This is was what happened when I found out Frango e Cia, a restaurant in Coimbra dedicated to the famous Frango à Guia, from the Algarve.

Carlos Miranda is from the Algarve and the owner of the restaurant. Adding to that, he is probably one of the best people I ever met in a restaurant, along with his co-worker Tiago.

Frango e Cia opened three months ago in Coimbra, which according to Carlos Miranda is a city with a lot of potential that Algarve does not have.

Located in Terreiro da Erva, in Coimbra, right next to the historical centre of the city. Frango e Cia offers a great terrace in an amusing environment that everybody will surely enjoy.

Time to eat

The idea of coming to a restaurant where food from the Algarve was being served was to show my friends one of the best features Algarve has. People from Azores, Alentejo, and North and Central country experienced the Frango à Guia and nobody was disappointed.

Entering the restaurant, we had our big table and were warmly welcomed by Carlos Miranda which helped to instantly create a great environment, making us feel very much at home in his space.

At the table, there was already bread and olives for us to enjoy before the chicken was brought to the table. We had white wine, but for others, red wine or only juice was served, as all the requests were met by Senhor Carlos.

The chicken arrived, both spicy and mild options were served and that was when we started to feel amazed. Having chips and salad made the Algarve way as side dishes, everybody at the table went quiet, only hearing the sound of the music playing in the restaurant.

The sauce of Frango à Guia has a secret that only a few people know. Even though tasting other restaurants that say they do the sauce “à Guia” the taste can never be compared to the one I tasted in Frango e Cia. All the flavours were well combined, and the chicken was on point. The food, along with the company created one of the best gastronomic experiences that we might have experienced.

Environment

Carlos Miranda is used to managing this kind of space. Once again, he did not fail in finding a cosy space creating a great environment. The room is decorated with blue tiles with wooden tables and chairs. It seems a small space but can gather up to 84 people, making it a great place for a group dinner.

Besides the cosy space, we had the opportunity to create a bonding experience with the workers that made me sure that I would be coming back very soon thanks to the amazing food and fantastic staff.

This really is one of the best places to have a taste of the Algarve in Coimbra.

To make a reservation all the information is available on http://www.frangoecia.pt/ a website that can be read in eight different languages.

Author

Deeply in love with music and with a guilty pleasure in criminal cases, Bruno G. Santos decided to study Journalism and Communication, hoping to combine both passions into writing. The journalist is also a passionate traveller who likes to write about other cultures and discover the various hidden gems from Portugal and the world. Press card: 8463. 

Bruno G. Santos