LISBON FOOD NOTES Fall, 2016
Nov 19th, 2016, 07:45 AM
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LISBON FOOD NOTES Fall, 2016
I recently returned from 5 days in Lisbon, a city I had not visited before. (Hopefully this was not the last visit!). In order to thank those who helped me plan my stay, I will set down a few brief notes, mostly about food--both eating it and shopping for it. And when I finish writing this, I can finally clear my coffee table of the scraps of paper, restaurant receipts and business cards from the trip!
Prior to the trip, I had posted this query thread, asking about restaurants in the city:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...irst-visit.cfm
Lisbon came at the end of a three-week-long vacation; the days prior to our arrival in the Portuguese capital were spent in Spain. We flew into Madrid on Delta, rented a car at the airport from Avis, through Kemwell, and drove first to Ribera del Duero where we spent two nights. After that, we had three nights in Burgos and one in Muxika, chosen for its proximity to Asador Extebarri which had been at the top spot in my "restaurants to visit" list for years. We then had two nights in Getaria, followed by five in San Sebastian/Donostia. And finally, two nights in Bilbao from where we flew to Lisbon on TAP's affiliate, White Airways. (I will relate my major mess-up with that flight if I write a report on the Spain portion of our vacation).
Arriving on Tuesday November 8 (Election Day in the USA), we took a taxi from the Lisbon Airport to our hotel (taxi cost 14 euro with several heavy bags; curious if this was a just price or if we got taken by a few euro). Occupying a historic building fronting on Praça Luis de Camões, the 55-room (they are about to expand) BAIRRO ALTO bills itself as a boutique hotel and in their case, the description is a valid one. This is a fairly small hotel, with small bedrooms and fairly tiny bathrooms but with outstanding personalized service from a staff of most cordial hotel professionals. Room furnishings are handsome, beds are supremely comfortable (too comfortable; we slept too late each morning), and thankfully since the hotel faces an action-packed public square, the double glazed windows are soundproofed to perfection. A bountiful buffet breakfast was included in our Virtuoso room rate, with cooked-to-order dishes available as well. It was at the breakfast buffet that I had my first taste of Portuguese cheeses; the "island cheese" from the Azores was a favorite that, so far, I've not been able to find in New York. Perhaps this is a good thing. No, scratch the "perhaps." Our room rate also included a dinner or lunch at the hotel's restaurant which we had no time to take advantage of since our dinners were spoken for and the breakfasts were too copious to allow room for lunch. The hotel also has a wonderful rooftop bar allowing a panoramic view of the city and river; take my advice and book seats ahead as it is open to the public and gets filled around sunset.
http://www.bairroaltohotel.com/en/
As you might expect, all of this comes at a price which I found unexpectedly high. Although the rates varied day by day, our room bill for the five nights including taxes was 2200 euro. But due to the wide fluctuation in rates, a stay at another time might have been much less pricey. Or perhaps much more pricey. We had also considered Lapa Palace, ruling it out only because of the less central location but after experiencing the taxis of Lisbon with their low rates, we might consider that hotel next time. We peeked into the grande dame Avenida Palace during our stay and although the public rooms might be due for a refreshment, that comes at a much lower price, I believe. And there seem to be loads of small properties around the city that would bear looking into.
I've already wandered far off the food track and in fact, have written so much that I need now to break and return to the kitchen to attend to my cauliflower which is on the point of burning in the oven. Be back soon.
Prior to the trip, I had posted this query thread, asking about restaurants in the city:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...irst-visit.cfm
Lisbon came at the end of a three-week-long vacation; the days prior to our arrival in the Portuguese capital were spent in Spain. We flew into Madrid on Delta, rented a car at the airport from Avis, through Kemwell, and drove first to Ribera del Duero where we spent two nights. After that, we had three nights in Burgos and one in Muxika, chosen for its proximity to Asador Extebarri which had been at the top spot in my "restaurants to visit" list for years. We then had two nights in Getaria, followed by five in San Sebastian/Donostia. And finally, two nights in Bilbao from where we flew to Lisbon on TAP's affiliate, White Airways. (I will relate my major mess-up with that flight if I write a report on the Spain portion of our vacation).
