No other restaurant along the coast between Cascais and Guincho can compete with the sheer drama and majesty of this one. Set directly atop jagged rocks a few feet from the surf, it's part of what was once a military outpost for the Portuguese monarchs, built on this isolated site in the 17th century

In 2001, the restaurant was designated as a Relais & Châteaux establishment, thanks partly to its devoted allegiance to the tenets of modern French cuisine. A disciple (Marc Le Ouedec) of one of eastern France's most celebrated 3 Michelin star chefs, Antoine Westermann, owner of Buerehiesel, in Alsace, was installed as the hardworking director of the kitchens.

Since then, the site has been acknowledged as the most gastronomically sophisticated in the region, with a world-class cuisine and impeccable service. Menu items change with the seasons and the inspiration of the chef but are likely to include shellfish soup with basil and saffron sauce, roasted monkfish in a red-wine sauce with a comfit of garlic and onions, and shoulder of lamb in an herb-and-salt crust with thyme-flavored potatoes.