A birthday treat

I’m going to be a little bit naughty today. You see, Su’s invited me to a tea party and, as usual, I’m totally unprepared. So what I thought I’d do is share with you my birthday treat last Thursday. Raspberry cheesecake with a chocolate base, anybody?

Let me set the scene. Heavy rain is threatened and a warning in place for electrical storms. I know I’m lucky to be able to go out to celebrate the day, but I did have such plans. A nice little spot overlooking a dam. Serene and beautiful. Sunset on the water, and a sunrise full of misty promise. But when the rain drifts in, visibility nil. Go to plan B. A restaurant I’ve been curious about for some time. Cha Cha Cha, in Olháo.

Initially we think, hop a train. A leisurely afternoon with fine wine. But the storm threatens and we jump in the car. Into a head wind on the waterfront. Will we make it before the storm hits?

Barely just! We have the place almost to ourselves. Heavy wooden doors bolt us in. A tiny outlook to a bougainvillea clad wall. Swiftly and firmly closed and the plum velvet curtains swished shut. The sound of drumming rain and the growls of thunder prowling the rooftops. We don’t mind. Secure and warm. And there’s cake! An atypical Algarve birthday, in an atypical year.

Now come on over to Su’s place for sumptuous food and a bit of a gossip.

Virtual afternoon tea, November 2020

97 comments

  2. Would love to join you for some of that cake but will be happy to receive a slice in the post! You’re lucky you have restaurants open, here we have nothing. My best friend is being buried next Monday and although 30 can attend the cremation, after that we have to disperse. The funeral-tea which helps so many families come to grips with their loss by the (usual) laughter and sharing of memories afterwards, is not to be. That I think is the saddest thing. On a more cheery note, the weather here is fantastic. My shopping today was done with blue skies and warm weather, so much that I had to remove a layer before making the journey home. How’s that for an English November!

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    1. It’s a topsy turvy world, isn’t it? Several of my UK friends have birthdays this month and, as you say, there’s no place to go to celebrate. Good to know they can at least take a picnic to the park if it’s dry and bright. 🙂 It must be awful having someone ill in hospital with no visiting. My neighbour watched a family funeral on Zoom this week. What a world!

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  12. I remember that cheesecake from last week. Isn’t that the one that was prepared with the calorie remover? Red wine with those desserts seem yummy … but so would a glass of port.

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  16. Hope you had a bit more than wine and cake! Love the door! Not quite the right atmosphere for celebrating though in an empty restaurant, but good that you are able to go out still and eat cake 🍰. Endless blue skies can be so boring… nice to have a bit of drama on your birthday ☺️

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    1. It certainly was. The main attraction for me is that Keith, the owner, is a former travel writer for the Telegraph and I was curious. It’s a gluten free place too, which could be useful. He has a separate cake shop as well as the restaurant 😍💕

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  20. How lovely! I particularly like that peek through the old door. However many versions you had to go through to get to your perfect birthday treat, you definitely got there in the end. Brilliant.

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    1. It would have been an entirely different experience on a sunny day with the doors flung open and maybe an outside table in the narrow street behind, but it was nicely atmospheric and the staff were very kind. I didn’t do so bad! 🙂 🙂

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