Lisbon – a gourmand’s heaven

Review by Gabrielle Sander

Quick look
What To See
Eating Out
Sleepover
Getting There

Over the course of four days, I experienced one of the most exciting moments in my culinary history; set foot – and got the certificate to prove it – on Europe’s Westernmost point; sampled custard tarts made from a recipe so secret that at any one time only three people are entrusted with it; and slept under the same roof as Sir Cliff Richard.
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The scene for all these fun and games is Lisbon, Portugal’s vastly underrated capital. Steeped in history,  outstanding architecture, and a generous scattering of photogenic cobbled streets, vintage trams, narrow lanes and enamel tiled buildings; plus an array of fantastic places to eat and shop, it’s the perfect weekend getaway.

What To See : Back to top

Start off in the centre and work you’re way up, down and around the network of little streets, where you’ll find little shops and cafes and the main retail strip, Rua Augusta. It boasts a plethora of outlets covering everything from international hugh street and designer brands to custom made leather gloves. Seek respite from the crowds with a visit to St Jorge Castle; the number 28 tram takes you right there from the centre in under 10 minutes. You’ll find orange trees, prime picnic spots and the best views of the city, after which I recommend you head back down on foot, so you can peruse the gift and cake shops on the way.
Take the number 15 tram from Figueira Square (the main tram and bus stop in the city centre) to the Belém area, leaving every 15-20 minutes, and stop opposite Antiga Confeitaria de Belém to sample the infamous Pasteis de Belem.
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The custard tarts from this café are so popular, there were at least 30 people queuing to buy some fresh from the ovens inside. The warm custard filling, flaky layers of pastry and a dusting of cinnamon is a truly divine combination; as proven by the 45,000 flying out the door every day at the weekend. Whilst you’re in the area, the Jeronimos Monastery next door, a member of the UNESCO list of World Heritage, is also worth a look. If you’re there on the first Sunday of the month, head across the road to the flea and antiques market; I still regret not picking up a Viking hat I spotted there for 12€.
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Soak up some Fado: This traditional musical genre dates back to the early 19th Century and stopping by for a nightcap at O Faia, one of the cities nightspots showing it, is a must. Supping on a sweet Ginjinha, traditional cherry liquor, in the candlelit cave-like room, whilst listening to the sorrowful notes of the powerful voiced singer, was a perfect way to end the evening. As O Faia is the oldest Fado bar in Lisbon, boasting the biggest names, you’ll need to book ahead.

Take advantage of the excellent public transport system with a trip to Sintra, a World UNESCO Heritage Site popular with 19th Century poets; Lord Byron is among those who sought inspiration from here. It’s a 30-minute train away and flooded in beautiful and colourful architecture. The Pena palace on the hill, reached by car or bus (every 20 minutes from the centre), is one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal. It over looks an expanse of breathtaking views, including the adjacent Mourish castle, and boasts a mix of style elements including neo-gothic and neo-renaissance and fine examples of trompe-l’oliel, playing tricks with your eyes. If you have the stamina, take the foot path up through the forest, you’ll get the best en-route views of the area and build up an appetite for the next stage on the Sintra to-do list.
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It would be a crime to visit Sintra without stopping off at Piriquita, the six generation, Cunha family pastry and coffee shop. Their infamous Travesseiros, pillows of fresh, soft layers of flaky pastry, warm almond filling and sugary sprinkling, are the stuff of dreams and only around a 1€ each. Like the Pasteis de Belém, it’s the only place in Portugal making and selling them, so people come from all over, queuing out the door at weekends. Their cinnamon-spiced Queijadas are also delicious. Open every day except Wednesdays, 9am-10pm.