Arriving on Tuesday November 8 (Election Day in the USA), we took a taxi from the Lisbon Airport to our hotel (taxi cost 14 euro with several heavy bags; curious if this was a just price or if we got taken by a few euro). Occupying a historic building fronting on Praça Luis de Camões, the 55-room (they are about to expand) BAIRRO ALTO bills itself as a boutique hotel and in their case, the description is a valid one. This is a fairly small hotel, with small bedrooms and fairly tiny bathrooms but with outstanding personalized service from a staff of most cordial hotel professionals. Room furnishings are handsome, beds are supremely comfortable (too comfortable; we slept too late each morning), and thankfully since the hotel faces an action-packed public square, the double glazed windows are soundproofed to perfection. A bountiful buffet breakfast was included in our Virtuoso room rate, with cooked-to-order dishes available as well. It was at the breakfast buffet that I had my first taste of Portuguese cheeses; the "island cheese" from the Azores was a favorite that, so far, I've not been able to find in New York. Perhaps this is a good thing. No, scratch the "perhaps." Our room rate also included a dinner or lunch at the hotel's restaurant which we had no time to take advantage of since our dinners were spoken for and the breakfasts were too copious to allow room for lunch. The hotel also has a wonderful rooftop bar allowing a panoramic view of the city and river; take my advice and book seats ahead as it is open to the public and gets filled around sunset.
http://www.bairroaltohotel.com/en/
As you might expect, all of this comes at a price which I found unexpectedly high. Although the rates varied day by day, our room bill for the five nights including taxes was 2200 euro. But due to the wide fluctuation in rates, a stay at another time might have been much less pricey. Or perhaps much more pricey. We had also considered Lapa Palace, ruling it out only because of the less central location but after experiencing the taxis of Lisbon with their low rates, we might consider that hotel next time. We peeked into the grande dame Avenida Palace during our stay and although the public rooms might be due for a refreshment, that comes at a much lower price, I believe. And there seem to be loads of small properties around the city that would bear looking into.
I've already wandered far off the food track and in fact, have written so much that I need now to break and return to the kitchen to attend to my cauliflower which is on the point of burning in the oven. Be back soon.
Nov 19th, 2016, 08:37 AM
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I was surprised at the cost of hotels when planing a trip to Lisbon a couple of years ago....
I stayed a few metro stops from Barrio Alto ...used taxis at night.
You make a good point.
Loking forward to more...
I stayed a few metro stops from Barrio Alto ...used taxis at night.
You make a good point.
Loking forward to more...
Nov 19th, 2016, 11:57 AM
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Not only did I finish roasting the cauliflower, but I finished the entire head for lunch! So temporarily sated, I will go on.
The combination of a generous budget and the hours upon hours of reading that I do before a trip usually results in restaurant meals that fall, at least, into the "very good" category. But our first dinner in Lisbon fell short. MINI BAR TEATRO is the "fun" restaurant of Jose Avillez, an El Bulli alum who is currently Portugal's hottest chef. And because we had not been able to get a table in his flagship BELCANTO before we left home (we did get a table at the last minute) and I wanted to sample his food, I decided upon MINI BAR. An added plus for the first night in town is that it was just a 5 minute walk from our hotel, in the hip Chiado neighborhood.
I had been wowed by the playful molecular flourishes of Albert Adria's TICKETS when I ate there, on the second night after its opening, about five years ago in Barcelona. So these comments come from someone who has tasted vaguely similar (and in one case, almost identical) dishes. And if TICKETS channels the ambience of a circus, MINI BAR tried to emulate some elements of the theater from its name---MINI BAR TEATRO--to its setting inside the building housing a famous theatre to the courses divided into "acts." The interior reminded me of a nightclub--all dark with pinheads of light and staff whose perkiness, in the case of the server who attended us, seemed a bit forced.
There is a choice of a full dinner with set courses or a la carte. My partner has a formidable list of dislikes with regards to food, so it was safer to choose our own dishes and we went a la carte.
My cocktail, the Lisboa, was the best treat of the evening, a sweet concoction made with "forest fruits," vodka, ginger, and one or two additional ingredients. I'm not usually a cocktail drinker in restaurants ( prefer wine) but this was really outstanding and I wish I had one in my hand right now, or at least had the recipe.
At my insistence, since only I had been to TICKETS, we began with the olives which are not really olives although they taste like olives and are a signature dish at TICKETS as they were at El Bulli and are, in fact, called El Bulli Olives on the menu. Although they taste good, to olive fans, they no longer had the element of surprise, but at 2.40 for two, served in individual stainless spoons, it was a fun way to begin the meal.
A "cornetto," or cone of tuna tartar temaki, a tartar of tuna with a citrus/soy dressing, came next for me, stuffed into its pretty cone. Very good but not all that unusual except for the cone shape. (No fish that is even remotely raw passes the partner's lips) 6 euro
The parade moved on to a trio of croquettes served with a mustardy dip. These were superb, so superb that we had to cut the third one in half (normally I would just let it go 2 to 1 but these were too good to yield) 3.75 euro
"Roast chicken," really little crackers topped with tiny chicken bits and an avocado cream, dotted with piri piri, came next. Not memorable in taste but they would be great passed appetizers at a party. 3 euro
That's really what this meal was, a succession of tidbits that one might find on a very sophisticated buffet table. It did not coalesce into a real meal and that would have been fine had we not had such high expectations for the meal coming, as it did, from the "best" chef in town. On the other hand, the prices were low considering the intricacy of some of the items.
