When people ask what I did in Portugal the only thing I can think to tell them, other than blog and drink, is eat. Northern Portugal has some fantastic food that reminds me of my time in the Portuguese neighborhood of Marrickville back in Sydney. The coastal region has plenty of fantastic seafood, meat and of course, wine!
Breakfast of Fruit, Meat, Cheese and Toast, Gallery Hostel, Porto
I hope you’ve realized how much I loved my time at Gallery Hostel in Porto. The free (proper!) breakfasts were a big part of that. Every day I had my cup of tea, toast with a slice of meat and cheese and a bowl of fruit.
Francesinha, Cafe Primar, Porto
What is a Francesinha you ask? It’s the most gluttonous sandwich I’ve ever consumed. It’s a ham and sausage sandwich, coated in melted cheese and smothered in a spicy sauce. This is a knife and fork sandwich.
Veal with Chestnuts, Spinach and Potato Gratin, CS Vintage House Hotel, Douro Valley
Many of us were a little worse for the wear after our last night of the TBU conference, followed by an early morning river cruise. When we arrived at the CS Vintage House Hotel for lunch, I was ready to eat. The veal was so tender and came off the fork easily. And the wine, Foral da Vila, Douro Valley Blanco 2011, is THE BEST WINE I’VE EVER HAD. Hands down.
Ice Cream and Berries, CS Vintage House Hotel, Douro Valley
To finish off the fantastic meal, we were served ice cream with a berry sauce, the perfect blend of sweet and tart.
Sea Bass with Rice and Legumes, Mar de Sinos, Braga
A full day of sightseeing at Bom Jesus made me ready for lunch at Mar de Sinos restaurant. I had a filet of sea bass in a butter sauce with rice and legumes. For dessert we had cinnamon mousse that just wasn’t as photogenic.
Blood rice, Camelo Restaurant, Viana do Castelo
I had a great experience at the Camelo Restaurant, which you can read about on my post about it. The blood rice was the one dish that I was surprised to like. The first bite is interesting and it gets better from there.
Well the blood rice was certainly ‘interesting’! Still can’t believe how much you enjoyed it :p This post is making me hungry for Portugese deliciousness again…
Seriously! Time to go back :)
I didn’t think I liked Portugese food but it’s clear that I just need to eat it in Portugal. The food looks amazing.
Yes! I was surprised myself! Lots of meat though!
wow!! yammy
If you think we had a ton of meat in Portugal, you should have come to TBEX! I think I was sweating Iberian ham for a week after I got home.
That sandwich looks like a heart attack on a plate! And I actually really liked the blood rice as well.
Being semi-veggie I found Portugal a bit difficult but most places were very accommodating and made meals specially for me. I loved what I ate there!
Hey Caroline… Glad you liked our food :) We have some yummi dishes (specially in the south, Alentejo and Algarve) that I’m sure you haven’t tried yet, or they would be in your list…
Just a quick note: it’s called a Francesinha (little french girl) and not Franceschina as you put it ;)
Thanks for the correction! My Portuguese spelling isn’t great!