Café Oof, more like. Amirite?
I am pleased that you ate well in Portugal. I do like an old-fashioned restaurant such as you describe. I can't remember the last time I watched a Maitre d' flambée his eyebrows off at the table.
There is an unprepossessing-looking restaurant on Orpington High St, near to Xi'an, claiming to offer Thai, Malaysia and Indonesian food. Obviously one avoids such places as a matter of course, but something causeed me to check the menu wherein I found areference to roti canai... this intrigued me enough to give the place a try.
Plastic chairs, plastic wipe clean table cloths, a young chap front of house and his wife in the kitchen, and absolutely heavenly roti canai, mee goreng, laksa and Thai fishcakes. Amazing. What a find! We've been twice in a week and may return for a third visit tonight.