July 1st was my golden jubilee of a birthday, the big 50. We had kept busy with Portuguese language school through the end of May, we finalized our house purchase the beginning of June, and then hosted cousin Elsa who arrived on June 18th. By the time my birthday actually rolled around, I hadn’t really had time to experience any trepidation, anxiety, or turmoil about my new age.

We were still in Coimbra the morning of the 1st and after our University Tour we headed North to Bom Jesus do Monte. We had enjoyed our previous visit and thought cousin Elsa might enjoy the gardens, stellar view of Braga, and climbing several hundred stairs. After our midday workout, we headed to Guimarães to check into our Airbnb in the historic city center. Our lodging was a stone’s throw from the restaurant Andrew had booked for my birthday dinner.

When we arrived at Hool, the restaurant at Hotel da Oliveira, there was one other couple sharing the dining room. We had a great view of the square in front of Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Oliveira and it was packed with people at outdoor bars and cafes watching the UEFA Portugal vs. Slovenia match. We could hear cheers and boos, but couldn’t see any TV screens from where we were seated (we may have snuck a few glances on our phones to check game scores throughout dinner).

We introduced Elsa to her first tasting menu, and also opted for the beverage pairing which unexpectedly included a taste of the chef’s gin – light, citrusy, a wonderful palate cleanser. The food was fancy, modern, and service felt even more formal because we were some of the only clients. At times it was a 1 to 1 staff to client ratio, with 3 employees serving us simultaneously.

Hool offers three tasting menus ranging from €70-€140 per person and beverage pairings between €60-€80. We chose the “Discovery” option which included 8 courses and ingredients such as eel, foie gras, scallops, caviar, sea bass, prawns, wagyu, pork neck, and dessert. We were quite full after finishing all courses and beverage pairings. Every course on offer was painstakingly presented and in all it was a great choice for a special night out. While I wouldn’t regularly return for the 8 course tasting menu without something important to celebrate, I definitely would return for a fancy date night with the à la carte menu in mind.