We each had our own JA Burger, made from Portuguese DOP beef (I forget the details). I will mention here that I took no notes on this trip, or rather I gave up on taking notes after the first two dinners in Spain. So some of the descriptions might be sketchy and will no doubt grow more so if I draw out this report as I have done with others in the past. The burgers were good but did not hold a candle to Shake Shack back home. (Yes, I know, shame on me for ordering hamburgers in the first place!)
Andn double shame for my next dish, a forgettable version of a banh mi called a Vietnamese pork sandwich. 5.5 euro
With that delicious cocktail and a liter of Agua Vitalis, the bill came to 43.65 euro.
http://www.minibar.pt/en/minibar.html
If you are in the area and want a cocktail or a snack, MINI BAR is fine. Note that it opens at 7pm, so it's good to know if you want an early light bite. Just don't waste a dinner there if you have only a few nights in Lisbon, as we did.
One more comment, which I made on another thread: An astounding number of the Portuguese we met spoke impeccable English. I'd not encountered this before in a Latin country. We discussed this with the great guys manning the front desk of the hotel and they told us that English is compulsory in school so most people on the young side will be varying degrees of fluent. But do not expect all taxi drivers to speak English, as they might be older.
Happily, our dinner the next night was one to remember, for me at least. We will head to CERVEJARIA RAMIRO very soon!!
The combination of a generous budget and the hours upon hours of reading that I do before a trip usually results in restaurant meals that fall, at least, into the "very good" category. But our first dinner in Lisbon fell short. MINI BAR TEATRO is the "fun" restaurant of Jose Avillez, an El Bulli alum who is currently Portugal's hottest chef. And because we had not been able to get a table in his flagship BELCANTO before we left home (we did get a table at the last minute) and I wanted to sample his food, I decided upon MINI BAR. An added plus for the first night in town is that it was just a 5 minute walk from our hotel, in the hip Chiado neighborhood.
I had been wowed by the playful molecular flourishes of Albert Adria's TICKETS when I ate there, on the second night after its opening, about five years ago in Barcelona. So these comments come from someone who has tasted vaguely similar (and in one case, almost identical) dishes. And if TICKETS channels the ambience of a circus, MINI BAR tried to emulate some elements of the theater from its name---MINI BAR TEATRO--to its setting inside the building housing a famous theatre to the courses divided into "acts." The interior reminded me of a nightclub--all dark with pinheads of light and staff whose perkiness, in the case of the server who attended us, seemed a bit forced.
There is a choice of a full dinner with set courses or a la carte. My partner has a formidable list of dislikes with regards to food, so it was safer to choose our own dishes and we went a la carte.
My cocktail, the Lisboa, was the best treat of the evening, a sweet concoction made with "forest fruits," vodka, ginger, and one or two additional ingredients. I'm not usually a cocktail drinker in restaurants ( prefer wine) but this was really outstanding and I wish I had one in my hand right now, or at least had the recipe.
At my insistence, since only I had been to TICKETS, we began with the olives which are not really olives although they taste like olives and are a signature dish at TICKETS as they were at El Bulli and are, in fact, called El Bulli Olives on the menu. Although they taste good, to olive fans, they no longer had the element of surprise, but at 2.40 for two, served in individual stainless spoons, it was a fun way to begin the meal.
A "cornetto," or cone of tuna tartar temaki, a tartar of tuna with a citrus/soy dressing, came next for me, stuffed into its pretty cone. Very good but not all that unusual except for the cone shape. (No fish that is even remotely raw passes the partner's lips) 6 euro
The parade moved on to a trio of croquettes served with a mustardy dip. These were superb, so superb that we had to cut the third one in half (normally I would just let it go 2 to 1 but these were too good to yield) 3.75 euro
"Roast chicken," really little crackers topped with tiny chicken bits and an avocado cream, dotted with piri piri, came next. Not memorable in taste but they would be great passed appetizers at a party. 3 euro
That's really what this meal was, a succession of tidbits that one might find on a very sophisticated buffet table. It did not coalesce into a real meal and that would have been fine had we not had such high expectations for the meal coming, as it did, from the "best" chef in town. On the other hand, the prices were low considering the intricacy of some of the items.
