“Here we celebrate the true essence of Alentejo”: chef Miguel Rocha Vieira lights the oven at a new restaurant in Évora

Source: Expresso

In Évora, in the restored Quinta do Poço Novo building, built in the 19th century, the new Forno da Telha restaurant has the creative signature of chef Miguel Rocha Vieira. The project promises to honor the region's gastronomic tradition, reinterpreting it with contemporary, technical and originality.

It is the debut, under his own name, of Miguel Rocha Vieira in Alentejo. The well-known chef , who has won several Michelin stars on his CV, gives life to his first adventure in Alentejo lands, more precisely in Évora, taking on the entire project of the Forno da Telha restaurant, which opens its doors under the auspices of AHM – Ace Hospitality Management, hotel management company where he is responsible for the F&B area. Before the opening of Forno da Telha, Miguel Rocha Vieira was working on the concepts of two of the group's Alentejo hotels (Hilton Garden Inn Évora, opened in 2023, and Holiday Inn Beja, open since August).

The experience accumulated in this role also helped the Lisbon chef to deepen his knowledge of local gastronomy and develop the concept and menu now available in Évora: “Here we celebrate the true Alentejo essence, bringing to the table the flavors that make this region one of the richest and most complete in the country. We create recipes with products and ingredients from the region, telling a story in each dish”, explains Miguel Rocha Vieira. In short, the main objective of the new Forno da Telha restaurant is “to honor the region’s gastronomic tradition, reinterpreting it with contemporary, technical and originality”.

The new restaurant is located in the old Poço Novo Farm, built in the 19th century. The space was recovered and the architecture, namely the historic façade, delights the eye, while at the same time hiding a chapel and a central kitchen dominated by a tile oven. This element is now the epicenter of Miguel Rocha Vieira's adventure in Évora, which presents “a gastronomic concept capable of linking the past to the present, in an exclusive and signature menu.”

Pot Soup at FOrno da Telha

With an elegant and welcoming decor, marked by clay, wood and more traditional elements, the new Forno da Telha restaurant presents a menu that “reflects Alentejo roots, local products, fertile fields, the knowledge and generosity of the population, and traditional recipes.” At the table, the palate is prepared with Alentejo bread, but also fermented olives, pork butter and also the exclusive extra virgin olive oil developed by the chef . There is a complementary section “To go snacking”, with black Alentejo pork ham aged at least 30 months, sausages from Barrancos and cured sheep's cheese from Arraiolos.

This gastronomic return to Alentejo continues with a dozen starters, two of which are vegetarian, with emphasis on “Pezinhos” (€12), with coriander kimchi , “Lúcio Perca” (€14), cured and braised, migas and sausage broth , “Cabeça de xara” (€11) served with persimmons and pennyroyal vinaigrette, and “Orelha” (€12), in salad, pork rinds and pickled mustard seeds. Also count on “Soup from the pan”.

Team led by Miguel Rocha Vieira

For the main dishes, Miguel Rocha Vieira prepared seven suggestions, four of which are meat: “Lamb in a stew seen with different eyes” (€24), “Black pork tusk marinated in a bowl, potato crumbs and grilled lettuce heart (€23), “Chicken of the country acerejado with cereals” (€20) and “Vivolho de Raça Alentejana, potato terrine (with bacon), mushrooms and trincadeira sauce (€24). From the sea and the river, the highlights on the menu are “Cod with chickpeas, chorizo ​​and stewed with tongues and samos” (€22) and “Cação, in bread or soup, that is the question” (€19). The desserts, which mix tradition and modernity, are presented on a cart that travels around the restaurant's tables, with options such as “Far slice with lemon and acorn”, “Velvet pudding, coriander and walnuts”, “Arbutus brandy cake ” or “Quince salad”.

In the new restaurant, the wine offer reveals a natural focus on the region's wines, with special attention to the increasingly sought after carved wine, which Miguel Rocha Vieira considers “one of the essence of Alentejo”.

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