When you're ready to give traditional Portuguese cuisine a try, consider Recanto do Ze when in Armacao de Pera, Algarve, Portugal. Recanto do Zé - Portuguese Restaurant in Armação de PeraRecanto do Ze has some great lunch specials "prato do dia" during the weekdays, but don't be afraid to stop in at dinner time for kind staff and delicious Portuguese food. Prato do DiaA typical prato do dia at Recanto do Zé includes a meat or fish main, a drink (including wine or beer), couvert (typically bread, olives etc), dessert, and a coffee for around 15 euro - clearly representing a great value for a quality meal! Location:
Recanto do Zé Restaurant Address: Rua Dom Joao II lote 7, Armacao de Pera 8365-130 Portugal
See Also: Best Algarve Tours and ExcursionsIberian Pork SecretosI was floored when my plate came. The helping of pork was generous, well seasoned, and as tender as you'd expect a well-rendered fatty cut of pork to be. In the word's of Levi "That's tenda!"
What are pork secretos? What cut is it?
Pork secretos are like a "secret" because they are a hidden boneless cut from behind the shoulder. This cut of is exclusive to Iberico pigs and it has incredible flavor because of the deep marbling combined with the lifestyle of the pigs - roaming around free range and filling up on tasty acorns. Ahh.. now that's the life! Along side the pork were the expected portuguese accompaniments - a simple salad with lettuce, onion, and tomatoes and a pile of french fries. :) FrancesinhaThe Francesinha sandwich originated in Porto and it is a serious undertaking, as you can surely tell. What is in a Francesinha? Between layers of bread you will find almost every rich meat you can think of on a francesinha - ham, steak, sausage. What is on top of a Francesinha? Plenty of melted cheese and a fried egg adorn this sandwich, as well as a healthy ladle of piping hot beer-tomato sauce to keep everything sloppy enough to require silverware. As if the hearty sandwich isn't enough, a side of fries is ready for you to mop up any leftover sauce - the Portuguese version of Italy's "fare la scarpetta" :) Recanto do Zé ReviewI really enjoyed my meal (that delicious black pork - porco preto) at Recanto do Ze. I hope to return for a prato do dia with friends some time. The only bummer was that they did not accept credit cards despite their google listing indicating that they accepted them at the time we visited. As a result, we had to do the awkward scramble to scrape together enough cash. So our pro tip would be to make sure you have cash on you ;) See Also: Top Things To Do In Algarve
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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.
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
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
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.
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?
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.
Check out the Hyatt Regency Miami Review Here
Well, at El Primo Red Tacos they are serving $6 margaritas and cerveza (beer) all day, every day!
what we got.
What we Thought.
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! |
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
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
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
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.
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:
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 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!
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 Cocktail, wine, and beverage menu
Le Grand Bistro Dessert Menu
Le Grand Bistro To go Menu
Lunch Experience at Le Grand Bistro on Ascent
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.
French Cocktails - $12 + $17
Steak Frites - $24
Lobster Bisque - $10
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
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? |
Wait.. Was this even the salad we ordered. Oops. No it wasn't. Quickly the correct salad arrived.
Frisée Lardon Salad - $8
Crème Brûlée - $5
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.
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..
Chocolate Chip Cookie - $3
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
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
Le Grand Bistro Ambience
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:
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.
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?
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.
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
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! :)
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.
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:
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
Check out this recent cruise post:
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