C.A.S.A. - the Social Club
C.A.S.A.  -  the Social Club

Recent Events

For interest, this page contains events which we have held over the last year.  It contains the description provided prior to the event and, as appropriate, some comments and photographs added afterwards.

Most events include a 'slideshow' of photographs. The way these appear will depend on the device you are using :

 

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On Valentine's Day

14th February 2024

 

"Valentines" 

Lunch & Quiz

at Solar Farelo

 

 

 

 

12:30 for 13:00

 

The menu:

 

Couvert

 

Main Course:

 

Oven Baked Fish
Beef Fillet Stroganoff
Lamb Chops
Pork Shank
Vegetarian Option - Vegetable Stew

 

The desert choice will be:
             Lemon Sorbet with 'champagne'
             Fruit salad with cream or ice-cream
             Pudim Flan
 
Includes:
Unlimited Red or White wine
        - help yourself from the barrel

Water & Coffee

Valentines themed Quiz

 

Price will be €30 for members, €32 for non-members.

 

 

Limited to the FIRST 30 bookings ONLY.

 

 

On February 14th CASA held its second successful event of the year.
YES, it was a Valentine's lunch at restaurant Solar do Farelo where attendees were treated to a delicious meal served in the Conservatory. To add to the experience the views were spectacular and we were able to decorate the room accordingly.
Everyone had heart shaped chocolates at their place together with their name and menu choices presented in hearts.
To keep our old brains alert there was a themed quiz which had been assembled by our Membership Secretary, Christine. Much laughter and chatter could be heard throughout as attendees were warned about the unpleasant consequences of Googling!!!
First prize went to John and Erika who are not members but joined us because they happened to see the write-up of a previous CASA event in the paper, and thought it might be fun. Second and third prizes went to Daphne and Jan respectively.
Our sincere thanks go to Senor Fernando and his excellent staff for their efficient, friendly and patient service (they even helped us to put up and take down the decorations).
When we originally asked to hold the event at Solar do Farelo we were told that as we had behaved the previous year it would be possible.  The question now is:  what about next time???

 

Friday 19th January 2024

 

6.30 p.m. for 7.00 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our traditional ‘After Hangover’ dinner

will this year be held at

 

Olive Bistro and Gastro Bar

 

Sesmarias, Albufeira

 

‘Olive’ is a new venue for CASA and is highly recommended both by members who have eaten there and by the various on-line reviews which praise the quality of the food, warm hospitality, and the charming atmosphere created by the young Portuguese owners. The numerous positive comments range from ‘a hidden gem in Albufeira, offering a delightful mix of exceptional food’, and ‘as soon as you step inside, you'll be struck by the cosy and modern decor, which exudes a welcoming ambiance’.

 

It all sounds wonderful and a great start to our New Year

 

The menu offered:

 

Couvert on the table -

Trilogy of Bruschetta (tomato, mushrooms and goat’s cheese with honey)

Sautéd mushrooms ‘Bulhao Pato’ style

Burrata cheese with tomato confit

 

Main courses -

Sea bass fillet in lemon butter with mashed potatoes and asparagus or

Red monkfish medallions, ham and pea textures; or

Braised port cheeks with a touch of orange, mashed potatoes with sun-dried tomato; or

Rack of Lamb in pistachio crust with baker’s potatoes and ratatouille; or

Mushroom Risotto  (Vegetarian)

 

Desserts on the table -

Apple pie with salted caramel ice cream or

Sliced mixed fruit or

Cream pie profiteroles

 

White and red wine, still and sparkling water, soft drinks and coffee

 

All this for only 

€35.00 per person (€37.00 for non-members and guests)

 

Booking is now closed, last date for bookings was Thursday 11 January.

Please specify your main course when booking, there is no need to book your couvert or desert.

 

January 19th saw C.A.S.A. visit a venue new to us in Sesmarias (near Albufeira) for our first event of the year - what we refer to as our 'After Hangover Dinner' - to celebrate surviving the Christmas and New Year holidays.  The Olive Bistro and Gastro Bar is a fairly new restaurant and most of the club members had not even heard of it previously. 

