Recent Events

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

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

Tablets (such as a Kindle) - depending on your device you will probably see thumbnails of all the pictures, tap on any one to enlarge it then scroll as usuall.

Computer with a browser - to access the controls for the slideshow 'hover' over the black bar below the visible photo, click the play button (extreme right) to start. Click again in the same place to stop/pause the slideshow.

Saturday 17th June

Annual CASA BBQ at The Holiday Inn

6.30 FOR 7 p.m.

€25 per person.

MENU includes:

Onion Bajhi, Somosas, Mixed vegetable curry, Chicken Korma, Karahi Gosht, Pilau Rice, Naan Bread
And from the Barbecue Buffet:

Portuguese Selected Salads, Typical Soup “Caldo Verde”,

Grilled Sardines, Monkfish Rice,

Grilled Chicken “Piri-Piri”, Grilled Pork Spare Ribs.

Buffet Dessert Table.

Sangria, Red or White House Wine and Water.

Members inclusive price is €25 per person.

Fifty-three members and guests braved the current Algarve heatwave to partake of our annual BBQ at The Holiday Inn on Saturday 17th June. When we gathered on the terrace the beach below us was packed with holiday makers making the most of the sunshine in an effort to get cooked to the same level of perfection as our spare ribs and chicken thighs. We enjoyed not only the BBQ food but also a superb lamb curry & excellent samosas. The great food combined well with the attentive service provided by a fleet of Holiday Inn waiters who kept our tables clear of dirty dishes and our glasses filled with our chosen beverages non-stop for three hours. By the end of he evening the tourists had all retreated to tend their sunburn leaving us a picturesque and deserted beach to look at.  A perfect setting for the end of a near perfect evening.  Our thanks to the dedicated staff of the Holiday Inn.

23rd and 30th  April

Sunday Roast Lunch

at

The Village Inn  near Ferragudo.

The restaurant has a seating limit of 30 people,

hence the two lunches over two Sundays.

Menu:

STARTERS: Carrot soup with a hint of orange & ginger or
Mixed salad.
MAINS: Roast Pork or Steak & Kidney Pie

or  Chicken & Mushroom pie or
Grilled Salmon with butter & a little dill.
Roast potatoes and vegetables will be served with all the above;
there is a choice of rice instead of the potatoes with
the salmon if preferred.
SWEET:  Apple Crumble or Ice Cream.

Half a bottle of wine per person, or soft drink or a beer,

water & coffee.

The cost was €18 to members and €20 to guests.

Both 'editions' of our Sunday Lunch at The Village Inn proved very popular. Splitting the event over two Sundays was actually advantageous as members with other commitments were able to choose the one which best suited them, a couple of members even attended both! An excellent meal beautifully served made for a very enjoyable Sunday in this delightful restaurant which has a personal feel, almost like being at home, even to all the books. Our thanks to Kathy for all the hard work which she and her staff put into our lunches to make them such a success.

25th March

A.G.M. & Dinner

At A 'Tasquinha in Monte Carvoeiro

Arrival from 18:00 for the AGM to start at 18:30 sharp.

Welcome drink included.

Dinner Menu.

STARTERS:

Pea Soup

or Sauté Mushrooms with cream & bacon
or Melon with smoked ham or with port.

MAINS:

Seabream Tower with red pepper sauce, vegetables & potatoes

or  Chicken breast stuffed with bacon served with sauté vegetables, potatoes and a blue cheese sauce

or Pork with a Port wine sauce, vegetables and potatoes.

or Vegetarian option: Vegetables with Noodles.

SWEETS:

Panna Cotta with red fruit puree

or Crepe with apple & cinnamon
or Fresh fruit salad.

Half a bottle of wine p.p. or soft drink or beer, water & coffee.

Inclusive price is €20 / €22 per person.

Last date to booking to attend was 21st March.

Thirty-eight members and guests attended the 2017 AGM on the 25th March.  At last years AGM we held an election for a new chairperson for the first time in many years, however this year all five committee members had indicated they were willing to stand for another year and  were  re-elected. The honorary auditor had reviewed the 2016 accounts and presented his comments and the accounts were passed. Our chairwoman made a short presentation regarding CASA objectives, the previous years activities and some forthcoming events, including our Autumn trip to Spain.
The formal meeting was followed by an excellent three-course meal; lovely food and very good service, as we have come to expect from A Tasquinha.  An all-round successful evening.