We each had our own JA Burger, made from Portuguese DOP beef (I forget the details). I will mention here that I took no notes on this trip, or rather I gave up on taking notes after the first two dinners in Spain. So some of the descriptions might be sketchy and will no doubt grow more so if I draw out this report as I have done with others in the past. The burgers were good but did not hold a candle to Shake Shack back home. (Yes, I know, shame on me for ordering hamburgers in the first place!)
Andn double shame for my next dish, a forgettable version of a banh mi called a Vietnamese pork sandwich. 5.5 euro
With that delicious cocktail and a liter of Agua Vitalis, the bill came to 43.65 euro.
http://www.minibar.pt/en/minibar.html
If you are in the area and want a cocktail or a snack, MINI BAR is fine. Note that it opens at 7pm, so it's good to know if you want an early light bite. Just don't waste a dinner there if you have only a few nights in Lisbon, as we did.
One more comment, which I made on another thread: An astounding number of the Portuguese we met spoke impeccable English. I'd not encountered this before in a Latin country. We discussed this with the great guys manning the front desk of the hotel and they told us that English is compulsory in school so most people on the young side will be varying degrees of fluent. But do not expect all taxi drivers to speak English, as they might be older.
Happily, our dinner the next night was one to remember, for me at least. We will head to CERVEJARIA RAMIRO very soon!!
Nov 19th, 2016, 12:09 PM
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"But do not expect all taxi drivers to speak English, as they might be older. "
I spoke Spanish ( with apologies) to taxi drivers (and a few times when
asking directions on the street) .... worked well.
I spoke Spanish ( with apologies) to taxi drivers (and a few times when
asking directions on the street) .... worked well.
Nov 19th, 2016, 01:27 PM
#10
just found this, eck - Lisbon and Portugal are on our radar at present so it's well timed.
one thing i'd be interested in is how prices compare between Spain and Portugal - last time we were in Spain it seemed pretty cheap to us for what you get. Does that still apply and how does Portugal compare?
one thing i'd be interested in is how prices compare between Spain and Portugal - last time we were in Spain it seemed pretty cheap to us for what you get. Does that still apply and how does Portugal compare?
Nov 20th, 2016, 01:47 AM
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I love your reports and am looking forward to the rest of this one. A number of friends have told me recently how nice Lisbon is for a short trip and so reading about it from your foodie perspective is very timely.
Nov 20th, 2016, 09:49 AM
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Ann, I would say that that is still the case as compared with prices in the US and, I imagine, in the UK. For example, the Maria Cristina in San Sebastian, which surely is among the best hotels in Spain, if not in Europe, charged about 370 euro including breakfast buffet and tax; imagine the price for a hotel of that level in a North American, or British city. And in the bars of San Sebastian and Bilbao, to name two places we visited, one could sate themselves lavishly for 20 euro a person or less, as I remember. I think Portugal (Lisbon, really) might be even a tad less expensive except for the hotel rates. But maybe we were there during a period of very high rates; our visit overlapped the big Web Summit 2016, and many hotels including ours, were full.
Also, I made at least two spelling errors above: ETXEBARRI is the correct spelling of the asador restaurant in Axpe. When I find the other error I will correct that one as well.
Loncall: Thank you very much. It's difficult to generalize because I had only five dinners and a few snacks but I found the food to be excellent, if not at the level of the Basque region. One exception was the shellfish which was outrageously great. You see things there that you've probably never seen before, and become familiar with all kinds of seafood; there are four or five types of what we would call shrimp on menus. Including the carabineiros, the large red prawns that have to be among the most delicious things to come out of the sea. Just astoundingly great. Not to mention lobsters, crayfish, and on and on and on and on.
Also, I made at least two spelling errors above: ETXEBARRI is the correct spelling of the asador restaurant in Axpe. When I find the other error I will correct that one as well.
Loncall: Thank you very much. It's difficult to generalize because I had only five dinners and a few snacks but I found the food to be excellent, if not at the level of the Basque region. One exception was the shellfish which was outrageously great. You see things there that you've probably never seen before, and become familiar with all kinds of seafood; there are four or five types of what we would call shrimp on menus. Including the carabineiros, the large red prawns that have to be among the most delicious things to come out of the sea. Just astoundingly great. Not to mention lobsters, crayfish, and on and on and on and on.
Nov 20th, 2016, 10:30 AM
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CERVEJARIA RAMIRO
It's almost impossible to describe the fabulousness of this restaurant for a seafood lover such as yours truly. An absolute mecca for a vast and varied array of aquatic creatures, simply prepared and presented without pretension. The place is open non-stop, except Mondays, from noon to just past midnight. There is apparently always a line (queue) at mealtimes, but the restaurant is pretty large so I doubt if the waits are too long at all but the most crowded hours and in high tourist season. On the night we went, there were a few people waiting at 6pm but by the time we left around 8pm there was quite a crowd.
