We ate very well in Funchal, and one of the recommended restaurants on the Island is Restaurant do Forte (or the Fort Restaurant). During one of our walking-around-town days, we stumbled across the fort and tried to book a table for the evening but it was all very full. Fortunately they have a sister restaurant called Restaurant Mozart serving pretty much the same menu only a few blocks away.
Like many of the restaurants around town, they do a very reasonable three course meal including wine for around €30 (I can’t remember exactly how much we paid. They even brought us a little amuse bouche to start with.
And that was before bringing us bread, butter and a fish mousse to spread on the bread as an option.
We both ordered the same appetiser, a fresh mushroom risotto with crispy prawns in a green salad with aromatic basil pesto. The prawns were massive – probably good enough for a main with some more risotto, and the risotto was perfectly cooked, full of umami with the rest level of creaminess. The fiery peppery characteristics of the rocket help cut through the richness of the dish although I think the pesto was just a touch too much.
We ordered a couple of different things. My sister ordered the Salmon steak with raisins, aromatic herbs, and orange and fennel sauce. Pretty good upon report although I didn’t try it.
I, instead, wanted to try something other than the scabbard fish we seemed to be eating all the time, so I ordered the White grouper with olive oil in a crust of herbs and fried garlic. Delicious although the crust wasn’t as crunchy as I had been hoping. I’d imagined a sort of panko-crumb style flavoured crust, but was let down a little bit. The rest of the dish was still very good.
We both ordered the same dessert, a Hot chocolate cake with ice cream. It’s a dish I only really expected to see a lot in Britain, but very well executed here.
Name: Restaurant Mozart
Found at: Street D. Carlos I, nº 50, Zona Velha da Cidade – Old Twon, 9060-051 Funchal – Madeira
Website: http://restaurantedoforte.com.pt/mozart-en/