This was the biggest star of the show in terms of our trip to Lisbon, and for very good reason. This place is a 2 Michellin Star restaurant as of the time of this writing, and it is every bit deserving of those 2 stars, I have higher expectations for fine dining and Michellin star restaurants. We made our reservation weeks in advance, and there were no issues there. It really felt like I was entering a house with a big green door and a sign with the restaurant name on the side. We obviously knocked and was greeted and seated with hospitality. The staff was very attentive, detail oriented, and very receptive to feedback, all great qualities that go above and beyond. We went with the classic "Alma" tasting menu, the original dishes that brought about the restaurant's rise to fame, though I have heard just as excellent things about the "costa a costa" seafood tasting menu too. Overall, I would describe it as a creative and elevated twist on the classic tastes of traditional Portuguese dishes. And don't worry, there's a lot more dishes than what is listed on the tasting menu.
Some of my favorites:
2 charred red peppers sitting on top of a cup of sauce. It looks like a hot Cheetoh but does not taste like one at all, more like a tempura. It is light, fluffly, but has so much umami flavor.
Foie Gras- One of their best dishes. With heavy flavorful ingredients it's often not about the ingredient itself but what is paired with it. The pairings in this dish were genius as every bite felt like a different pairing with how many other complements were in there, but every bite felt right. There was sweet, sour, slightly bitter, crunchy, soft, salty, and a lot more senses I cannot even begin to describe. Even coffee is in there! But I guarantee it all makes sense when you eat it.
White cracker with pork bits(?)- Forgot the exact name but it's the one served as a rectangle with fluffy brown meat bits on top and a dash of green dried veggies. Other photos show it served on top of a bed of rocks, but for ours it was on a cloth, maybe to minimize moisture? This dish definitely elevates Iberian ham, and is a personal reminder of the yummy pork sung I would add to Chinese rice porridge.
Bread with butter and olive oil- Interestingly served about half way to about the end of the appetizer course, but this was easily the best butter I've ever had. Super smoky, melts on the knife, easily spreads and melts on the bread, and melts in the mouth. The olive oil is a two combo Portuguese blend that was also very rich and tasty with the bread. Love the plate it's on as well, with a wide but shallow base that makes it easy to dip, but I'm sure difficult to clean with all the nooks and crannys within the dish.
Codfish- way better than the codfish at the related store in the Time Out Market, this codfish is only lightly salted and slightly sour, and lets the fish do all the talking. Oh and the fish skin on the side too.
Desserts were beautiful and also very creative. The one that stood out was the wave of some kind of puree/cream sitting on top of other condiments like a snowball. It was fun not knowing what the next bite was going to taste like, but again, it was all very delicious and nicely done.
This is easily one of my best restaurant experiences of all time thus far. Price is reasonable for a 2 star Michellin, I do hope they get a third in the near future. I would love to be back to try their other tasting menu, and I would recommend others to come here for a fine dining experience. read more