If you’re not coming to Portugal for a sumptious food tour, then follow our recipe for a taste of Portuguese cuisine at home!
One of my favorite appetizers in Portugal is Amêijoas à Bolhao Pato. Like Portuguese fish, there are claims that Portugal has the best clams (safe to say sea creatures in general are excellent in Portugal). Whether these claims are valid or not, I can assure you the clams in Portugal are so damn delicious. And though you can’t go wrong at most places, the batch at Pinoquio in Lisbon rocks my world. At first glance, I thought this place might be a tourist trap because it’s located in busy Rossio Square and not too far from the restaurant row, Portas de Santo Antao, which with the exception of a few restaurants is indeed a tourist trap. But Pinoquio proved to be a pleasant surprise. Their ameijoas are submerged in a thick olive oil sauce and served in a STEAMING pot that the waiter rushes out with a pot holder on the handle and another in place of a lid. Sopping up bread in this sauce is orgasmic! Though I enjoy Pinoquio’s version, sometimes I’m up for a lighter sauce that allows the briny integrity of these flavorsome mollusks to be the highlight. Lisbon’s Cervejaria Ramiro delivers and so does O Velho e o Mar in Sesimbra, a fishing town in Setubal district, also a terrific spot for grilled fish.
If you’re looking for more recipes, check out our book on Northern Portuguese Cuisine, or book a custom Portuguese food tour with us today!
