Without blowing my own trumpet too loudly, I’ve somehow managed to meet some interesting people over my 62 years. None by design, you understand. The famous television Chef, the late (great) Keith Floyd, was a friend of a friend. This old adage was one of his favourites.

I was only a youngster when I met him (26). Despite my youth, some of those Floydian memories have definitely been diluted in the fog of alcohol-induced amnesia. They say that birds of a feather flock together, and our group was more than slightly partial to the odd “slurp” or two. Floyd, of course, was famous for it. Not that I was remotely aware of this at the time. I’d never even heard of Keith Floyd, let alone watched any of his cookery programmes and learned about his penchant for wine “slurping”. I had a Mum who did all the cooking for me.

Watch the full video here 👇👇👇


Anyway, it would have been rude of me not to join in with Floyd and friends’ enthusiasm for the odd tipple or three. One thing I do very clearly recall was the crashing hangovers.


Not a foodie

These days, it would be a complete joke if I were to even attempt to depict myself as some sort of “foodie”. Everyone in my family says that I have the palate of a toddler. And it’s true. I’m just hopeless when it comes to trying different foods.

I don’t think Keith Floyd would have ever described himself as a “foodie” either. In fact, he would have loathed being called that, which is probably why he invented the term “gastronaut”. So, as another humble “gastronaut”, I can fully concur with the notion that many restaurants are indeed only as good as the last meal eaten in them.

Yes, this evening, here I am once again, sitting rather comfortably in a period-correct room in the wonderful Quinta de Santa Barbara. A place which quite literally nestles on a hillside overlooking the Alentejo town of Constância. I’m doing this after a 15-year hiatus. God, I must be old!

Now, I’ve been banging on about going back to the same restaurant for seconds and the risk of being disappointed. But this time, there are a number of caveats to take into consideration. When I last came to this place all those years ago, it was under completely different management. Back then, it was run by a couple. A Portuguese gentleman with his very elegant, English-born wife, who’d spent much of her early years living with her family in Goa where she’d honed some pretty amazing culinary skills.

Credits: Unsplash; Author: andrea-junqueira;

A youthful drive

So, let’s fast-forward 15+ years. Well, I’m pleased to report that nothing major has changed, at least in the physical sense. It’s still very recognisably the old Quinta de Santa Barbara that I so vividly remember. However, in those intervening 15 years, the place has changed hands numerous times. The current owners, Cuban-born Senhor Marcos Sans and his Portuguese wife Senhora Ionice Campos, have only been here for a handful of months. But I can clearly see that they have plenty of youthful drive, enthusiasm and ambition. The old Quinta seems to be in pretty safe hands.

It didn’t take long for me to make a choice. I’d already eyed up the menu earlier that afternoon. One thing definitely stood out, seeing as I’m slap-bang in the heart of the Alentejo. Porco preto, served on a bed of migas. This was a particularly appealing option because this dish featured on Portuguese TV’s version of MasterChef. The Chef at the Quinta, Maria Margardia Presado (from nearby Abrantes), was actually a contestant on the 2025/2026 series.

Euros & cents

So, what about the pounds & pence? Or, euros & cents as it is around these parts. Well, a fabulous fully air-conditioned period en-suite room, including their excellent continental buffet breakfast, came in at just €54. And the evening meal, including a beer and two hefty glasses of wine plus a sweet? Wait for it. €36. Isn’t that astonishing? Especially these days? This wasn’t just a haphazard meal, it was a full-on fine-dining experience set in completely unique surroundings. So, if you’re planning an Alentejo jaunt anytime soon, this place really is a must. The new proprietors are planning to shake up the Menu a bit too, with some themed evenings in the pipeline. Brazilian, Indian and other interesting culinary soirees are planned in the near future. So, I mightn’t leave for 15 years before making my return. At my age, that would be somewhat unwise, if you catch my drift.