Why Fresh Food Matters – From the Heart of Faro

Olá amigos,

I’m Ricky, the proud owner of Tasca do Ricky here in beautiful Faro, where the sea meets the sun, and the flavors tell stories. I’ve been working in kitchens since I was a boy, learning from my mãe and avó, and later in restaurants from Lisbon to Lagos. One thing that’s never changed in all these years: fresh food is everything.

Let me tell you why that matters — not just to me, but to anyone who comes to eat in the Algarve.

We Live by the Sea – So Why Settle for Less?

Faro is lucky. We’re surrounded by the Ria Formosa, full of clams, oysters, razor fish, and the best dourada and robalo you’ll ever taste. I can walk to the market in the morning and know the man who caught my fish that very night. If the restaurant you're eating in doesn’t do that, then honestly… what are they doing?

Fresh fish smells clean, not “fishy.” It’s firm, it glistens, and it needs almost nothing — just olive oil, lemon, and maybe a touch of flor de sal. Anything more is just hiding what’s not fresh.

A Dish Should Taste of Where You Are

When you come to eat at Tasca do Ricky, you’re not just filling your belly. You’re getting a bite of Faro. That’s why I use tomatoes grown just outside Olhão, sea salt from Castro Marim, and yes, and soon now even salicornia (a salty green gift from the Ria Formosa itself).

If the vegetables taste like plastic or the meat is from halfway across Europe, what’s the point? You could be eating anywhere. But when the food is fresh and local, every bite is a postcard from here.

Health, Flavour, and Respect

Fresh food is not just tastier — it’s healthier. No chemicals to keep it alive longer, no funny smells, no regrets later. You leave the table satisfied, not stuffed. Your body thanks you. Your doctor thanks you. And your taste buds sing Fado.

Also, let’s talk about respect. For the ingredient, for the person eating, and for the land and sea that provide it. I don’t want to serve something I wouldn’t feed my own family. I wouldn't want to be lied to at a restaurant, and I’ll never lie to you.

How to Know If It’s Fresh?

Simple things. Ask where the fish came from. Look at the eyes — clear or cloudy? Smell it. See if the menu changes with the seasons. If strawberries show up in January, or the sardines are being served in March, run, my friend. That’s not Faro — that’s frozen.

In the End, It’s About Love

I put my heart on every plate that leaves my kitchen. That’s why I wake up early to go to the market, why I chop my own garlic, and why I don’t cut corners. It’s not a business trick. It’s love. And love, my friends, is always fresh.

So next time you’re in Faro, whether you come to Tasca do Ricky or go elsewhere, do yourself a favor — choose a place that respects food, the land, and you. Eat fresh. Eat real. Eat like a local.

Com carinho,
Ricky