Sometimes they will take a reservation (my hotel told me that they never booked ahead but I had luck reserving a table). But the downside with booking ahead is that you will be seated, as we were, in an upstairs dining room which is fairly quiet, but removed from the animated frenzy of the ground level dining room.
The crowd here represents all ages, colors and ethnicities with locals (or at least Portuguese speakers) appearing to be in the far greater majority. One thing they all have in common is the desire to gorge on the seafood for which Ramiro is famous. (well, all of them with the exception of my partner who shuns anything "with shells"). For those poor folks, options are limited to: A steak sandwich and a few Portuguese cheeses. The locals eat the sandwiches after the seafood feast but one can certainly be served along with the seafood as it was in our case. (The sandwich was pronoounced "okay")
I ordered a bottle of young Alvarinho Solar de Serrade, recommended by our waiter, a perfect accompaniment to seafood.
The waiters (all male from what I could see) are harried but very cordial, and ours told me to cut back as I was ordering too much for one person. The menu is presented on a laptop provided for each table. You really ought to do some reading about the various varieties of shellfish before you come, unless you are familliar with them already.
Plates are accompanied by some of the best bread we ate on ths trip.
I began with a bowl of Almeijoas a Bulhão Pato, small clams slicked with a parsley and garlic butter bath. Perfect.
From the five types of prawns on offer, I chose two: Tiger Prawn and Carabineiro Prawn. I ordered two of each but the waiter told me that this would be too much and advised me to order onen of each. I concurred. could I have eaten one more of these giant treats? You bet! But I held myself back.
Really, the clams and the two tremendous prawns combined to make an excellent meal. Both are grilled but the difference in preparation is that the red prawns are grilled whole, which results in a shell filled with fabulous shrimp-ey liquid and a head that can be sucked on until every last drop has vanished. The Tiger prawns are split before grilling and so lack that scrumptious juice. Like almost all of the shellfish, the prawns are sold by the kilo (Giant Tiger prawns at 65 per kilo and Carabineiros at 79.75 per kilo) but it is easier to just state the number of items you want instead of trying to figure out the weight of the meat and ordering by fractions of a kilo.
I will never forget this dinner at Ramiro and I would have liked to return for a second go-round during our trip but we had so many ohers places to sample.
Including the wine and the bread, the total came to a most reasonable 62 euro. (A few months before our trip, I took advantage of the rare appearance of carabineiros at a Portuguese restaurant in Manhattan; although much was made of their appearance, these were not nearly as luscious, nowhere in the same ballpark as the ones at Ramiro, really, and were priced at US$19 per prawn.)
One of my favorite meals of the three-week-long trip!!
http://www.cervejariaramiro.pt/
Just a block or two away from the restaurant is a don't miss stop for shoppers:
A VIDA PORTUGUESA sells an array of Portuguese-made goods from Claus Porto soaps to canned sardines to honeys to rugs to porcelain in lovely bright premises behind a tiled entryway. There are four shops in Lisbon but this is the largest and I highly recommend a visit even if one does not eat at Ramiro.
http://www.avidaportuguesa.com/lojas/intendente_2
It's almost impossible to describe the fabulousness of this restaurant for a seafood lover such as yours truly. An absolute mecca for a vast and varied array of aquatic creatures, simply prepared and presented without pretension. The place is open non-stop, except Mondays, from noon to just past midnight. There is apparently always a line (queue) at mealtimes, but the restaurant is pretty large so I doubt if the waits are too long at all but the most crowded hours and in high tourist season. On the night we went, there were a few people waiting at 6pm but by the time we left around 8pm there was quite a crowd.
Sometimes they will take a reservation (my hotel told me that they never booked ahead but I had luck reserving a table). But the downside with booking ahead is that you will be seated, as we were, in an upstairs dining room which is fairly quiet, but removed from the animated frenzy of the ground level dining room.
The crowd here represents all ages, colors and ethnicities with locals (or at least Portuguese speakers) appearing to be in the far greater majority. One thing they all have in common is the desire to gorge on the seafood for which Ramiro is famous. (well, all of them with the exception of my partner who shuns anything "with shells"). For those poor folks, options are limited to: A steak sandwich and a few Portuguese cheeses. The locals eat the sandwiches after the seafood feast but one can certainly be served along with the seafood as it was in our case. (The sandwich was pronoounced "okay")
I ordered a bottle of young Alvarinho Solar de Serrade, recommended by our waiter, a perfect accompaniment to seafood.