19th February

12:30 for 13:00

Sunday lunch at VIMAR in Carvoeiro

Soup – Vegetable or Tomato

or  Salad

MAINS:

Fish (Plaice) or  Pork in the Oven

or Lamb Stew or

Chicken (with or without piri piri)

Choice of sweets

Half bottle wine or  beer or  soft drink
Coffee

Members price was 11 Euro

and the last date for booking was 14th February.

We had a capacity booking of 40 people for this lunch, an enjoyable opportunity to meet and socialise. We were rather disappointed however by the very slow service and we understand that some members were also unhappy with the food they were served.

We are sorry that this meal was not up to the standard which CASA aims for. Previous visits to this restaurant have been very successful.

After Hang-Over Dinner

at Por do Sol in Alvor

Saturday 14th January

entry from 6:30 for 7:00.

Price - €20 / €22

Menu:

Cover
Vegetable soup or Mixed Salad
---------------------
Monkfish Algarvia with Almonds

or
Grilled Seabream with butter & Aromatic herbs

or
Pork Tenderloin with Béarnaise Sauce

or
Chicken Breast with fried onions
Fish is served with batatas cozida & vegetables
Meat is served with batata fritas & vegetables
----------------------
Pudim flan or  Fruit salad
---------------------
Half a bottle of wine, water, coffee

Our thirty-two members and guests were very warmly greeted by Snr. Candido as they  gathered in the bar for pre-dinner drinks. The restaurant was made cosy by the very cheerful log fire and wonderful  service was received from the staff throughout the evening.   After a warm welcome to all from the Chairman a delicious three course meal was then heartily devoured.  All on the night said that they had enjoyed the evening and this was reiterated in a number of  emails over the next few days.  We hope we can maintain this standard through the year, we are already planning events through to November

Christmas Party & Dinner

Saturday December 3rd

6:30 for 7:00, at

O' Barradas

between Lagoa and Silves

Our evening will commence with a welcome drink :

Glass of Rosé wine Qunita do Barradas

and homemade pate canapés.

Couvert:

Bread, butter, carrot salad with olives,

homemade cheese crackers and beetroot crème.

Entradas:

Smoked salmon with horseradish cream and bruschetta or
Homemade tomato soup with shrimps, aromatized with basil or
Marinated dried figs gratinated with sheep cheese,

smoked ham and rocket leaves salad.

Main courses:

Fried fish fillet with lemon dill butter and garlic  or
Duck breast with orange ginger sauce  or

Turkey with sage & onion stuffing.
All served with sweet potato smash, house potato

(fried with onion and garlic in olive oil), rice and

roasted vegetables with rosemary.

Dessert:

Cinnamon mousse with plums in Port  or

Walnut parfait with delicious pear and rosé wine sauce or

a mixture of both.

Red, White and Rosé wine, water, soft drinks and coffee.

Inclusive price  €28 / €30

We anticipate a visit from Santa!

There will be a prize for the most decorative mask.

A capacity crowd of 52 members and guests gathered  to kick off the Christmas festivities with a party and dinner. The lovely restaurant and a roaring log fire provided a welcoming atmosphere and made for a very enjoyable evening, no doubt helped by the welcome drink of the restaurants own rose wine. Later in the evening, Luís, the owner of O' Barradas, judged our 'Most Christmassy Mask' competition, though this embarrassed the winner so much he insisted on the prize going to the runner-up.  The arrival of 'Father Christmas' with his large sack of gifts and a rousing sing-along to traditional favourites such as 'We Wish You A Merry Christmas' added further fun.  The very helpful staff of O' Barradas and the wonderful meal they served ensured that our final event of 2016 was a huge success and, as far as we could judge, much enjoyed by all.  We are reasonably confident of this as we have since been contacted by several members, one having been a member for over 20 years, to tell us how much they had enjoyed it!

SATURDAY, 12TH NOVEMBER
LUNCH – 12:30 FOR 1 PM.
PONTO DE ENCONTRO

Carvoeiro

MENU:
Starter: Soup or Salad.
Main course options:
Tail of lobster in curry sauce or
Piano Ribs or

Bitoque da vazia or
Robalo or
Turkey Steak with Mushroom Sauce.
Choice of sweets.

Coffee, half litre of wine or

beer or soft drink included.

Price  €12 / €14

Saturday 22nd October

Ten-pin bowling at

Complexo Pestana in Alvor

Meet at 17:30 and bowl 18:00 to 19:00

There will be a prize for the highest individual score

The Bowling price includes shoe hire,

please note that socks must be worn,

a pair can be hired for €0.50 if needed.

Non-bowlers are welcome to come and watch,

there is a cash bar and limited seating.

