So yes it’s true. Sardines are everywhere in Portugal. A national treasure these small fish are often just dipped in flour and fried or grilled in a pan or on charcoal. Not our cup of tea but we bought a t-shirt.
Codfish is also a famous dish. Often dishes are prepared from dried salted cod, which has been rehydrated in a sauce or in water. Portugal is also famous for the thinly sliced ham (called Presunto) similar to the one found in Spain or Italy. This is served in various ways but the most traditional is simply on a platter.
We could not bring ourselves to try Porto’s typical dish, the francesinha, which is a stuffed bun with egg, beef, bacon all covered in a spicy sauce.
We found many Portuguese restaurants and for the most part everyone had the famous cod and potatoes, sardines and potatoes, or octopus and rice. We also tried a local ceviche which was quite different from the lime and cilantro based ceviche were used to, this one was coconut milk based and had a creamier tiger’s milk. One of our favorite appetizers was the local goat milk cheese bake, which was similar to a baked Brie. This cheese was served warm with bread. The center was creamy and you would pull it apart and serve it on bread with a spoon. Delicious!
The famous custard tarts, Pastel de Nata, are a must try. These little flaky pastries have a phyllo dough like base and a thick portion of custard that fills the tart. They were sold everywhere… so much temptation!
Street side stands make fresh and hot Churros, some called Farturas were stuffed with cream and a variety of flavors and most pastry shop sold sweet custard filled donuts.
All over town you can see vendors roasting chestnuts. Worth a stop, you can get a dozen for 2 euros in a paper bag. Makes a mess of your fingers so use a napkin to avoid black fingertips.
We happened to be in Lisbon on a Sunday during Carnival and there was a farmer’s market style setup with dozens of day booths selling fresh cheeses, sausages, artisanal breads, fresh fruits, and all kinds of produce. A great place to grab a snack on the go or to stock up if staying in town long enough to do so.
In addition to Portuguese, we found a good selection of Italian, French, and even Chinese and Indian restaurants easily available. Even the famous yellow M could be seen (and looking out-of-place) among the historic buildings.