Portugal is a food lover’s paradise Portugal in May with my mother – HER//Excursions (herexcursions.com). More so for seafood lovers and anyone willing to try out new experiences. It is also, of course, a port lover’s nirvana. Still, it was an adventure because my mother has food limitations, most of which are the country’s staples. Yes well, the point is, I still managed to keep the lady fed. This food review will helpfully help those who may have similar food limitations.
Porto
Believe it or not, our first meal was Middle Eastern. I had hoped to get some Portuguese fare but all I could find at the city center before official dinner time was just either fried, fishy or both. The meal was not great but neither was it awful.
Brunch
We were supposed to have brunch at Cafe Nord, but we couldn’t find it. Fortunately, we found NATA Lisboa – THE WORLD NEEDS NATA a few streets away. I wanted a place that served salads and not just the traditional breakfast of cold meats, pastries and bread. Nata Lisboa fit the bill. I ordered a salad (corn, greens, tomatoes with a balsamic drizzle) meal that came with a drink and croquettes: 2 beef, 2 fish. My mother’s salad had fresh and dried fruit, seeds as well as chicken and two toast pieces. I had also ordered plain bread rolls but she was brought meat pies instead. We didn’t change the order.
The salad was fresh, and the balsamic vinaigrette was minimal, just the way I like it. The rest of the food was enjoyable, with the crunchy but soft croquettes and soft fish cakes. I had also ordered a pastel de nata (Portuguese custard tart) for my mum to try. Suffice to say, she, like I, enjoyed her meal.
Dinner
I booked dinner at Raiz Home page (raiz.com.pt) for our final Porto meal. The restaurant is slightly hidden due to construction in the area. However, I found it tasteful.
Our waiter was very attentive and helpful. We began dinner with 2 types of bread – one from cornmeal, the other flour. It came with olive oil and the best tapenade I have ever tasted. Given limited food choices, my mother ordered the Acorda – bread porridge with mushrooms and oxtail croquettes. Strictly for review purposes of course, I ordered a Tiborna (stuffed regional bread), with ham and caramelized onions. My entree was old-fashioned roasted octopus. It came with potatoes and sat on a squash and pepper mix.
Whoa. First of all, the Tiborna was more a slice of bread piled high with the ‘stuffing.’ It was an entire meal on its own, so I had to stop eating it. The entree was outstanding. I’m typically not a fan of summer squash, but I ate every morsel of this. The bill was also a pleasant surprise. My mum and I left the table, very full, and very happy.
Douro Valley Wine Tour
Our tour went beyond wine. Because of our early morning start, we stopped at a very tiny restaurant in Amaranthe for breakfast. The traditional breakfast consisted of smoked meats, cheese (made from beef and sheep), and fresh crusty bread. And because we were on a wine tour, we were introduced to vinho verde (green (meaning young) wine. My mother stuck to just the bread and had some water. I sampled both green, white wine and the green, red wine (yes, it’s a little confusing) from bowls as per tradition.
Obidos
My mother and I both had our best meal in Obidos. We dined at the Castle Restaurant because it was convenient. The food was very far from convenient. First of, the restaurant itself is sumptuous. We also had the best seat in the house by virtue of being the first to arrive at dinner.
We had fresh bread that came with butter medallions (garlic and fruit). Complimentary olives, crostini and olive oil with a dash of herbs were par of the course. For purely gastronomical reasons of course, we ordered a plate of mushrooms and tomatoes. They were divine!
My mother had a vegetable soup that she loved. I ordered a salad that had fried cheese and Ginja-soaked liqueur. For the entree, I had the flakiest seabass and crunchy chips, while my mother had an Angus burger on a home-made brioche bun that was rather outstanding.
We finished off the night with a very lemony sorbet with almond flour biscuit crumbles, and an egg and sugar tart. The price was surprisingly good for such an amazing meal.
Lisbon
Alfaia was a couple of streets away from our accommodation. Dinner began with a complimentary fish soup. I surprised myself by enjoying it. Enough that I had my mother’s share as well (she doesn’t eat fish). Something to note: bread basket with butter, olives and small charcuterie board of ham and cheese. was brought to the table. We were told we could eat it and we would be charged, or not. We passed. The bread was not appealing, with some wrapped in plastic wrap.
Still, our starter of mushrooms in cream that was phenomenal (mum approved). She also enjoyed her grilled sirloin with creamy spinach and fries. I had a BBQ rabbit with creamy spinach and fries. I thought the spinach would in fact be cooked in cream. No. It was in fact a blended green paste fit for infants. But I loved it. Somehow it worked.
Dessert was chocolate mousse. It was delicious but I’m sad it didn’t come with cake or a cookie/ shortbread. That would have made it even better. I had an almond and egg custard with vanilla ice cream. It was quite good if a little sweet for me (the ice cream tempered it). While the giant house-made sangria was good, the 10 year Sandman’s port finished off the meal quite nicely.
Let There Be Baked Goods
Long story short, Portugal is a haven for bakery lovers. There are bakeries everywhere! Bread is a very important part of the diet and the quality churned out is testament to this. Frankly, mum and I were on cloud nine for our entire trip. We ate amazing, fresh bread daily. And twice the desserts. Without a shadow of a doubt, the bakeries rival the French and Italians – the more well-known European bakers.
Make sure to try pastel de nata, a Portuguese custard tart that will blow your socks off. We also indulged in custard filled cakes, melt in your mouth brioche, and meat-filled flaky pastries (found in a little village Tabuacas not far from the National Park) to name a few. The point is, indulge.
