A great end-of-year Michelin star with a sour aftertaste when it comes to customer service: Restaurant Bon Bon (29. December 2022)
When I was looking for a place to eat, I used the Guide Michelin to identify a potential good place, and found the Bon Bon. It is not exactly easy to find, but definitely an interesting place once you find it. The restaurant itself is quite nice with its interior, which reminds you of a huge chalet with a fireplace. I went for the “9 Moments Menu” (EUR 155.00), which I expected to be too much, but turned out to be just fine.
Before the actual serving started, I tried to get “half the wine pairing”, since I was still driving, but they are not very accommodating with that. Which seems to be generally true. The table next to mine was having one vegetarian and when he asked for a vegetarian menu, which is apparently listed on the homepage, it was not possible to serve a vegetarian menu. I get that things need to be prepared, and you have a vision for your food, but just blatantly saying no, seemed a bit weird for a restaurant at that level.
Once it was time for the amuse bouches, I must say, I was happy, since they were all quite nice bites.
The next “amuse bouche” was “bread with pork butter and lemon zest” plus a few more bites. And while the other bites were good, I absolutely loved the pork butter with lemon zest!
The first course of the evening was an “oyster from ‘Ria Formosa’, Caviar Oscietra, and Champagne” and while I’m usually not a big fan of oysters, this one was quite okay. Nothing exciting, but fine.
The second course was “octopus from Santa Luzia, tomato, roasted onions, and Monterosa olive oil” and I must say, it was delicious. The octopus was grilled in front of you and it had a nice crispiness to it, without being chewy.
The “tomato” on the side was nice, but not exceptional – however, it went well with the octopus.
I was today years old when I learned that ‘Carabineros’ are ‘scarlet shrimp’ in English, and was excited for the “scarlet shrimp curry” and I must say, it was absolutely mouth-watering. But not only the scarlet shrimp itself, also the curry in which it was served, and the scarlet shrimp head, which I absolutely loved. Just a close to perfect dish.
The “greater amberjack, “Bulhão Pato” cockles and fermented lemon” was next and while it was good and interesting, it obviously didn’t even come close to the previous dish in terms of intensity and flavour profile.
While I’m usually not too big a fan of mullet, since I find it a bit bland, I must say, the “red mullet ‘Malandrinho’ rice, saffron, seaweed and prawn from Algarve” was actually delicious. The rice was especially outstanding.
The “lentil and razor clams stew with Monchique traditional sausages and suckling pig” was actually great. I especially liked the suckling pig, which was intense, juicy, and enjoyable. In combination with the razor clams and the lentils, it made for a good dish.
The “side dish” which came with it, was nice too, but nothing which would blow your mind.
The “dry-aged loin ‘Bitoque’, fermented mustard and cabbage” was a good main course. It looked tiny, but in terms of flavour profile, it still worked very well. I also liked the potato roll, which was nicely crunchy, and definitely added to the experience.
The “pre-dessert” was a cookie with ice cream and was quite nice – and really a pre-dessert, since it was only two bites.
The first actual dessert looked lovely – a toadstool! The “raspberry, almond from Algarve and ruby chocolate” was really a nice experience to the eye, and it was a tasty one to the palate.
What I really liked, was the “‘Arroz Doce’, lemon verbena and lavender”, especially, since the lavender really adds to the dish, and makes it quite of a unique flavour experience. And it did not only look pretty, but it also tasted great.
Last but not least, you get a couple of chocolates before you leave and settle the bill.
Of course, they are showing that they have their Michelin star for a few years already at the entrance. And I must say, it’s deserved. It’s an interesting and tasty experience.
Still, the way they ‘accommodate’ or rather do not accommodate client requests is a bit surprising. And it’s not like it was rocket science. I really just wanted “half the wine pairing”, which he clearly declined. Not sure why, because his argument was “well, it’s the same amount of work”. Well, yeah, so what? I’m paying for it, and I never said I wanted to pay only 50%. So, not sure, what the issue was. So, while it’s a great experience, it leaves a sour aftertaste when it comes to customer service – that being said, the actual staff were doing a marvellous job and were very caring and attentive throughout the whole evening.
Rating:
| Atmosphere: |   |
| Service: | |
| Dishes: | |
| Price-Performance Ratio: | |
| Overall Rating: | |
Contact Details:
Restaurant Bon Bon
Urbanização Cabeço de Pias Sesmarias de
8400-010 Carvoeiro (PT)
Tel.: +351 282 341 496
Cell: +351 964 193 823
E-Mail: reservas@bonbon.pt
Homepage: http://www.bonbon.pt
About the Author: Sven
I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org.
Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City. 