The waiters (all male from what I could see) are harried but very cordial, and ours told me to cut back as I was ordering too much for one person. The menu is presented on a laptop provided for each table. You really ought to do some reading about the various varieties of shellfish before you come, unless you are familliar with them already.
Plates are accompanied by some of the best bread we ate on ths trip.
I began with a bowl of Almeijoas a Bulhão Pato, small clams slicked with a parsley and garlic butter bath. Perfect.
From the five types of prawns on offer, I chose two: Tiger Prawn and Carabineiro Prawn. I ordered two of each but the waiter told me that this would be too much and advised me to order onen of each. I concurred. could I have eaten one more of these giant treats? You bet! But I held myself back.
Really, the clams and the two tremendous prawns combined to make an excellent meal. Both are grilled but the difference in preparation is that the red prawns are grilled whole, which results in a shell filled with fabulous shrimp-ey liquid and a head that can be sucked on until every last drop has vanished. The Tiger prawns are split before grilling and so lack that scrumptious juice. Like almost all of the shellfish, the prawns are sold by the kilo (Giant Tiger prawns at 65 per kilo and Carabineiros at 79.75 per kilo) but it is easier to just state the number of items you want instead of trying to figure out the weight of the meat and ordering by fractions of a kilo.
I will never forget this dinner at Ramiro and I would have liked to return for a second go-round during our trip but we had so many ohers places to sample.
Including the wine and the bread, the total came to a most reasonable 62 euro. (A few months before our trip, I took advantage of the rare appearance of carabineiros at a Portuguese restaurant in Manhattan; although much was made of their appearance, these were not nearly as luscious, nowhere in the same ballpark as the ones at Ramiro, really, and were priced at US$19 per prawn.)
One of my favorite meals of the three-week-long trip!!
http://www.cervejariaramiro.pt/
Just a block or two away from the restaurant is a don't miss stop for shoppers:
A VIDA PORTUGUESA sells an array of Portuguese-made goods from Claus Porto soaps to canned sardines to honeys to rugs to porcelain in lovely bright premises behind a tiled entryway. There are four shops in Lisbon but this is the largest and I highly recommend a visit even if one does not eat at Ramiro.
http://www.avidaportuguesa.com/lojas/intendente_2
Nov 21st, 2016, 10:14 AM
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Ann, move Lisbon up a few notches. It would be fun too compare lists!
CANTINHO DO AVILLEZ
Yet another outpost from famed Chef Jose Avillez this cozy, jumping restaurant is--like the chef's other places--located close to our hotel in the Chiado district.
Like many others of its ilk in various cities, it allows those with less-than-lofty budgets to sample the dishes orchestrated by a big-name chef. And although there is little similarity between the menus here and at Belcanto (Cantinho's menu reflects the vast reach of the Portuguese empire with flavors that emanate from Africa and Asia, as well as rural Portugal, with interpretations of mostly rustic, hearty dishes) it's clear that this is a well-run operation under the helm of a practiced chef. I'll break down the pricing here to show how the bill was calculated.
Cover charge: Two diners. 2.85 euro per person. We each received an amuse bouche but I've forgotten the details.
(I had read many reports and comments about the confusing pricing of the charge for entradas in Portugal, which seemed to drive many first-time visitors to near apoplexy as evidenced by reports on TripAdvisor and other sites. I'll mention here that we never experienced this custom. At RAMIRO, the bill notes a charge of 2.70 for bread with butter, and at CANTINHO DO AVILLEZ, we paid a cover of 5.70 euro. But we encountered no deceptive practices, nor charges that were confusing. This was probably because we dined at--with the exception of RAMIRO--modern restaurants priced on the high side. In any case, do not stress about these charges in advance)
We both shared an excellent appetizer of a whole honey-glazed Queijo Nisa, a sheep cheese from the Alentejo that became melty, gooey and delicious from time baked in the oven. Excellent with bread! 6.45 euro
I moved on to my now beloved Carabineiros. Here, a pair of the red shrimp, smaller than the ones at RAMIRO, basked in a light Thai green curry and was served with jasmine rice. It was a lovely dish but if one wants to savor those shrimp, RAMIRO is the place. 39.50 euro
My partner chose the neck of black, Alentejo pork, with black beans and French fries. Quite nice, if not memorable. 19 euro
We drank from the chef's bottling of a young rose, priced at 15 euro.