 

On entrance we were amazed at the décor; it is a beautiful welcoming place to meet.  Having 28 people booked for the dinner we had a room to ourselves, the impeccably laid tables were most impressive.  Our first course consisted of a selection of Bruschettas, Garlic mushrooms and Burrata cheese to pick and choose between, followed by the main courses, all gorgeously presented.  And finally our three desserts, again to pick and choose what we wanted.  Not only was the food delicious but the service was quite possibly the best we have experienced anywhere in the Algarve.  The excellent wines flowed freely throughout the meal and the staff had a struggle to get us out at closing time.

 

We extend sincere thanks to the staff for an outstanding evening.  We suspect that this restaurant will be high on our list for places to visit again - perhaps on a Sunday as we understand that they do a superb Sunday Brunch! 

 

Friday 8th December

 

Traditional

Christmas Lunch

with all the trimmings

 

 

 

We return to the excellent

THYME by Ruccola in Alvor

 

Arrival from 12:30 for lunch at 13:00

 

 

Christmas Menu:

 

Welcome drink: Bucks Fizz or Soft drink


Starters –
   Garlic Mushrooms or
   Prawn Cocktail or
   Vegetable Soup


Main courses –
   Traditional Christmas lunch -

    Roast Turkey or Beef with all the trimmings
           or

    Salmon with sparkling white wine sauce, herbs and

         caviar

           or
   Vegetarian -  Filo basket, with stir-fried vegetables

    and sweet & sour sauce
 

Desserts –
   Traditional Christmas Pudding with Brandy Sauce

           or

   Cheesecake with red fruit coulis

 

Coffee with a mince pie

Includes Wine or 2 small beers, water

 


PRICE
€50.00 per person (€55.00 for non-members and guests)

This is the same as last year!

 

 

We will be doing table assignments,

so if you want to sit on the same table as special friends

please tell us when you book and we will do our best.

(Maximum 8 people per table)

The restaurant capacity for the meal is 50 people.

 

Update 19 October:

We are pleased to say that we have received a preliminary confirmation that Father Christmas expects

to join us again this year after his recent absence.

 

 

Booking is now closed.

 

The final C.A.S.A. event of 2023 was held on Friday the 8th of December. Forty-eight members, including three new members attending their first C.A.S.A. event, met for an excellent Christmas Lunch at the Thyme by Ruccola restaurant (part of the Alto Golf resort in Alvor). This is a lovely location for a Christmas party with plenty of space to socialise during the arrival process, of which we made good use to the background of some traditional Christmas carols prior to joining our tables for the pulling of Christmas Crackers and donning of paper hats amongst much laughter and chatter. It was delightful to meet up again with some friends whom we had not seen for some time. The meal was, as in previous years, excellent and much enjoyed, the traditional Roast Turkey followed by Christmas Pudding was naturally the most popular choice but the 'supporting cast' of Roast Beef, Salmon etc. were also very much appreciated. One member later sent the committee an e-mail in which they stated that the Christmas Pudding was the best they had ever been served in a restaurant!

Happily this year, after being sadly missed the last couple of years, Father Christmas arrived to handle the distribution of two sacks of Christmas presents during the coffee service!

Between courses, our Chair was also able to present the silver cups for our October Treasure Hunt to representatives of the three winning teams, these having since been engraved with the winners names.

Claudia and her staff provided superb, attentive service throughout the lunch. We thank them for making our lunch so successful.

 

Thursday

16th November

 

 

Lunch

 

 

 

 

 

We return to the great value ASIA-TOKYO

restaurant in Praia da Rocha for Lunch

 

 

As with our previous visits this is an

'all you can eat'

meal served to the table.

 

The menu will include

- Sushi - Chinese dishes and Ice Cream to finish.

 

12:30 for lunch starting at 13:00

 

Price of €22 for members

(€24 for non-members)

includes: wine/beer water and coffee

This is only €2 more than in 2021,

which is a bargain.

 

Booking is now closed.