On our return to Lisbon we took the winding Eucalyptus tree-lined coast road to Cascais, via Cape Roca the Westernmost point of mainland Europe - where I got my aforementioned certificate – and passed Guincho Beach, a popular spot with wind and kite surfers. To soak up as much of the sunset sea view as possible en route to Lisbon, we were dropped off at Cascais, a small beach town which if you are in Lisbon for longer is worth a stop at, to take the train for the rest of the journey. It’s a bargain at 2.25€ - even less if you already have a re-loadable Lisboa travel card – running a reliable service every 10 minutes during peak time (before 11am and after 5pm), and to as late as 3am at the weekends.
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Eating Out : Back to top

Tasca de Esquina: Rua Domingos Sequiera, 41 C
www.tascadaesquina.com

Perched on the top of Rua Domingos Sequiera, a street dotted with antique, linen and homeware stores, this young addition to the city is the first to introduce tapas-style tasting menus to Portugal, where after choosing how many courses you want (from four to seven), what you are served is, ‘in the hands of the chef’; a daily changing menu which reflects the ingredients in season at the time. There’s also a set menu, but where’s the fun in that?. When we arrived our table was already laid with olives, a round of soft, flavoursome Campo de Quiriq cheese and small toasts, something I could happily dine on all day, and warm garam masala-spiced Chamucas. After seating us and pouring our chosen white Luis Pato, Maria Gomes (2009) in to bucket-sized wine glasses, the first of our five courses arrived.

Who knew turnip soup could be so good? The creamy bowl set before me, accompanied with slices of sausage on the side providing a wonderful salty contrast, was the epitome of comfort food. Over the next hour or so, we ‘oohed’ and ‘ahhed‘ our way through the four remaining dishes: steamed clams Marinara; meaty monkfish with crispy sweet potato and a sauce so divinely creamy, I couldn’t help but mop up the last remnants with a piece of bread; and Arroz de Cabidela, an sweet and tangy dish of shredded chicken and rice in a sauce not dissimilar to bourguignon. Dessert tasted heavenly and had the aesthetics of a Saatchi Gallery installation, architecturally arranged triangle of chocolate torte on a passion fruit and carrot puree and sprinkling of toasted manioc root, laid next to a mini coconut crème brulee. Espressos followed in quirky mis-matched cups to stir me from the threat of a food-induced slumber. At 21.50€ for our five-course meal of top quality food,  Tasca de Esquina is a must-visit – for a similar standard in London, you’d be paying three times the amount; due to this and the chef’s (Vitor Sobral) reputation, you’ll need to book in advance.  
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A Raposa, Rua Conde Ferreira, 29, Sintra
www.araposa.com

For something more substantial than pastries and coffee at Piriquita and in cosier surroundings, I recommend a visit to this old tea house-turned-restaurant. Boasting the biggest menu of teas I’ve witnessed, each brewed according to a special egg timer, the restaurant is a new introduction and is, at the time of going to press, just over four months old. We were greeted and served with the welcoming of an old friend and served with a selection of dishes created around seasonal, locally sourced ingredients available that day.
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First up, a cool octopus salad, marinated in the traditional garlic, coriander, lemon and olive oil combo – in fact, the olive oil was so exquisite, I jotted down the name and found it in a shop in Lisbon (Manuel Tavares, a store off Figueira Square selling a brilliant selection of meats, cheese and port wine). Next came a squid dish, followed by a warm fresh mix of en goula (baby eel) and prawn, simply seasoned with tarragon, garlic and coriander seeds; on paper I just can’t do it the justice it deserves. Succulent slices of black pudding followed, delivering a wonderful moist, gently spiced myriad of flavours, with rice and honey creating a much lighter, palatable taste than British varieties I’ve tried and failed to by won over by. A glass of chestnut, mushroom and nutmeg soup – a combination I vow to replicate at home – smooth, spicy and comforting, lead us onto the Bachalau (a Portuguese salt cod and rice dish), before we freshened up our palates with a shot glass of tangerine, Absolut vodka and mint sorbet, ready for the chef’s speciality slow cooked, tender lamb dish. We finished with by far the best panacotta I have had the pleasure of tasting. With the winter sun shining brightly though the vast windows and a cast iron log fire warming the room, it was the perfect cosy setting to devour this lavish spread.

