, between Ferreiras and Paderne.
These local spots are just the best because they have classic Portuguese dishes, a lively buzz since everyone in the neighborhood stops by regularly, and you just feel part of the community when you're here.
These local spots are just the best because they have classic Portuguese dishes, a lively buzz since everyone in the neighborhood stops by regularly, and you just feel part of the community when you're here.
Portuguese Dish - Bitoque
This plate is a perfect rendition of a classic Portuguese dish - bitoque. You can have beef bitoque or pork bitoque and either way you're getting thin cuts of meat. When prepared properly they are very tender and flavorful.
Comida Portuguesa - A Bitoque Dish Classically Presented
As you can see the dish also comes with rice and French fries.
Why do Portuguese people eat rice and French fries in the same dish? you may ask. Isn't that double carbs? you add.
Well, yes it is. But why do they do it? I suppose because it's delicious! :)
Sweet roasted garlic and a perfectly fried egg top thin slices of tender meat - Bitoque at Cantinho da Villa
The addition of a small, simple salad is common here - green lettuce, sliced onion and tomato, and sometimes cucumbers. Oil (Portuguese olive oil, of course) and vinegar are on the table if you need a dressing.
Please note the lovely pan sauce on this bitoque including whole roasted garlic cloves. This is the mark of a meal made with love.
French Fries, Rice, and a Salad are classic sides in Portuguese Home Cooking
And one of the most beautiful details of this dish is that perfectly fried egg (ovo estrelado) . It takes real skill to get the edges crispy and brown while maintaining a perfectly dippy yolk as shown here. That runny yolk will combine with the pan sauce and add richness to the plain rice. It's so good you'll use your french fries to mop up the leftovers. :)
Where to eat in Algarve:
Boema da Vila is located in the main roundabout of Ferreiras and is known for their hamburgers. But sometimes you just want a bifana, you know?
While the night-time lighting makes for a truly sub-par glow, we figured we would still share the two bifanas.
While the night-time lighting makes for a truly sub-par glow, we figured we would still share the two bifanas.
Remember, bifanas are sandwiches made of thinly sliced, marinated pork. We got one plain bifana (pork slices on a nice roll) and one with cheese and a side of batatas fritas (French fries).
Very often in Portugal when you order French fries they will come with a side of garlicky mayonnaise (aioli) for you to dip the fries in.
Very often in Portugal when you order French fries they will come with a side of garlicky mayonnaise (aioli) for you to dip the fries in.
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Maloca da Tuttapanna is located in Quarteira, specifically the prestigious Vilamoura area, and describes their cuisine as Amazonian, Sushi Fusion, and European.
The restaurant has a nice aesthetic (I mean what's not to love about this golden monkey?!) so one day after a late shift at os carrinhos (the carts/trolleys) we decided to snag an outside table and try their pizza and sushi. Random combo, I know. |
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Marguerita pizza - €11.50
Tomato, Mozzarella, and Basil
Sushi Jó (3 pieces) - €5
Sushi Jó at Maloca da Tuttapanna | Vilamoura Restaurant Photo Review
More Algarve Restaurant Photo Reviews:
Photos from regular people so you can see what the food is actually like ;)
Gusto'zza Pizzeria is located right on the main beachfront of Quarteira in Portugal. It's a lovely stroll from Vilamoura and made for a special anniversary treat compliments of my abuelita. :)
Filed Under: Pizza in Portugal • Algarve Foodies
Sangria Tinta (red wine sangria) - €8
Few things say summer celebration like a nice sangria - look at all that fresh fruit!
Margarita Pizza - €8.90
Classic Margarita (spelled per menu) Pizza at Gusto'zza Pizzeria in Quarteira
Prosciutto Pizza - €9.50
Gusto'zza Pizzeria Quarteira - Menu Photos
Go ahead and tap a photo to enlarge the menu.
os melhores restaurantes em quarteira:
20age is a tapas and petiscas restaurant located in the main roundabout of Ferreiras, central algarve, Portugal. They have great traditional Portuguese food and nice sangria!
Filed Under: Algarve Food Blog • Portugal Travel
bifana no pão caseiro com queijo e ovo
A bifana is a classic portuguese sandwich which, at its core, consists of thinly sliced, marinated cooked pork on a soft roll. This amped up edition is on pão caseiro (homemade bread) and has the addition of queijo (cheese) and ovo (egg)
Bifana at 20age in Ferreiras | Algarve Food Blog
bitoque com ovo
A bitoque is a thinly sliced steak, typically served with French fries and topped with a dippy egg (ovo estrelado). This one also had a delicious sauce.
Bitoque at 20age in Ferreiras | Algarve Food Blog
More Great Places to eat in Algarve
Oh, Hey!
We're Justin and Marissa
We love to travel and eat!
Traveling Through Food is a place to share some of our adventures in travel and food so you can find inspiration for your next big trip whether it's around the world or down the freezer aisle at the grocery store. :p
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