Then walk (100m) to

A Cabana (Atlantico)

by the beach at the rear of the bowling alley

(a different restaurant to last year)

for dinner at 19:30

Menu:

Buffet Starter

Soup

Choice of main course:

Fried Fish (Solha) or

Carne Assado Porco

Buffet sobramessas

Wine/Water/Coffee included

(Beer or soft drinks are extra)

Prices:

(members / non-members)

Bowling only - €6 / €7

Dinner only - €20 / €22

Combined - €26 / €29

For our second attempt at ten-pin bowling sixteen members and guests bowled, regrettably not the worlds best scores by rather a long way, not even up to the standard last time, but great fun was had. The competition was tense towards the end, Chris had led from the off but his lead was never great and with the very last ball of the evening David pushed Chris down to 2nd place to claim the huge prize (a bottle of port!). The top three scores were:
     David - 111
     Chris - 108
     Rose - 96
We don't need to embarrass anyone by publishing the remaining scores, in any case we have to allow for the fact that two of the playing members had never touched a bowling ball before!
Following the bowling we made a dash between the rain showers about 100m across to the A Cabana restaurant at Atantico where a handful of additional members joined us for a tasty dinner.

Saturday 17th September

12:30 for 13:00

Lunch at   Restaurante Rainha

near the Barragem do Arade, Silves.

This restaurant has been under new management for just

over a year and is building a superb reputation for quality.

Inclusive price €25 / €27.

Special couvert/starter on

the tables, followed by a choice of:

Duck Confit with honey and mustard

or

Pork Fillet with canterelles

or

Lasagne of fresh Salmon with spinach

followed by :

Lemon tart or  Panna cotta

A relatively small group of stalwarts turned out for our first event after the summer break. The extreme temperatures during recent weeks seem to have deterred members from going out, many have extended their summer sojourn back in England due to the weather, both here and there. Eighteen of us enjoyed a sumptuous meal beautifully prepared and presented by Eduard and his staff. A little more expensive that our normal run of restaurants, but worth every Euro!  The lower than normal numbers (our last event in July attracted 57) helped to create a friendly relaxed atmosphere which was much enjoyed by all. No doubt the gin-bar helped too! Our thanks to Eduard, Magda and their staff for a superb meal.

Saturday, 9th July

– Barbeque Buffet –
Indian & European Cuisine

The Holiday Inn, Armaçåo de Pera.

at 7 for 7.30 pm

Inclusive price. €25  members, €27 non-members

Following the success of previous years, by request, we booked another Barbeque Buffet at this very popular venue. The menu included a wide choice of Indian and European BBQ Cuisine to suit all palates.

There was live music for those who wished to dance.
 

As the event was held in July which is always a very busy month for the hotel, they asked that we give them our orders a week in advance so booking had to close on FRIDAY, 1ST JULY at which date we already had a 'full house' for the limited seating on the hotel's terrace with lovely views in both directions along the coast as the sun was setting. The beach area just to the east was absolutely packed with bathers when we arrived but by the time we had finished our meal both the hotel pool and the beach were deserted and peacefull.  The good food and excellent attentive service by the wine waiters made for another very happy evening in a beautiful location.

Saturday June 18th

Boat Trip along the Arade from Portimao

with a cold buffet lunch at

the Plaza Cafe in Silves.

Please meet by the Naval Club at 10:30, the cafe there will be open for refreshments if required.

The boat will depart at 11:00 for the approximately one hour cruise to Silves which includes one complimentary drink.

A cold buffet lunch will be served at the Plaza Cafe over approximately 1 1/2 hours.

Salad buffet table with:

        Assorted salads

        Chicken  (cold)

        Pork slices

        Rissoles - chicken and prawn  

        Small fried Cod cakes

        Tuna salad

        Potato salad with smoked sausage & olives

Followed by

        Assorted cakes

        Custard tarts  etc

With  wine/beer/orange juice/water/coffee

The return boat should arrive back in Portimao soon after  3:30 p.m.

Inclusive price is €27 for members and €29 for non-members.

The buffet lunch only is €11.

Last date for booking was 4th June (a requirement of the boat company).

We had to close booking early when we reached a full boat's complement of 27.  Members and guests enjoyed a lovely day out,  a clear blue sky combined with a gentle breeze provided just about perfect conditions for our river trip up and down the Arade.  Six additional members joined us at The Plaza Cafe in Silves for the three course cold buffet lunch where the staff did us proud with a wonderful array of salads and meats.  There was somewhat more than we could eat, though we all did our very best!