 

 

Thursday 26th October


 

Traditional Car Treasure Hunt

(aka Motor Meander)

with Lunch


 

Meet at the coffee shop

(known locally as Pedro's)

behind the market in Algoz

from 10:00 to 10:30 am for

Registration and Coffee.

First competitors depart 10:45

the last by 11:15.

Approx 40Km drive over 1 1/2 hours

following cryptic clues

 

The Simple Rules:

  • Each car must have a minimum of 2 and maximum of 4 (adult) occupants, at least one must be a CASA member.

  • All non-member guests must take part in the same car as the inviting member.

  • The three teams solving the most clues along the route will win a prize plus hold one of the silver cups until the next Treasure Hunt

 

The Treasure Hunt is planned to take each team about 1 1/2 hours,

it is NOT a race or rally.


 

The lunch destination will be

O Foral restaurant in Foral

(about 5km north-east of Algoz)


 

Full lunch including a welcome drink (Sangria)

wine, beer, soft drinks, coffee.


 

The lovely lunch menu offered to us by

O Foral is:


 

Couvert -

Bread, Butter, Olives, Carrots, Tapas, Chef's Surprise


 

Starter choice of -

Melon with smoked ham or Vegetable soup


 

Main course choices -

Sea Bass with potatoes and vegetables in the oven

Vegetable Curry

Roasted loin of pork with plums

Fried beef with pepper sauce and fries

Chicken merengue  "Napoleon"

    (Chicken Stew made with cream, brandy and mushrooms)

 

Sweet / Desert -

This will be served as a buffet - a range of dishes will be presented on a buffet table for everyone to choose.


 

 

Prize-giving will take place during lunch


 

PRICE  (members & non-members)


 

Lunch Only -- €25

Treasure Hunt with Lunch  -- €27


 

Last day for booking = Friday 20th

please specify starter & main choice

for each person

AND a fun name for your 'team'.


 

Booking is now closed,

We have 10 cars taking part and 33 for the lunch.

 

For many years C.A.S.A. Social Club has run a 'Car Treasure Hunt' (aka "Motor Meander") during the autumn, usually in mid-October.  There is no real 'Treasure' involved of course, the winners simply receive a small prize and hold the Silver Cup until the next year when we take it back for the next prize giving.  This year we had ten teams taking part (28 people), which is the highest number we can remember having.  Competitors met at "Pedro's coffee shop" (Official name Pastelaria Requinte e Tentações) in Algoz.  After a welcome cup of coffee, contestants were set off at intervals on their quests to find answers to 35 questions - some simple others requiring a little more brain power or observational skills. Approximately two hours later, after wandering the lanes between Algoz and Messines, everyone had arrived at our lunch destination, which was the  "O Foral restaurant" in Foral.  A glass of Sangria was enjoyed while our judges marked the answer papers then we all enjoyed a most excellent lunch, O Foral did us proud with great food and lovely service, the desert selection offered being particularly impressive.

 

During the lunch we held our 'prize giving'.  Main awards going to the three top-scoring teams, with a very special wooden spoon to the lowest.  The overall scores were:

 

Placings and scores for the ten teams.  (In place order)

 

  1. Three Amigos             29
  2. The 4.5 ers                28
  3. Pistachio Babes          26
  4. Beavertail                  25
  5. Algarve Navigators     23
  6. Just Nuisance            23
  7. Clueless                    21
  8. The Lost Tribe           20.5
  9. Superdigg                 17      (Wooden Spoon winners)
  10. Golden Oldies            (Withdrew)     

 

 

Wednesday 20th September

 

 

 

Traditional

'English Afternoon Tea'

 

 

 

to celebrate the end of the summer

(and the tourist season!)

 

Terrace of the Club House at

Vale De Milho Golf Club

Carvoiero

 

Your tea (as photo above) will consist of:

 

Assorted selection of finger sandwiches

Fresh made cakes

Scones with fresh cream and jam

Unlimited tea or coffee

Two glasses of prosecco

 

 

Arrival from 2 o'clock,

1st glass of prosecco served when you arrive,

sandwiches & 2nd glass served at your table from half past.

