Vivant – More than just a restaurant

Arriving at my destination in Almancil, the restaurant’s owner, Francisco, quickly came to meet me and to show me around the beautiful new venue.

The dining room is exquisitely cosy, with a fireplace sitting in the middle, with all the tables surrounding this central structure. Further in is the wine cellar, at the moment I visited it was still undergoing work but that didn’t stop them from offering wine. After that comes the bar, where the kitchen dining area connects to the kitchen. From there came the bedroom suite, home to the bed and a bedside table either side.

The outside was also quite beautiful. I was given a tour of the garden area which included a DJ booth and bar. The dancefloor is imbedded into the patio, a remnant of the plan to put a swimming pool in its place. Towards the back, another remnant remains, as the outdoors bathrooms are labelled as changing rooms. Tucked into the corner, a mural adorns the building’s front, depicting two figures enjoying representations of the restaurant, painted by the project’s architect.

Finally, it was time for dinner. I was first fed a starter – a mix of breads, including Italy’s tasty focaccia, accompanied by some olive oil, some salted butter and some butter infused with tomato, which was incredibly tasty. Out of all restaurants I’ve ever been to, that might’ve been the most unique take on bread I’ve tried so far.

Next came the first of two appetisers: tuna tartars. Three shrimp tortillitas served as spoons to scoop the delicious tuna blend up, seasoned with some lime. The tuna ended up being refreshing in my mouth, as the cold sensation made for a good contrast before the hot meals coming up.

The second appetiser was short but sweet: cheese-filled churros. That’s right, whilst churros are normally filled with something sweet like chocolate, they can also be filled with something salty, like cheese. And it’s really good, especially when you dip it in the tomato chutney that’s also available with the dish.

The main course of this meal was something truly unique: Asian scallion pancakes with “lagartos.” When ordering this dish, you may think that you’re ordering lizards on pancakes, but these “lagartos” are actually strips of black pork, and my goodness are they fantastic. You don’t even need a knife and fork, as you can simply wrap the pork in the equally tasty pancakes and eat it like a crêpe. The crunch on the meat gave me as a pleasant surprise, and the wasabi bound everything together to make the end product even better than the sum of its parts.

Finally, for this meal, they served me a wonderful cheesecake topped with passionfruit. It’s about all you could want out of a cheesecake, including a small flower that’s even edible.

As far as drinks go, besides the always exquisite camomile tea, I was also given an Aperol cocktail, an Italian drink, with lemon meringue on top, a glass of the house wine, and a glass of peach schnapps with a slice of grapefruit. All of them were delicious, but I have to say I really enjoyed the Aperol, its bitter taste worked very nicely with the meringue.

All in all, the visit to Vivant, was very enjoyable. I had an exquisite meal unmatched by any mere ordinary establishment, featuring food that I may not get the chance to try in any other place.

I’ll be recommending this place to whoever may be around the area as a luxury dining destination, but be sure to head over to Vivant regardless, try their food, and form your own opinions – it certainly won’t disappoint.

Vivant is open all year for dinner from Tuesday to Saturday. For reservations, please call +351 925 934 358 or email reservations@vivant.pt

Star in the 2015 music video for the hit single “Headlights” by German musician, DJ and record producer Robin Schulz featuring American singer-songwriter Ilsey. Also a journalist.

Jay Bodsworth