Monte Rei Golf & Country Club, Vila Nova de Cacela near Tavira

Already winning plaudits as not only one of the best golf courses in the Algarve, but in the whole of Europe, the North Course - a Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course - was one of the first phases of the resort to open, along with Vistas Restaurant and the more informal Monte Rei Grill. The completion of the project will include a five-star hotel, family resort facilities and a private beach retreat, as well as a second Jack Nicklaus Signature course.

Vistas, open from April until October each year, is part of the resort's luxury golf clubhouse, more akin to the type of excusive country club you'd expect to find in Georgia or the Carolinas, and spectacular views out over the fairways complement your gourmet dining experience. Jaime Perez manages the overall operation of the resort's restaurants, including staff and service, year-round, incorporating elements of Spain's exciting culinary movement into a cuisine that blends innovative techniques with regional products and history to produce dishes that are as much a work of art as they are designed to suit the most discerning palates.

Sample starters at Vistas include terrine of foie gras, pear purée, port wine reduction and spiced bread or Andalusian gaspacho with crab meat, bell peppers brunoise and basil sauce. Mains include grilled monkfish crusted with pistachio and sautéed green peas or lamb sweetbreads with white beans ragout and cuttlefish tagliatelli, whilst mouth-watering desserts include the five-chocolate combination of crisp, mousse, sorbet, brownie and sauce.

Visit the Website: www.monte-rei.com