Scones & cakes served when you are ready

(so they can be served fresh).

 

 

Price €17 each for members.

Booking will close afternoon of Thursday 14th Sept.

Booking is now closed.

 

 

Our second attempt at something completely new for the CASA Autumn season saw 21 members gather at the Vale de Milho Golf Club for our " Traditional English Afternoon Tea". The weather turned out to be perfect for us, the previous extreme heat - and the rain - held off, and we enjoyed a very pleasant afternoon on the terrace with views of part of the golf course.

 

The sandwiches were excellent - the cucumber sandwiches naturally with the crusts removed – and went down very well with the Prosecco and endless pots of tea. Considerable discussion arose about the correct order to apply jam and cream to a scone, but no consensus was reached. The delicious cakes, presented on lovely bone china tea stands, were likewise eagerly devoured, the vast supply of food being reduced to just a handful of left-over sandwiches. There was much laughter which seems to indicate a successful event and one of our American members was delighted and intrigued by their introduction to this fixture of traditional English fare. It seems likely that we will be repeating this next year!

 

Many thanks to the very friendly and helpful staff for their hard work and support.

8th September

 

2 1/2 hour hands-on Art

(painting) session

with respected tutor

Tracy-Jane Pooler

 

 

 

Members price of €17.50 for the session includes:

 

Tuition with all art materials provided

 

Whatever you produce is yours to take home

 

1 coffee/tea/soft-drink from the cafe

Fun!

 

 

No matter if you have never held a brush in your life,

or want to 'brush-up' a technique

 

All levels welcome

 

5th September -

Booking has now closed

we have 10 budding artists booked.

 

 

10:30 to 13:00

 

 

Roosters Bar near S.B. Messines.

 

 

Roosters serves snacks / 'English pub food'

and will be open for lunch afterwards

(optional, not included in the price)

Max 12 people for the lesson,

no limit for any lunch

 

As all food is prepared to order -

if you want to lunch we suggest

pre-ordering this when you arrive

as this will reduce your waiting time.

 

 

 

For 'significant others' with nothing much else

to occupy you for a couple of hours:

1. large off-road car park,

2. the cafe/bar will be open,

3. plenty of seating (inside or out),

4. free WiFi,

5. well-stocked charity bookshop

(in aid of the local Bombeiros)

- what's not to like?

 

On September 8th a small group of the more artistic CASA members gathered at 'Roosters' restaurant (on the N270 between Messines and Paderne) for an art lesson given by Tracy-Jane Pooler. The subject was a woodland scene executed, believe it or not, in black Quink ink and salt! Our members however proved to be up to the challenge, producing some credible images. Comments from our artists indicate that they enjoyed the session and some look forward to a future session working with another medium. After two and a half hours thirsty work the challenge was passed over to the kitchens when most of the group sat down with Tracy for a well earned lunch.

The event kicked off the CASA autumn schedule of just five events, the first two being new for the club – the second being just a couple of weeks away when we experiment with an 'English Afternoon Tea' (with the addition of prosecco of course) at Vale De Milho Golf Club. This will be followed in October with our traditional Car Treasure Hunt and Lunch – assuming that last years winners return our silver trophies in time!

 

Friday 7th July

 

Dinner at

  O' TASCO  restaurant

 

North of Portimao-Penina

 

 

Maximum 30 people - first come etc.

 

This dinner is now fully booked,

booking is closed.

 

19:15 for 19:45

 

 

MENU
 

Couvert


Bread, toasts, cheese, sausage, olives, butter,
sardine pate, home made paté, boiled shrimps

 

Main Courses


Grilled prawns with rice and salad;
Turkey strogonoff with rice;
Grilled chicken breast with mushroom sauce,
fries & vegetables;
Pork medallions with pepper sauce,

fries & vegetables;
Grilled fish (bream or sea bass)

with potatoes & vegetables)


Desserts

 

(to choose on the day)

Chocolate or mango mousse,

Crème caramel,

Sweet of the day,

Fruit salad,

Ice cream,

Pineapple
 

 

Includes wine, beer, soft drinks, water & coffee.

