Cardo - Évora

Make a habit of only reviewing positive trips and this is a surleative. The way they cook the pork is incredible (had mine with roasted vegetables, and wife wish risotto). I’ve had a lot of pork in my time but never this good. Prices are commensurate with a tourist restaurant but between quality of service and food it is a bargain. Don’t waste your time in the city. Come here as the chef is amazing, and enjoy the cork tables.

When a restaurant aims for an above average class with food and price to go with it, it must make sure the overall experience matches the aim. The restaurant sits within the main building of an excellent hotel, without separate access from the outside making it unequivocally the hotel 's restaurant . It 's a single big dinning room without much in the way of luxury both in the decor and the furniture. Sadly it 's usage of cork doesn 't go a long way in sound proofing the place as, at times, it was hard to speak with my wife across the table with the chatter from other guests and a kid or two running around. The welcoming and the service in general was almost flawless. The staff is very young but they appear to be fresh out a Tourism MBA, organized, knowing what they are doing and impeccable addressing the costumers (if not a little green , if you decide to be picky). The service can 't be greatly improved unless the kitchen puts out the dishes faster. I can 't say it took too long but it did took it 's time. Now the food. It was great! Fantastic. Way above average. It 's not the typical cuisine from Alentejo but rather the chef 's approach to it. Still, very well accomplished. The deserts were great, the wine also (I don 't know if bad wine is even a possibility in the region), the presentation was great too and the portions were not generous, as per usual in gourmet dining. In the end I couldn 't help myself but to feel ripped off. I 'm rating it as very good because the food was and overall I can 't say it 's bad but I certainly won 't return.

Let me say the staff of the restaurant was very good and very helpfull. The food was wonderfull the wine exelent. If you stay in the hotel go to their restaurant and have a good dinner a good wine and a very an amazing view of the alentejo site.

We spent a very memorable afternoon eating lunch here. I think it would have a much higher rating if it were closer into town. The setting is most serene and a perfect place to have a special lunch with a special friend! It has been a while since we ate there so I can't recall exactly what we are but I clearly remember how really delicious it all was with great Alentejo wines to accompany. And the manager of the hotel could not have made us feel any more welcomed! Highly recommend!

I am not usually enthusiastic about dining in the Hotel in which I am staying, but this was a very special occasion, and we were a short drive away from Evora central. The menu looked interesting and comprehensive. The setting was clean and modern with the signature cork panelled wall behind us. We were 4 and shared the Sabores de Alentejo, which was an elegantly presented starter of four tapas style dishes, warm and very fresh, and Peixinhos da Horta , Jaquinzinhos e camarao, which was a crisp tasty tempura style vegetable variety with 3 dipping sauces. For mains we shared 3, Cachaco de Porco Alentejo num risotto de cogumelos, (black pork neck with a mushroom risotto); the pato, (duck) perfectly cooked and tender; and the Malandrinho de tomato com polvinho, (tomato rice with boiled octopus and crispy black rice), which were all superbly presented and full of flavour. We had no room for the tempting desserts, as with a small hint at booking time the chef came up with a light delicious chocolate cake, complete with candle. It was a gourmet evening and thoroughly enjoyed by all, and the final bill was very reasonable for the quality of food and service. We will definitely have this restaurant marked for our next return to Evora.