This was rather an experiment in 2015 when we tried it for the first time, it looks as though it may have to become an annual event in the club calendar.

Friday 13th May

Lunch at the Faro Catering College

at  1:00 for 1:30

Lunch at the College promises to be another gastronomic delight.

A Student Welcome Cup was served prior to lunch.

Menu:
Beet Spaghetti or St. German cream.

Braised Tuna fish steak or Pork tenderloin or Steak of Tofü

Each of the above served with - polenta fried with coriander and ratatouille of vegetables.

Turamisu of wildberries and ginger or Almond roll

Wine, Still Water & Coffee included.

Price: 16 Euro for members, 18 Euro for non-members.

42 members and guests attended this excellent lunch.

The lunch was been timed to allow attendees to travel to Faro on the train scheduled to arrive at 12:54 and about half the attendees made use of the train rather than drive.  Some took taxis from the station while others walked as it was a beautiful day.  Once there we were treated to a pre-lunch drink which gave us time to greet our friends.  A three course lunch for our forty-two members and guests was served with aplomb by the students who are to be congratulated on their style and the food they produced. A very enjoyable day out and we shall look forward to visiting again.

Saturday 16th March

Dinner at Brasserie Rosal

at 7 for 7:30

Price 20 Euro for members, 22 Euro for non-members.

Forty-five CASA members and guests met up at the extremely pleasant Brasserie Rosal  just outside Lagoa for dinner. After a very brief welcome speech by our newly elected Chairperson a superb three-course meal was served to us by wonderfully friendly staff in a lovely relaxed atmosphere. A highly enjoyable evening with lot's of chatter and socialising for everyone.  We were also pleased to be able to welcome two new members to their first CASA event on such a happy occasion. Our thanks to the hard working staff for their much appreciated contribution to another successful and well attended club event.

Saturday 26th March.

CASA 2016 A.G.M. and dinner

6 for 6:30

At  A Tasquinha  at Monte Carvoeiro, the same location as last year.

The meeting will start at 6:30 sharp, we will keep the formalities to a minimum and expect dinner to be served about 7:15.

During the meeting we will be holding elections for the committee.

Dinner Menu:  Choice of 3 Starters, 3 Main courses and 3 Sweets.

Half bottle wine, a soft drink or beer, water and coffee

Price:  20 Euro members, 22 Euro non-members.

The AGM, elections and dinner were held as planned, 42 members booked for the evening. More details will be added shortly, the photographs below were taken during dinner.

*** NEW ***    this season

Sunday Brunch

28th February

THE WOLF

in Carvoeiro

The brunch will start at 11:30 and continue until 3p.m.

Self-service Prosecco Mimosa, tea, coffee and a cold buffet available throughout, including:

      Fresh fruits & juices, cold meats, cheeses, yogurts

      Selection of breads & croissants.

A hot course was also served.

Inclusive price €15 for members and €17 for non-members.

50 CASA members met up at the elegant and well appointed restaurant 'THE WOLF' in Carvoeiro at 11:30 for a late breakfast, or early lunch depending on your point of view!  A generous buffet, individually prepared tasty hot dishes and an ample supply of Proseco ensured much fun, good conversation and laughter.  We were entertained by a singer playing the guitar who had to contend with our chatter (we are a social group after all).  We were also happy to be able to take this opportunity to welcome some new members attending their first CASA event.

The brunch was a new venture for us and we would like to thank the owner and staff of The Wolf for accommodating such a large group and making the event so enjoyable for members old and new.

Saturday January  23rd 2016  - 7 for 7:30.

Traditional  CASA  'After Hangover' Dinner

At the Amadeus Garden restaurant in Alcalar.

Couvert
Choice of four starters
Choice of five main courses

Dessert

Wine, water and coffee included.

Price was just €20 for members and €22 for non-members.

For the last couple of years we have held this annual CASA dinner at The Village Inn, although we have much enjoyed this lovely cosy restaurant it is just a bit small for us and we have had to hold two separate dinners in order to cater for all the members who have wanted to attend, doubling the administrative work.  This year we gathered at the elegant  Amadeus Garden Restaurant in Alcalar, where the food was excellent and the staff courteous and attentive. This is deservedly a favourite of several club members.  It was lovely to meet up with old friends and hear of their varied Christmas and New Year exploits!  It was also good to see some new faces attending their first CASA dinner, we hope to see more of them.  

All in all another much enjoyed successful event and a great start to our year, we can only hope that the rest of our 2016 events work out as well.

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