Price will be  €27 for members and €29 for non-members.

 

Last day for booking was 29th June,

booking is now closed.

Please specify your main course choice.

_____________________________

 

Friday July 7th saw a sell-out group of 33 members and guests arrive at O'Tasco for C.A.S.A.'s last spring 2023 event. We had been warned ahead not to arrive earlier than we had booked as the staff might not be available, however we were very pleased to find everything ready – including the bar being open – on arrival of the committee and a few very keen early-birds. As soon as all 33 had arrived the service promptly started and continued non-stop for almost three hours. The food was excellent, the grilled fish in particular producing gasps of amazement. The range of deserts on offer was vast - making a choice was not easy. The location on the covered patio at the front of the restaurant was a good choice, the recent heat-wave was ameliorated by a gentle breeze making for near perfect conditions for an evening meal. A lot of friendly chatter throughout the meal indicated we had a happy crowd and all those we asked said they had had a very enjoyable meal and a good time. A great choice of venue – but then we have been here before so knew we would be fine. Our great thanks to all the staff at O'Tasco for the excellent service and a most enjoyable evening.

Our program will continue, after the summer break, with TWO  new events in September.


Friday 9th June

 

Hawaiian-style

Luau / Dinner

 

 

 

 

 

A CHOUPANA

EN-125 near Mexilhoeira Grande

 

ANOTHER new event for CASA!

 

Our normal 'dress code' for dinners is relaxed!

you are invited to dress up (eg fancy shirt / grass skirt!)

** this is not compulsary **

but we will provide a pre-made lei for everyone

and a prize will be given to the most

entertainingly outfitted man and woman.

 

The event will include a demonstration of Hawaiian Luau

dancing - including 'poi ball twirling'.

It should be fun!

 

Food will be served over several courses with choices available,

 

To include:

 

Couvert: Octopus salad, cheese, olives, presunto, bread, butter, pate.
Fish Course:     Sardines  and/or  Breaded fish
Meat Course:    Grilled Chicken  and/or  Leitao (the house speciality)
                        (A Vegetarian dish will also be available)
Dessert:            Selection of house deserts as available on the day
Coffee,  wine and water included.
 
Both the main courses will be served on platters to share,
these will be re-filled on request.

 

Price is €30 for members,  €32 for guests

Last day for booking is Tuesday 6th June

 

We will be seated at three tables with a maximum of ten people at each,

thus a maximum of 30 people in total.

 

The cash bar will be open for anyone wanting pre/post dinner drinks.

If you arrive before 6:30 please wait in the bar area

(the area to the right)

for us to complete preparations.

The meal and included drinks will be served from 7.

 

It may not have been 100% Hawaiian, and perhaps a native Hawaiian might not have recognised it at all, but we did manage a reasonable interpretation of a  Luau in the Algarve!  The dancing was done in a tarmac carpark not on a sandy beach with behind it not the Pacific Ocean but the EN125 at night - but in it's own way it worked. 

Months of planning and shopping for props paid off. The restaurant ( A Choupana near Mexihoeira Grande ) did us proud with an amazing feast of Sardines, Fish, Chicken and Leitao with supporting cast including very tasty salads and naturally enough – chips.

Following the main courses the ladies (almost all of them, spanning three generations) joined one of our committee (a dance teacher in a previous life) for a lesson in Hula dancing (rather like line-dancing) to the tune of 'My Little Grass Shack'. By the end of which we all knew the words if not the moves! Following this was a demonstration of 'Poi Ball Twirling'  (originally a Maori cultural tradition) which held us enthralled and then for anyone who had remaining capacity cake and ice-cream were served.

Since the pandemic some of our events have seen relatively low attendances, but we were delighted when this evening was a sell-out and all 30 available spaces were booked.

Everyone had made an effort towards Hawaiian dress for the evening, including several ladies in grass skirts and some very colourful shirts on the gentlemen; the final 'event' of the evening was the awarding of prizes to the 'most entertainingly' dressed man and woman. The bottles of Malibu going to Avril & Roger.

