April 1-3

The walk back to the apartment with Jessica, Gemma, Kim and Joanna took most of the rest of the afternoon due to the distance involved and the need to do some extensive window shopping along the way.  Partway back we stropped in the Santa Maria Major neighborhood on its bustling pedestrian Augusta Street to sample an odd delicacy known as the Pastel or Bolinhos Bacalhau. 

This traditional Portuguese dish is typically made from a mixture of potatoes, codfish, eggs, parsley, onion and sometimes a hint of nutmeg.  These pastries are shaped using two spoons, deep fried and served hot or cold before meals as an appetizer or as a meal itself (usually served with plain or seasoned rice, salad and olives).  Ideally, they should be slightly crunchy on the outside and soft and creamy on the inside.

At the time, we had no idea what they were comprised of and would learn more later.  They were an interesting thing to eat, not great but not bad, perhaps an acquired taste.  The Portuguese have a fondness for Cod though and it is a ubiquitous staple on many menus, particularly a version known as Bacalhau, referring to the salted and dried codfish.  In fact, 95% of the codfish that Portuguese cook and eat is dried and salty.

After many starts and stops we made it back to the apartment right around the cocktail hour and as luck would have it, an imaginative bar, Pharmacia, was located just two short blocks away on a hilltop with a commanding view of Lisbon.  Known primarily for its food offerings, we found their unique approach to the making of cocktails compelling.  The drinks are grouped under three headings (Appetizers, Sours and Fruity, and Digestives) and all are given medical sounding names like LSD, Antidote, Antivirus, Anticoagulant, and Cardiotonic, to name a few.  They were all good, so much so that members of the group would return another day to enjoy a round or two. 

Our next day started out on a high note with a three hour Small-Group Portuguese Food and Wine Tour through Viator that Jessica organized.  We woke to rain, one of the few times we would encounter it during the whole trip making prospects for the tour a bit daunting.  But, being experienced travelers we knew this was to be expected and with enough umbrellas in the group the tour became manageable.  Also, after a heavy start, the rain slacked off and although it would drizzle off on and the rest of the morning, it didn’t impede our enjoyment much. 

We met our guide at 10:30 and our first stop was at a small café specializing in cod cakes which were paired with that favorite wine of ours the Vinho Verde (Green Wine).  The cakes were much better than the cod concoctions we’d sampled the day before and lest one think it odd to start drinking at that time of the morning, well in Lisbon do what the locals do.   Our next stop was at Manteigaria Silva, a century old shop whose name means butter shop, and the last one that exists in Lisbon, where we tasted Port and a portion apiece of a Tapas with cheese and a local ham. 

From there we were delighted to stop in at A Ginjinha, the oldest bar (since 1840) to dispense that delightful cherry liquor we were becoming addicted to.  Ginja, is made by infusing ginja berries (sour cherry, Prunus cerasus austera, the Morello cherry) in alcohol (aguardente) and adding sugar together with other ingredients, with cloves and/or cinnamon sticks being the most common.

Needing a moment or two to clear our heads, we visited the Church of St. Dominic, classified as a National Monument.  The church was dedicated in 1241 and was, at one time, the largest church in Lisbon.

Having revived ourselves, we hit our next food experience, a good one, at Solar da Madalana, known for their “bifana” a popular pork sandwich, typically made with thinly sliced pork marinated in a sauce of garlic, white wine, and spices, then served on a soft bread roll.  Along with a beer, this was a delight, much like a pastrami or French dip sandwich, savory, juicy and very easy to eat. 

Were we done yet?  Not a chance as our next stop was sitting on the patio of Restaurante Inhaca Marisqueira.  Known for their seafood, we were offered white wine and enjoyed a seafood soup which was full of shrimp, white fish, and perhaps a scallop in a savory tomato-based broth.  We learned about the history of the place and its reputation for serving the freshest fish. 

We bid our hosts adieu and walked a little unsteadily to our last stop of the day, a place Joanna and I had a nice meal at in 2014, Casa Do Alentejo.  I had hoped we would all be able to enjoy a meal here and so was happy that this visit would take care of that.  We were seated in a private dining room a floor away from the main dining area and served pitchers of Vino Tinto (Red Wine), and a regional sausage they are known for along with plenty of bread to enjoy it with. 

Our guide talked about the history of the house itself, built probably in the late 17^th century, and in Its earliest history is known to have belonged to an aristocratic family – the Paes de Amaral (Viscounts of Alverca) – from whom it adopted the name and title of Palácio Paes do.  At the beginning of the 20th century (1917-1919) it was leased to a company that transformed part of the old palace into the capital’s first casino and then underwent major renovation work under the direction of architect Silva Júnior, transforming it into the splendid building that survives to this day.

In 1932 it was leased to the Grémio Alentejano, later renamed Casa do Alentejo, and became the headquarters of the Associação Regionalista Alentejana.  This association seeks to promote, preserve and revitalize Alentejo culture, which derives from the geographical, historical, and cultural region of south–central and southern Portugal.  In Portuguese, its name means “beyond the Tagus” (the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula which flows through central Spain and Portugal, ultimately emptying into the Atlantic Ocean near Lisbon).  

And that would finish up our food and wine tour for the day.  Some of us walked back to the apartment while others took an Uber.  Later a group would reconvene at Pharmacia, but I wouldn’t join them as I was still full and sated from our day of eating and drinking.  And I wanted to save some energy for our day long excursion to Sintra that would begin the next morning.  We’ll see you there in the next post. 

Links

Pastel or Bolinhos Bacalhau: https://www.pasteldebacalhau.pt/en/the-delicacy/

Pharmacia: https://www.facebook.com/restaurantepharmacia?_rdr

Food and Wine Tour: https://www.viator.com/tours/Lisbon/Lisbon-Small-Group-Gourmet-Portuguese-Food-and-Wine-Tour/d538-5383GOURMET

Manteigaria Silva: https://manteigariasilva.pt/index.php/en/

A Ginjinha: https://ginjinhaespinheira.com/

Solar da Madalana: https://www.pai.pt/paginas/487300-solar-da-madalena

Restaurante Inhaca Marisqueira: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g189158-d2005226-Reviews-or30-Inhaca-Lisbon_Lisbon_District_Central_Portugal.html

Casa Do Alentejo: https://casadoalentejo.pt/