No words can describe how happy I was to go back after moving to Asia 15 months ago! I spent such an amazing time with family and friends, which in my Portuguese culture means good food on the table in 90% of the cases. Not that I have cooked much, no, as I kept going out to restaurants or to other people´s houses. I wanted to eat everything, go everywhere and be with everybody. So, between my packed schedule and limited internet connection there was almost no time to update the blog and let you know what I was up to during this visit.
I took lots of pictures though and as I look at them now I only have one question: where to begin my travel report?
Following my previous post on Anthony Bourdain´s visit to the city, I thought I could start with a great dinning experience I had at a restaurant where he also went to, called "Cantinho do Avillez".
It belongs to a young Portuguese chef, José Avillez, known for the way he takes the classic dishes and traditional ingredients to a modernized level. My thumbs up to him, I absolutely loved the food and the great atmosphere of the restaurant (and reasonable prices!). Definitely one of the best nights I had during my stay in Lisbon, also thanks to the great company!
I went to "Cantinho do Avillez" along with my husband and other 4 friends and our pact was to order different dishes so that we could all share and try as many as possible. Luckily the menu was small and we got to eat almost everything.
For starters...
Marinated scallops with avocado
Absolutely A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! Extremely simple dish but full of flavor and freshness. Those scallops were the best! Many of you might not know that Portugal is very strong when it comes to fish and sea food. The Portuguese coast line is about 900 Km long and to find great places specialized in sea food is the easiest thing in the world and an experience I would recommend!
“Nisa” cheese baked with ham and rosemary honey
Nisa is a type of cheese produced in a Portuguese region with the same name. They make one of the best!
Main dishes...
Prego
Flaked cod with bread crumbs, LT egg and “exploding” olives
In the description of the dish only cabbage is missing (green veggies in the picture). Cod is cod, good, simple, homy. Many of the codfish dishes go very well with olives. A match made in heaven! By the way, Portugal is a big producer of olives and great olive oil!
Grilled tuna with vegetables in a sweet and sour sauce
I have to say that fresh tuna is something I don´t particularly love. But I was surprised by the flavors and by how tender the tuna was. That night, it was surprisingly one of my favorite dishes!
Cantinho tartare steak with NY style potatoes
A simple and classic dish everywhere you go in the world.
Spoon veal, curry sauce, vegetables and Thai rice
Here´s an Asian dish. The meat was just unbelievable! It completely melts in the mouth.
Portobello mushrooms risotto, bacon and parmesan cheese
Now, Italian style. For a cheese lover like me, this dish is like paradise! I´m very picky with risottos, they have to be perfect, and this one was.
Desserts...
Lemon sorbet with basil and vodka
Hazelnut³
Chocolate cake with strawberry ice cream
Orange and vanilla crème brûlée
All the desserts were fantastic, but to me nothing beats a good creme brulee! I´ll never forget the best one I have ever had 6 or 7 years ago. It was in the north of Portugal, in the middle of nowhere, at a very humble restaurant, made with fresh and very yellow. Creme brulee is one of my favorite desserts since then.
Thank you to "Cantinho do Avillez" and thank you to my friends who made this feast even more delicious. Thank you!
Next post will be about my luggage from Lisbon to Singapore. It´s hilarious what I was capable to bring back with me, trust me!
Best dinner ever! Great food and the perfect people to share it with. You need to write about the ginginhas! I know it's not technically food, but you can order them with the fruit and eat it!
ReplyDeleteBest dinner ever! Great food and the perfect people to share it with. You need to write about the ginginhas! I know it's not technically food, but you can order them with the fruit and eat it!
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