They opened last year in February and I had the pleasure of speaking with the owner, Rogério Malheiro. They are the Winner of TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice 2021 and featured in the book “Boa cama boa mesa” by newspaper Expresso for the best restaurants of Portugal 2021.

Rogério Malheiro has lived in the Algarve for three years and told me his wife was born here. He has always loved gastronomy and cooking at home and decided to make his dream a reality with Gaspacho & Migas, explaining that he “loved the location of Lagoa and all that the Algarve has to offer”.

Revitalising recipes

This Portuguese restaurant is all about revitalising ancient Algarve and Alentejo recipes with a modern twist and showcasing the valuable heritages that reveal deep knowledge. Through Rogério Malheiro’s own travelling experiences, he decided that he wanted the décor of the restaurant to “embody rustic with the industrial so to resemble a Modern Bistro.” The restaurant has a cosy atmosphere and the décor is classic yet modern which replicates the menu, which is ready for each gastronome to embark upon a memorable fine dining experience. The staff are welcoming and attentive and their attention to detail is impeccable, they briefly explain each dish to you and nothing is rushed here, which I absolutely loved.

I found that the charming menu is so varied with an array of meats, fish dishes, seafood and vegan and veggie dishes. The diversity of the menu piqued my curiosity immediately and Rogério Malheiro explained that “they have recently changed their menu to a much cosier one to fit Winter, which he told me took about three months to perfect as all the staff taste the menu and they discussed all the dishes prior to making the final version.” He also added that they cater to “all your allergen requirements, offering advice about which dishes would work best for you” and they even can even adapt some dishes to suit your needs.

The waiter brought over a selection of fresh bread with two delicious homemade butters, which were roast butter and the other was mushrooms and truffle. Then for starters, we had the crab soup which I can say is the best soup I have ever had. The waiter brought over an eloquently presented bowl with crab, croutons and coriander and then with finesse poured a clear glass bottle of crab soup over the bowl. It was a warm and inviting soup, which was subtly spicy from the red curry but it was not overpowering. Every mouthful was comforting and it was an explosion of flavours! The smoked Jalapeños gaspacho with sesame seeds, had a subtle kick and every spoonful was fresh and flavoursome. We then had wonderful experience trying all the different flavours of Gaspacho & Migas with their fantastic tapas. The tapas embody all the flavours of the Algarve and Alentejo cuisine. The tapas were delightful which included shrimp, octopus, Iberian pork ham from the Alentejo and alheira spheres.

I was recommended the Octopus and the Gamba da Costa, the dish is premium octopus, Algarve prawns, yellow beetroot, sweet potato purée, vegetables and coriander pesto sauce and sweet potato crisps. The sweet potato purée was creamy and complimented the octopus really well, I would definitely recommend Gaspacho & Migas solely to experience octopus cooked perfectly, which is something I have found is difficult to find in the Algarve.

We also tried the Iberian pork with asparagus migas, which included grilled plum, vegetables and chimichurri which is found in Argentinian and Uruguayan cuisines. The creamy gratin worked so well with the Iberian pork, with all the small details adding bursts of colour to the plate, creating the most superb edible piece of art.

For dessert, we tried the coffee and chocolate... Irresistible which was presented beautifully with such flair. It was irresistible and delightful with coffee meringue with raspberry and lemon, caramelized white chocolate, chocolate gelatine which is the most rich and luxurious jelly, coffee ice cream, toasted hazelnuts and chocolate sauce. We also tried their chocolate mousse which I urge all chocolate fans to try as it was incredible and light and creamy with chocolate crispy biscuits and fresh berries, which contrasted the chocolate perfectly, adding a subtle sharpness.

Unforgettable experience

Overall, an experience like no other, spectacular from start to finish which takes you away from your everyday life. The dishes have finesse and flair that leave you completely charmed and fully satisfied. Gaspacho & Migas is an unforgettable culinary gem and a place I am eager to go back to and I urge you to check them out as I believe they are the perfect place for family and friends to gather, for all special occasions.

Additionally, Gaspacho & Migas offers a catering service so you can enjoy all that they have to offer in the comfort of your own home.

It is important to note that from the 18 November, they will only be open from Tuesday to Saturday for dinner at 6:30pm to 10:30pm. Most excitingly, Gaspacho & Migas will be serving Christmas lunch on 25 December from 12:30pm to 5:30pm with the menu to be announced on their website. They will also be doing a dinner on New Year’s Eve.

You can find their full menu on their website, where you can also make reservations at https://en.gaspachoemigas.com/ or you can contact them on 282 039 183 or 966 597 320 or via email at geral.gaspachoemigas@gmail.com.

Author

Following undertaking her university degree in English with American Literature in the UK, Cristina da Costa Brookes moved back to Portugal to pursue a career in Journalism, where she has worked at The Portugal News for 3 years. Cristina’s passion lies with Arts & Culture as well as sharing all important community-related news.

Cristina da Costa Brookes