Douro Palace Hotel: The Creativity Of Eça Restaurant

A stunning view of the Douro River from my room's balcony at the Douro Palace Hotel Resort & Spa, one of the hotels I stayed in during my recent trip to Portugal. The next four photos were also taken from my balcony.

This 4 Star hotel is located in Quinta de São João, in Santa Cruz do Douro, Baião, only a few from the Aregos Train Station, where you can travel the course of the Douro River. We would later take this train to Régua, catching some beautiful views of the Douro region.

The hotel has 60 rooms, all with balconies providing a view of the Douro River. The hotel also has an outdoor pool, spa, three bars, and a restaurant.

One evening, we dined at the hotel's restaurant, Eça Restaurante, an eighty-seat spot that uses regional products and traditional flavors with a modern cuisine. It was one of the most memorable of our dinners, the cuisine being both delicious and creative, and presented in such a fun way.

One of our servers spoke about each course as it was being presented, speaking in a theatrical voice, almost as if we were at a Broadway play, introducing each new Act. It added a fun element to the evening, and we eagerly anticipated what would be said about each new dish.

We also began the evening with a glass of Raposeiro Blanc de Blancs Bruto Sparkling Wine, which was crisp, dry, fruity and with a touch of toast. It was a nice pairing with the first three small plates that were served.

The written menu for our dinner was rather terse, making the dishes sound relatively simple and plain, but that was far from the case. As soon as the first dish was presented to us, I understood that this would be far from an ordinary dinner, that the chef was more of an artist.

The first dish was Octopus Rice, thin slices of tender octopus atop a light, crispy rice cracker, presenting a nice contrast of textures. A tasty and light flavor of the sea. And beneath the octopus and rice cracker was a sheet that stated "Welcome," a greeting from the chef.

Next up was My Chicken Piri-Piri, a moist, tender and flavorful piece of chicken with a lightly spicy sauce, accompanied by a crisp, fried potato. The chicken was cooked perfectly, and the entire dish was well balanced and enticing. An elevated rustic dish.

The next dish, Veal Stuffed with Mustard, resembled a Chinese bao, a steamed bun. The soft bun contained a couple thinly sliced pickles, a hint of mustard, and a tender slice of veal. The meaty veal was the star of this sandwich, enhanced by the other ingredients. A taste of Portugal with a nod to China.

Our Starter was then a dish of Lucius, wrapped in vine leaves, with asparagus and topped with a meat sauce. Lucius is more commonly known as the Northern Pike, a freshwater fish that is more commonly consumed in Europe than the U.S. This dish was a favorite of many of us, the pike possessing a firm texture, closer to monkfish than cod. It had a mild, almost sweetish flavor, with a type of savoriness from the light sauce. Quite intriguing and now I want to find pike locally.

Our Main Course was a Veal Leg with potatoes and peas, another excellent dish, with tender and savory veal, creamy potatoes and sweet peas. A fine piece of meat, and a fine end to our savory dishes.

Dessert was also creative, an Almond Cartuxos, with egg custard, cream and a Maria wafer. It resembled a ice cream cone, though it didn't have any ice cream. A pleasing blend of textures and flavors, crunchy and creamy, sweet and a touch of savory. With dessert, we had a glass of Recua 10 Year Old Port, a delicious, silky smooth and well balanced Port.

Eça Restaurant is worthy of my top recommendation, as is the Douro Palace Hotel. When you're traveling in the Douro region, please keep these places in mind.