An excellent evening's entertainment, not only enjoyed by us but, as far as we could tell, also by the staff of A Choupana - who had probably never seen anything quite like it!  We send our thanks to Monica and her staff for their hard work and support.  We have already booked to do it all again next year!

Tuesday 16th May

 

Casa da Vinha

 

Vale Fuzeiros, S.B. Messines

 

 

Lunch with a quiz

 

 

 

Arrival from 12:30, Quiz will start at 13:00

 

The quiz will be set by one of our members and will be in four rounds.  You do not need to be a brain surgeon or nuclear physics expert - although the questions are in four themed sections all will be 'General Knowledge' level.

 

Casa da Vinha is a family-run traditional Portuguese restaurant serving good quality Portuguese-style food and is tucked away in the small village of Vale Fuzeiros, a few kilometres west of S.B. Messines. From the restaurant conservatory, where we will be sitting, there are lovely views south towards the hills.

 

The tables will be set up for four people so we’ll be in teams of four for the quiz.

You can book for your own team of four or we can put people together to make up a team. Just let us know when you make your booking if you would like to sit with specific people.

 

Combined price only  €22.00 per person (€24.00 for guests and non-members)

 

Lunch Menu:

 

Couvert  (Bread, butter, cheese, ham, etc.)

 

Vegetarian Lasagne or

Piri-piri Chicken or

Turkey with mushrooms or

Pork Loin in the oven or

Fish Fillets (probably hake)

      -  all served with salad & chips

 

Choice of house desserts as available on the day

 

Wine (Red & White), Beer, Soft drinks, Water and Coffee

 

 

It seems only a few days since CASA members met up at the Cabrita Winery for a wonderful wine tasting, (see item below) yet here we are celebrating another successful event.   This month we have experimented with a lunch served around a four stage quiz.  We have held small quiz's previously, for example to fill in a bit of spare time in a program, but we have never held a quiz as the heart of the event.  Considering this was a new experience for our organisers it all went very well with the excellent food being served just at the right time.  CASA had not visited Casa da Vinha  (tucked away in Vale Fuzeiros) previously but our faith in this family run Portuguese restaurant was well placed and they did us proud.  The couvert was more extensive than we had anticipated and all the main courses were substantial and tasty.  The friendly service at this restaurant makes it a joy to visit. The select group of CASA intelligentsia were easily split into teams of four people to tackle the quiz - which had been set for us by another member who was unfortunately unable to attend herself.  The scores were remarkably close - after 40 questions there was only a difference of 3 1/2 points from highest to lowest team score.  The General Knowledge round surprisingly got the lowest scores, the teams doing somewhat better on the themed rounds.  None of us knew that Faro Airport has a new name (Gago Continho apparently) as of June last year, this was the only question of the 40 which did not get a single correct answer!  A good time was had by all, we will be holding another quiz lunch sometime, and we anticipate returning to Casa da Vinha.

Friday 21st April

 

Winery Tour with Tasting,

Cheeses and Charcuterie.

Silves area

 

 

 

Wine tasting at Cabrita Wines

near Silves

 

Join us for a CASA wine tasting on Friday, 21 April at Cabrita Wines near to Silves.

 

 

 

This will be an afternoon visit, commencing at 4.30 pm and will last about 1½ hours.

 

The visit will include a guided tour of the vineyards, cellar and barrel cellar, followed by a commented wine tasting of three wines from the Classic Cabrita Wines range accompanied by a light refreshment of delicious cheeses and charcuterie from local producers.

 

You don’t want to miss this new event! Here’s what ‘Vogue’ magazine had to say about Cabrita Wines: "The winery, which was founded in 2007 and produces whites, reds, and rosés, offers tastings in a second-floor space that’s replete with polished wood and beautiful vineyard views."

 

As this event does not include a meal we will provide a few suggestions for local restaurants which you might like to try for dinner afterwards, or a lazy lunch before.

 

PRICE:    €25 for members, €27 for non-members.

