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• Vegan Menu In Funchal - A Life Saver

I visited Olives again for lunch in December 2016 during another cruise. I ordered mushroom and cashew salad, as a vegan option, not realising it was served warm, with mini corn cakes and tomatoes. Luis's presentation is always topnotch and appealing to the eye and the dish was an excellent choice. I then had a vegan version of the vegetarian filo parcel dish, its stunning presentation, topped with a paper thin wafer on top, filled with finely shredded sauteed vegetables was outstanding. Apparently the filo pastry contained egg, so Luis made this specially and how he created the shape I have no idea, its a trade secret, it was crisp, light and added texture to the dish. The main component was chickpea flour cooked like wet polenta, layered with roast vegetables and pesto, wow it was good and how inventive. Luis is so enthusiastic about his vegan cooking, he said he found it challenging for him as a chef, instead of vegetarian and I take my hat off to him for his interest. Apparently there is a growing vegan community in Madeira, so how lucky are they, to have Olives to dine and be looked after by the ever conscientious Luis, who knows what vegan means. I cannot recommend Olives highly enough and I will definitely be back, when next in Madeira. Olives Restaurant is located on the third floor of an art deco building, right in the middle of Funchal and is accessible via a lift inside. I contacted chef/proprietor Luis Oliveira, who informed me they had a vegetarian and vegan menu, with choices for both starter and main courses. I have been to Funchal loads of times and never dined out, as I have been unable to find anywhere offering vegan options so Olives is a life saver. I chose the avocado and tamarillo salad with a hot chilly sauce, it was delicious and beautifully presented. I really wanted to try the organic tofu and chickpea stew with seeded bread, but with allergies to soya and sunflower seeds, I went for the stuffed pepper, an excellent choice, it was so tasty. I chose a Portuguese rose wine by Ribafrexio which has Vegan Society registration, so I really was in vegan heaven. I had lovely fruits with sorbet for dessert which was looked as fantastic on the plate as my other two dishes and was light and refreshing to finish. Olive's Restaurant is a fantastic place and Luis and all the staff are so friendly and welcoming, so any vegans visiting Funchal, Olives has to be top of your priority list if you want to dine out. Updated from previous review on 2017-01-03