Bica Do Sapato, Av. Infante D. Henrique, Lisbon
www.bicadosapato.com

The aesthetic waterside placement of Bica Do Sapato makes it a great lunch spot, especially on the rainy day we visited; looking out on to the stormy waves while I tucked into my first course of halibut and salmon carpacchio was one of my Lisbon trip highlights. This converted warehouse features all the quirky design additions I’d expected from a restaurant part-owned by John Malkovich: tree-shaped mirror, red leather lounge chairs and an enormous chimney with a roaring open fire underneath. My friends and I sampled the delicious octopus, crab and monkfish dishes on offer, and despite the generous portions, I couldn’t resist finding room for a scoop of their scrumptious lavender ice cream.

Bica Do Sapato’s contemporary designs, location and reputation for fantastic sushi – which unfortunately I can’t vouch as they don’t serve it at lunchtime - attracts a mix of local celebrities, business people and tourists, and within an hour of us arriving as the first table, the place was full; buzzing with varying sized groups, including children, who are pleasingly for families, and rare for this type of establishment, very welcome. Prices are mid-range with starters from 5€, mains from 12€, and desserts from 2.75€.

Restaurant Tavares, Rua de Misericórdia 35, Lisbon
www.restaurantetavares.pt

Floor to ceiling gold gilded mirrors, glowing like an Aladdin’s cave under the low lighting, grand chandeliers, plush velvet antique chairs and a table clothed and laid for royalty; the grandeur of Michelin award-winning Tavares – Lisbon’s oldest restaurant - was already inducing a Cheshire cat smile in me when I opened up our evening’s menu to read the first course: ‘The garden of “The Hen that Laid Golden Eggs”’.  With Executive Chef Jose Avillez, who has worked with such culinary greats as Ferran Adria and Alain Ducasses, at the helm I knew I was in for a treat.

We were the only large group there, the rest were tables of fours and twos, all dressed for the occasion. Our surprise amuse-bouche could warrant the Michelin alone: an olive branch balancing two spoons: one with a crunchy tempura olive, the other holding an olive transformed using esterification to produce a soft consistency which, when bitten into, burst in my mouth like a balloon, releasing an ‘olive martini’. Words can’t describe how exciting this dish was. The highly anticipated starter didn’t disappoint on the looks front – large slow poached egg, covered in gold leaf, topped with straw (deep fried leek julienne), and laid on a bed of cuttlefish ink, mushrooms, hazelnuts and black truffle; outstanding. The same faultless standard was met with the second course of baby lamb, cooked two ways and served with the smallest carrot I’ve ever seen, a sweet, citrusy carrot puree and carrot sprout tempura. We finished our feast on a traditional Pastel de nata dessert with cinnamon ice cream. If you only dine out once while you’re in Lisbon, make it here. With set menus ranging from around 37 – 90€ per person, it’s a small price to pay for such a memorable meal in exquisite surroundings.

Lisbon constantly surprised me with its gourmet offerings, reasonable prices and a relaxed feel most other European cities don’t always deliver. It ticks all the necessary short break boxes and, at just a two and a quarter hour flight from London, it’s a perfect weekend getaway.

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Sleepover : Back to top

We stayed at the 4-star York House Hotel on Rua das Janelas Verdes, conveniently located a short walk from the centre and moments from the number 15 tram, which serves several areas of the city. This small boutique hotel, built in 1606, has all the charm of the convent it once was. The street level façade is nothing to write home about, but once you pass through the gates and ascend the winding stone steps, its hidden beauty is revealed. Wooden floors, low beamed ceilings and cosy en-suite bedrooms make it a comfortable haven after long days of exploring. Breakfast is a generous buffet spread of breads, cheese, fruit, smoked salmon; even a glass of fizz if it takes your fancy. Rooms range from 60-300€ a night and Sir Cliff Richard, Graham Greene and Jean-Claude Van Damme are among the famous names to have laid their head here. www.yorkhouselisboa.com
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Getting There : Back to top

We flew to Lisbon with TAP airways, which operate six flights daily from London Heathrow. Prices start from £104 return. 

For more information and booking visit: www.flytap.com  / 0845 601 0932.