Na-Pura

OK, so stay with me on this one…
This place looks awful from the outside, like a wipe-​down sandwich shop. I hadn’t intended on EVER going in here but did once on the recommendation of a friend.
This place is run by a Portuguese family that are absolutely brilliant and very welcoming when you come in. They treat the front of the ‘restaurant’ a bit like their front room and you are likely to see a member of the family sitting there watching the football, the mother in the kitchen or at the very least behind the counter, and a young child wandering about or sleeping somewhere. This is perfectly normal, and quite sweet actually.
The majority of their business comes from take-​aways and delivery very locally, but have never had take-​away personally.
This is where the best bit comes in… walk in and ask of you can eat out the back. If you are lucky, you’ll be accepted into the fold and you will be led down a small corridor and out the back. When you get there, a little oasis opens up: tables, chairs, Mediterranean plants, a huge brick BBQ, decking, a little straw covered veranda… all saved for the privileged few (only about ⁴⁄₅ tables).
It is like having dinner at their house. The food is traditional Portuguese, is all made from scratch by the mother when you order (this is reflected in the waiting time so don’t go there if you are absolutely famished, you’ll go mental) and the prices are more than reasonable. The menu is not huge, but the portions have many a time beaten grown men (well, me… a couple of times). The waiter is classic, I don’t even think he speaks English but is a fantastic old man that finds it hard to remember what you ordered, even if there are only 2 of you. This just adds to the whole surreal experience, but surreal in the best possible way.
They don’t advertise the seating area out back, you’ll have to ask if you are allowed to eat out there, but when/​if you do, set your alarm for 1 hour afterwards and remember to ask yourself where you are — I defy you to admit you thought you were on holiday.
Again, just a word of caution, don’t go here if you are in a rush, because they never are…
Great place, really random and kept for those ‘in the know’.