 

On Friday 21st April a group of 26 from CASA visited The Cabrita Winery which is a family owned winery having been in the same family for 50 years;  this was a new venture for us.  The weather favoured us, and the expected showers held off which meant that we were able to spend sometime in the vineyard.  It was here that we learnt about the growing process, and observed the owner turning the soil near his newly planted vines to aid the absorption of the coming rain ( gardeners note ).
Following this we were escorted to the fermentation room where we were given a brief introduction to the various steps in converting grapes into wine - including de-stalking, pressing, blending and finally the bottling and labelling process.  Our next stop was the cask ageing room where we learnt of the use of oak barrels.  It was interesting to note that the winery also deals with other local wineries and their wines.
The next stage of our visit meant that we were decanted ( no pun intended !! ) into the tasting room where we were presented with tables laden with charcuterie boards.  Needless to say this part of the tour had been eagerly anticipated.  
Each of the three wines to be tasted was introduced with a short talk about the wine itself and the foods that would complement it. Everyone was complimentary about the wines, and finally we were treated to a taste of a delicious limited edition Moscatel with an interesting history.
The afternoon ended with us forming an orderly queue to buy wine!!!
We would like to thank Cabrita Winery, and especially our knowledgeable guide Duarte whose presentations were informative and interesting without being too technical.
An enjoyable afternoon was had by all, with the advantage of CASA gaining some new members. 

 

AGM and Dinner

 

Friday 17th March

at

 

Recanto dos Mouros,

Silves

 

Booking is now closed

 

In a quiet corner behind the Castle in Silves,
stands this restaurant, which has
become a reference in the national
gastronomic scene. The privileged location,
overlooking the castle walls, and the rustic
and welcoming space, give a special charm
to the delicious food.

 

(The road works which caused access difficulties

in 2022 are no longer a problem)

 

The AGM will take place prior to dinner and will

include elections to the committee.

 

All members are encouraged to attend the AGM

which is your annual chance to have a voice.

 

 

Schedule and Dinner Menu

 

Arrival from 18:00 when a welcome drink of Portuguese champagne and orange juice (i.e. Bucks Fizz) will be served.  This will take place on the patio with views of the Silves Castle walls if the weather is suitable.
 
Please try not to arrive prior to 18:00 as the restaurant doors will not open until then, there is seating available on the patio area.
 
18:30  Start of 2023  AGM.
Note that only paid-up members may vote.
 
Estimated that the meeting will finish by 19:30 when dinner will be served.
 
Couvert/Starter of Bread, butter, olives,
                  plates of cheese, ham, sausage etc.
 
Main course, choice of:
       Traditional Portuguese Lamb Stew
      Traditional Wild Boar Stew
       Turkey done in the oven, served with a mushroom sauce & chips
       Bacalhau Espirito
 
Sweet:  Choice of house deserts as available on the day
                             or fruit salad
 
Wine  (Red & White) or Beer, Water and Coffee are included.
 
Members Price €28 pp.
Please specify your main course choice when booking.
 

Booking is now closed, we have 35 booked.

 


On the 17th March 33 members of CASA gathered at Recanto dos Mouros in
Silves for the club's Annual General Meeting and a dinner.   A report from our Chairperson regarding the last year's activities, and some challenges we have faced, was followed by a brief financial report from the Treasurer and Honorary Auditor.   During the 2022 AGM, new committee members were selected due to several existing members standing down for personal reasons. This year all but one of the committee indicated they would continue in position.  We are pleased to
say that we did elect a new Membership Secretary, though we continue to be
in need of an additional person on the committee to assist with some
of the booking procedures as well as helping to choose venues for the
activities.

 

The outline of a coach trip for late October was presented, which would include for the first time visiting four cities in both Portugal and Spain, in the central Iberia region.  Further details will be issued in our next club Newsletter - and on our website. We hope there will be sufficient interest for this trip to go ahead.

 

With the official part of the evening completed we were able to relax and enjoy an excellent meal served by the restaurant staff. This being our fourth time at Recanto dos Mouros, the food was delicious, and much enjoyed.

