“Trying to bring a bit of Madeira onto the plate!” Thomas Faudry does not hesitate when asked about the aim of the new tasting menu at Uva, located in the The Vine Hotel. The chef moves with the agility of someone who knows every corner of the place, where he has led the kitchen team since the restaurant opened in 2008.
It is no coincidence that the menu is called Terroir, as it refers to Madeira’s produce and local suppliers. It is a way of presenting “the Uva restaurant on a plate”, the chef explains, as he personally introduces many of the ten courses in this experience of the new menu. Thomas Faudry makes no secret of his ambition: to draw attention to the restaurant and combine its rooftop city views with a high-quality tasting experience. Looking ahead, perhaps even to catch the attention of the Michelin Guide and return to its prestigious listings.
The restaurant also offers an à la carte menu for lighter, shorter meals. Terroir is designed for those seeking a fine dining experience, which may be paired with wines selected to complement each dish by the front-of-house team led by João Vieira.
João Vieira highlights Uva’s respect for seasonal produce. The new Terroir menu is designed for spring and summer, and therefore includes delicacies such as tuna, which passes through Madeira’s waters at this time of year. “We have a farm that supplies us almost exclusively with agricultural produce,” he explains. Located in São Jorge, the restaurant requests what it needs and the farm cultivates it accordingly, ensuring freshness.
Uva is a restaurant rooted in Madeira’s local gastronomy, with a distinctive signature and a French classical influence, reflecting the chef’s origins. The food is comforting and simple, aiming to create a relaxed atmosphere.
The ten-course experience includes bread and sweets served with coffee or tea. The bread is accompanied by butter made in-house, flavoured with black garlic, paprika and bay leaf powder. This local touch - bay leaf - is an example of how the menu connects Madeira to the overall experience.
In the nori seaweed and Seixal trout tartare, it is the fish that establishes this connection. This amuse-bouche is served in tart form. A similar relationship is found in the tuna ceviche, seasoned with leche de tigre and wasabi, and served with avocado.
Next comes a vegetarian dish: beetroot baked in a salt crust, seasoned with spices and Madeira curd cheese. It is an intense dish, balancing the sweetness of the beetroot with the savoury seasoning.
Needless to say, Madeira stands out in every dish. This is evident in the fish course, a cured wreckfish cooked at low temperature, served with “sea sausages”, spinach and locally sourced fennel. Or in the first meat dish, suckling pig with cider sauce, another local reference.
The experience becomes more multisensory with another meat course, this time beef, served with confit sweet potato, shallots and black garlic. The meat is smoked with bay leaf and uncovered at the table, releasing an aroma reminiscent of Madeira’s traditional espetada.
The connection continues in the desserts. One features a dehydrated white chocolate crumble with yoghurt ice cream, lemon, curd cheese and mango olive oil. Another dessert is based on grapes and Madeira honey cake. The grape pays tribute to the name and theme of the hotel, The Vine, as well as the restaurant itself. The sugarcane honey honours Madeira.
Service at Uva is efficient and attentive. The wine cellar is extensive, with a strong selection of Portuguese wines. The view over Funchal is delightful, and the restaurant is located in the heart of the city.
