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Friday, December 8, 2017

Doc Restaurant, Armamar, Portugal

 We stayed at a wonderful quinta in the Duoro Valley on our recent trip to Portugal, and the most extraordinary meal that we had was at this restaurant, run by chef Rui Paula.
The setting is gorgeous.  We sat outside on a terrace that is right over the river.  The weather was perfect, and the awning over the table was magnificently made.  What impressed me about that was the level of detail the place went to in order to produce memorable food.
The cuisine is local to Portugal and much of it comes from the Duoro Valley itself.  The wines that paired with each of the courses were all local, including one that was just across the river from where we were seated.  If the grapes hadn't already been harvested we could have seen them from our seats.
The entire meal, from the amuse bouche to the desserts, were spectacularly flavorful, beautifully plated, and flavor sensations.  The price tag reflects all of that, but for us, that was all that we did the day we went there for a late lunch.  It took hours to finish the meal, and then we sat on the terrace just enjoying the weather and the aftermath of the food, eaten in good company, and to be remembered long after we get home.

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