 

As a final note from this meeting, some members have felt that our full name 'Carvoeiro Association for Social Activities' has, over four and a half decades, become somewhat inaccurate, as we now cover the whole of the Western Algarve. In light of this, we asked members earlier to suggest new names retaining the short acronym  'CASA'.  A vote was taken, and a new name was selected from a shortlist of nine which had been suggested:-  'Club for Algarvian Social Activities' is our new name!

 

[Some photographs follow]

 

2023

 

Pre-Valentines Lunch

 

Friday 10th February

at 

Solar do Farelo

 

 

12:30 arrival for lunch at 13:00

 

Your menu:

 

      Couvert

      A main course, chosen from:
             Fish Cataplana
             Lamb Shank
             Wild Boar Stew
             Duck a l'Orange
             Vegetable Casserole
 
    A desert, chosen from:
             Lemon Sorbet with 'champagne'
             Fruit salad with cream or ice-cream
             Pudim Flan
 
     Coffee to finish
     Water on the tables and 'serve yourself' wine
 

 

Price for members - €29,  non-members €31

 

Limited to the first 34 bookings only

due to space limitations.

 

 

Being the right time of year we could not resist the temptation to hold a 'Valentines' themed event, so on Friday 10th February we met up at  Solar do Farelo restaurant for a Pre-Valentines Lunch.  We know the restaurant from previous visits, it is a delightful place to enjoy a meal.  The food appears to get better and better with each visit!  Due to the popularity with members we filled 33 of the 34 spaces in the conservatory.  Thanks to the efforts of one of the committee (thank you Glenda!) we were able to appropriately decorate the conservatory for our meal.  During the excellent meal we held a Valentines quiz, everyone getting a sheet of questions on arrival, these being self-marked just before coffee.  Congratulations go to Avril and Kareen who were awarded the 1st and 2nd prizes respectively after a one-question tie-breaker.  The quiz prizes were gererously donated by one of our members who was unable to attend the lunch.
In addition to the excellent meal, for which our thanks go to Sr. Fernando and his superb staff,  and the entertainment of the quiz, we were also pleased to be able to welcome four new members to CASA.  All in all a very successful lunch in every way.

 

Saturday January 21st

 

 

CASA Traditional 

"After Hangover"

Dinner

 

 

Big Red's Steakhouse

in Alvor.

 

Following your weeks of

celebrating Christmas and the New Year

with too much to eat and drink

-

Join us for some

"Hair of the dog ...."

 

The Alvor beach is just a short walk away

if you need some fresh air before/after your meal.

 

 

Menu

 

Couvert

.....

Vegetable Soup

Or

Goats Cheese in a filo basket with red onion marmalade

......

BBQ Spare Ribs

Or

Chicken Kiev

Or

Seafood Bake    (white fish, salmon & prawns)

.....

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Or

Apple Crumble with custard

 

Wine and Water included.

Pre/Post dinner drinks can be purchased at the bar.

 

Members price -  €28

Arrival time 18:30 for service starting at 19:00.

 

 

As is our long standing tradition CASA started 2023 with our annual 'After Hangover Dinner',  the purpose of which is to celebrate survival of a Christmas holiday season consisting of more eating and drinking than is good for us!  It does tend to incorporate the old adage of taking 'A hair of the dog that bit you' as a cure.   Big Red's Steak House in Alvor did us proud in this respect - not only was the food superb but the portions were huge,  a number of participants leaving with doggy bags containing left over ribs or chicken!   
As with most restaurants post-pandemic Big Red's was slightly short staffed, but those working made up for their lower numbers by working flat-out for three non-stop hours.  Our sincere thanks to them all for their efforts to make the evening such a success.  Our 43 members occupied the larger room while other customers filled the smaller.

Over our next few events we will be working towards attracting more members;  Brexit has unfortunately driven a significant number of UK members back to their roots, some other nationalities have not yet returned to Portugal since they retreated  'home' during the pandemic, we hope to see some of these returning this year.  Meantime we have some space for new members to join us for more events centred around just being 'social'  in convivial locations.

We are based in the West-Central Algarve of Portugal.

Contact us today!

If you have any queries or wish to become a member please contact us by e-mail.

 

Or use our contact form.

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