I am always leery of those restaurants you walk by and the hawkers are trying to get you to stop. There we were in Rua dos Correeiros with at least 8 guys hawking as you pass by, trying to go by. Well, one of them got my attention, not sure why, maybe I was frazzled from all the walking and the two of us were really famished. So we opted for the last guy; why, I have no clue - I think I looked at somebody's plate.
All I can say is it was absolutely the best, best, best seafood ever.
Paulo Santos was our waiter and he was so on point. I went for lunch and I went back for dinner - sometimes you know when you have a sure thing - you go back for the sure thing. The first time we shared a whole grilled sea bream - I don't recall ever having one before - OH MY GOSH, grllled to perfection. Went back for dinner, had the whole seabass, perfectly grilled - I don't recall sharing this time:)
Let me tell you - they put all these little goodies (tidbits of food) on the table. I didn't ask for that, but they put it there and you pay for what you eat, including the bread. I was really hungry and the little "tater tots" looked yummy, being from Miami, they look like a fritter of somekind and they were cod and potatoes mashed up and deep freind - DAMN!!! The proper name is Pastgis de bacalhau - it was so good, had to ask for a 2nd order.
The dishes come with fresh veggies and roasted potatoes - I have never had stringbeans like this before - the were long and limp and outrageously full of flavor; but, the topper was the potato - i have no clue - i cut open the small potato with my fork, took a bite and I swear it was a mashed potato - Oh My Gosh!
Look, in a nutshell, if you are going to Lisbon, do not pass up the opportunity to stop at this place for lunch or dinner. Tell Paulo (there are two of them), the lady from Miami sent you - skip the sauteed shrimp, eat the fritters, salad was great, have a whole fish - fresh, fresh, fresh! read more