Total bill: 85.65 euro (Menu prices include taxes)
Service was competent. Noise level is moderate to high. It's a good address to keep in mind if you are based in the area, as the menu offers a range from game birds to offal to hamburger to a fish soup that caught my eye at the neighboring table. Noto sure it is worth a trek from elsewhere, however. Reserve in advance, as the restaurant was full even early on a weeknight. There is also a branch in Porto.
http://cantinhodoavillez.pt/wp-conte...EN_06Jul16.pdf
CANTINHO DO AVILLEZ
Yet another outpost from famed Chef Jose Avillez this cozy, jumping restaurant is--like the chef's other places--located close to our hotel in the Chiado district.
Like many others of its ilk in various cities, it allows those with less-than-lofty budgets to sample the dishes orchestrated by a big-name chef. And although there is little similarity between the menus here and at Belcanto (Cantinho's menu reflects the vast reach of the Portuguese empire with flavors that emanate from Africa and Asia, as well as rural Portugal, with interpretations of mostly rustic, hearty dishes) it's clear that this is a well-run operation under the helm of a practiced chef. I'll break down the pricing here to show how the bill was calculated.
Cover charge: Two diners. 2.85 euro per person. We each received an amuse bouche but I've forgotten the details.
(I had read many reports and comments about the confusing pricing of the charge for entradas in Portugal, which seemed to drive many first-time visitors to near apoplexy as evidenced by reports on TripAdvisor and other sites. I'll mention here that we never experienced this custom. At RAMIRO, the bill notes a charge of 2.70 for bread with butter, and at CANTINHO DO AVILLEZ, we paid a cover of 5.70 euro. But we encountered no deceptive practices, nor charges that were confusing. This was probably because we dined at--with the exception of RAMIRO--modern restaurants priced on the high side. In any case, do not stress about these charges in advance)
We both shared an excellent appetizer of a whole honey-glazed Queijo Nisa, a sheep cheese from the Alentejo that became melty, gooey and delicious from time baked in the oven. Excellent with bread! 6.45 euro
I moved on to my now beloved Carabineiros. Here, a pair of the red shrimp, smaller than the ones at RAMIRO, basked in a light Thai green curry and was served with jasmine rice. It was a lovely dish but if one wants to savor those shrimp, RAMIRO is the place. 39.50 euro
My partner chose the neck of black, Alentejo pork, with black beans and French fries. Quite nice, if not memorable. 19 euro
We drank from the chef's bottling of a young rose, priced at 15 euro.
Total bill: 85.65 euro (Menu prices include taxes)
Service was competent. Noise level is moderate to high. It's a good address to keep in mind if you are based in the area, as the menu offers a range from game birds to offal to hamburger to a fish soup that caught my eye at the neighboring table. Noto sure it is worth a trek from elsewhere, however. Reserve in advance, as the restaurant was full even early on a weeknight. There is also a branch in Porto.
http://cantinhodoavillez.pt/wp-conte...EN_06Jul16.pdf
Nov 21st, 2016, 10:24 AM
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CORRECTION: Just took a look at the bill for the next restaurant, PEIXARIA DA ESQUINA. I see that we were, indeed charged for an entrada: A cheese, at 3.50, as well as bread, for 2.50.
Nov 21st, 2016, 02:31 PM
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I stopped at CANTINHO DO AVILLEZ
without reservation...it was busy but they were very good about
seating me.
It was a few years ago so I don't remember what l ordered ...the meal was nothing
exceptional.
I agree with your assessment.
I had a much better dinner ( and service ) at 100 Manerias Bistro.
without reservation...it was busy but they were very good about
seating me.
It was a few years ago so I don't remember what l ordered ...the meal was nothing
exceptional.
I agree with your assessment.
I had a much better dinner ( and service ) at 100 Manerias Bistro.
Nov 22nd, 2016, 06:19 AM
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Danon we walked by 100 Maneiras and I had read good things about both the bistro and the restaurant. It was so difficult to narrow down the choices. When I return, I might think more about sampling the fare at the newly refurbished food markets because there seem to be a great concentration of stands (Ribera and Campo de Ourique markets) offering what looked like great quality foods in a lively, fun atmosphere.
Nov 24th, 2016, 10:45 AM
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Our hotel. Hotel Bairro Alto, faces Praca Luis de Camoes in Chiado, near Bairro Alto. It is a good area for shoppers, who will find international shops from Zara and Massimo Dutti (I plundered both of these in Spain, earlier in the trip) to Hermes and FNAC.
We were more tempted by the Portuguese shops and found two excellent addresses close to our hotel, both on Rua da Misericordia and both also found in Porto.
CHOCOLATARIA EQUADOR, at #72, transforms cocoa from Latin America into luscious artisanal truffles, bars, and bonbons filled with flavors from Port wine to Ginjinha (Morello Cherry) to raspberry, and embellishes the finished product with handsome paper wrapping designed in the 1950s. We bought a few bars home with us but sadly, the stockshave depeleted at an astonishing pace.
http://chocolatariaequador.com/
CLAUS PORTO is a name that has been well known to soap aficionados since the 19th Century, and their ornately packaged wares are sold in many upscale shops the world over. This new outlet at #135 is worth a visit for the gorgeoous premises alone which I believe represents their only freestanding retail location. A vast array of soaps, lotions, and creams for men and women, wears wrapping so beautiful that I will find it hard to tear my soaps open. The soaps come in an array of sizes; the 50g size (not a full-sized bar) costs 5.50 euro. If you need to buy gifts, I'd keep this address on file. (Claus Porto is also sold in other local shops but their own store, carrying the entire line, has the widest selection.)
www.clausporto.com
We were more tempted by the Portuguese shops and found two excellent addresses close to our hotel, both on Rua da Misericordia and both also found in Porto.
CHOCOLATARIA EQUADOR, at #72, transforms cocoa from Latin America into luscious artisanal truffles, bars, and bonbons filled with flavors from Port wine to Ginjinha (Morello Cherry) to raspberry, and embellishes the finished product with handsome paper wrapping designed in the 1950s. We bought a few bars home with us but sadly, the stockshave depeleted at an astonishing pace.
http://chocolatariaequador.com/
CLAUS PORTO is a name that has been well known to soap aficionados since the 19th Century, and their ornately packaged wares are sold in many upscale shops the world over. This new outlet at #135 is worth a visit for the gorgeoous premises alone which I believe represents their only freestanding retail location. A vast array of soaps, lotions, and creams for men and women, wears wrapping so beautiful that I will find it hard to tear my soaps open. The soaps come in an array of sizes; the 50g size (not a full-sized bar) costs 5.50 euro. If you need to buy gifts, I'd keep this address on file. (Claus Porto is also sold in other local shops but their own store, carrying the entire line, has the widest selection.)
www.clausporto.com
Nov 27th, 2016, 01:44 PM
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Before I go into the details of our fourth dinner in Lisbon, I will mention two markets of great interest to food lovers. Both of these are modern incarnations of traditional, long-running markets and both retain the traditional market stalls selling produce, meat, cheese, fish, flowers, and the like.
More convenient to the center, and to most tourist hotels is the 19th Century MERCADO DA RIBEIRA, near the river near Cais do Sodré train station. This is now divided into two sections, one for the traditional market goods and the second, larger area for the Time Out-branded market.
The latter is a vast, glass roofed space ringed by upmarket stands selling all manner of traditional Portuguese fare from some of the country's most acclaimed chefs as well as not-so-traditional plates from pizza gelato to sushi rolls for take out or enjoy at the communal tables that offer space for 700 diners in the center of the hall, with outdoor terraces seating a few hundred more. The second floor houses the well-regarded restaurant Pap' Acorda, long a fixture in the Bairro Alto and now ensconced in spiffy new quarters overlooking the main market.
The TimeOut market opens at 10am and remains open until midnight, until 2am Thursdays through Saturdays.
http://www.timeoutmarket.com/en/eat-and-drink/
Whether you buy them here, or elsewhere, do not leave Lisbon before sampling the pint-sized pineapples from the Azores, which are the sweetest incarnation of this fruit I've ever tasted! (Much of the fruit we enjoyed in the city was memorable but the pineapple was out of this world)
More convenient to the center, and to most tourist hotels is the 19th Century MERCADO DA RIBEIRA, near the river near Cais do Sodré train station. This is now divided into two sections, one for the traditional market goods and the second, larger area for the Time Out-branded market.
The latter is a vast, glass roofed space ringed by upmarket stands selling all manner of traditional Portuguese fare from some of the country's most acclaimed chefs as well as not-so-traditional plates from pizza gelato to sushi rolls for take out or enjoy at the communal tables that offer space for 700 diners in the center of the hall, with outdoor terraces seating a few hundred more. The second floor houses the well-regarded restaurant Pap' Acorda, long a fixture in the Bairro Alto and now ensconced in spiffy new quarters overlooking the main market.
The TimeOut market opens at 10am and remains open until midnight, until 2am Thursdays through Saturdays.
http://www.timeoutmarket.com/en/eat-and-drink/
Whether you buy them here, or elsewhere, do not leave Lisbon before sampling the pint-sized pineapples from the Azores, which are the sweetest incarnation of this fruit I've ever tasted! (Much of the fruit we enjoyed in the city was memorable but the pineapple was out of this world)
