Blend All About Wine Arquivo de Restaurants - Page 2 of 2

Álvaro Costa and NH Hotel Batalha

July 21, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by José Silva

Text José Silva | Translation Jani Dunne

Álvaro Costa was born in Pousada de Saramagos, Famalicão, in 1978. He studied there, and then started working as a teacher in Vila Verde. He loved to go pick vegetables from his garden and handle fish and meat; his grandmothers, his mother and his aunts passed traditional skills onto him. In Vila Verde, he graduated in cuisine and patisserie. Then, he worked for about a year in Hotel Meridien, in Porto. After that, he went to work in a hotel in the Island of Corsica, having stayed for another year. On that island, he seized the opportunity to work for six months at Cala Tossa hotel, of two Michelin stars. For the following six months, he got an internship at Hotel Bulgari in Milan, and in Paris, in the also two-Michelin-star hotel Le Grand Cascade. From there, he opened Sheraton hotel in Porto, with Chef Jerónimo Ferreira. Then, Café Bogani and República da Cerveja in Gaia, as an executive chef. In 2006 he took over the Carlton Pestana hotel in the Ribeira area, Porto, until 2012. He was also responsible for the gastronomic development of inns in the North. He moved on to manage the Pestana hotel in Porto Santo (Madeira), to later return to Porto to open Pestana do Freixo. He even taught in Portucalense University and moved on to Braga, to manage the Bom Jesus hotels.

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However, he could not resist the invitation for Head of Gastronomy at the new hotel NH Hotel Batalha Collection, where he has been developing a modern and interventive cuisine.

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This is a modern hotel, and very well decorated, full of light. It’s in a symbolic area of Porto, right next to the old Batalha cinema.

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The decor comes in light tones, revealing some granite, also characteristic of the city.

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The restaurant is at the entrance, the bar to the left, where one can eat in an unpretentious yet welcoming environment; whether in-house-marinated salmon, daring oysters, dark tagliatelle with king prawns, or a very fresh lime risotto.

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At the bar, very interesting happy hours take place, featuring an irresistible offer: oysters with gin.

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The service is remarkable, and the chef’s expertise proposes different appetisers and more consistent courses, strongly rooted in our traditions. For a long time, Porto was due a place like this. On a recent visit, we had the chance to enjoy an excellent meal, including some of the suggestions on the restaurant’s menu; very well presented, introducing a few traditional courses in a row, although with the chef’s own interpretation, inventively and pleasantly presented.

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We began with the marinated oyster, still tasting of the sea.

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After that, acorn presunto with melon caviar, whose tiny greenish spheres released a fresh taste of melon; modern techniques serving tradition.

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The very popular traditional sardines made an appearance, in a cured version with strawberry couli, incredibly refreshing.

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Representing a soup, a shitaki cream was served in a disconcerting test tube, very hot; an excellent mushroom soup!

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In the meantime, we were sipping a very interesting Alentejo Pouca Roupa white 2014.

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The extremely tasty king prawn curry with apple preceded “My Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá” (codfish casserole), a very successful version of this traditional meal by a man born in Ribeira do Porto, Gomes de Sá. The original flavours were all there.

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We ended with a peculiar version of oven-roasted chicken with vegetables and potatoes; fun and delicious. We had already moved on to Curvos Alvarinho wine; modern and consistent, with great acidity, very gastronomic.

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As for desserts, there were two very good moments: firstly an apple pie with S. Jorge cheese and ice cream; very well combined, creamy, a delight; then, a very elegant red-fruit verrine.

A great finish!

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Outside, the 22 tram passed by, reminding us of times gone by…

Contacts
NH Collection Porto Batalha
Praca da Batalha, 60-65. 4000-101, Porto, Portugal
Tel: (+351) 227 660 600
Booking: (+351) 210 020 848
E-mail: nhcollectionportobatalha@nh-hotels.com
Website: www.nh-collection.com

Despite the modern facilities, Santa Luzia maintains a traditional cuisine

June 22, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by José Silva

Text José Silva | Translation Jani Dunne

The spirit of this restaurant in Viseu is very traditional and got us used to its traditional, regional and Portuguese recipe book. A couple of years ago, the owner opened a new restaurant quite close to the original one (now a wine shop). More and more customers come in every day, many of which celebrate birthdays, christenings and even weddings there. A visit to this place was an absolute must, so we hit the road to the new Santa Luzia. With an ample parking lot, very modern and smart facilities, including a separate party space.

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The sober decor matches tones of black, grey and brown, and white ceramic floor.

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Tables were expertly set, and with care. The staff are remarkable, very professional, kind and attentive, and they also offer wine service. The cellar is quite extensive; naturally, most wines were Dão, but you would find it offers wines of many other regions in the country.

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On a recent visit, besides enjoying the quality of the establishment, as soon as we walked into the room, we were welcomed by an astonishing counter covered in traditional local products: a giant head of kale, enormous garlic cloves and onions, a lively head of lettuce and a mountain of Bull’s Heart tomatoes!

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At the table, we were presented with a very good loaf of bread from the region, served with generous slices of the same “ox-heart” tomatoes, sprinkled with a generous amount of sea salt.

That set the tone for an excellent meal.

Then came the ham, salpicão (thick pork sausage) and cured cheese, fried petingas (small sardines) and marinated shad filets.

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Before we could take a breath, briefly barbecued smoked sausages arrived: chouriço, farinheira and morcela from Beira. While we tackled these delicacies, inside the hot ovens lay the much-awaited rooster in the traditional cabidela (fowl giblets and blood stew).

In our glasses, Pedra Cancela white was already flowing. It’s made with Malvasia Fina and Encruzado; very refreshing, of a beautiful structure, balanced acidity and excellent volume in the mouth, which made an excellent accompaniment for the entrées.

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Time for the big event: the cabidela rooster was served with rice. The pot is set right on the table, respecting tradition. The lid opened releasing a delicious aroma, and its perfumed included the perfect amount of vinegar – just a touch. The feast began. The rooster meat was tough and tasty, the kind you need to chew. It was very well cooked. The Carolino rice (Portuguese long-grain) was cooked au-point and very well seasoned, with a thick sauce and the ideal amount of vinegar. Everything was served very hot – delicious.

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So we had to have seconds, a full plate. We just couldn’t resist it. In the meantime, we had moved on to Pedra Cancela Reserve red 2012, a full wine, deeply red, with great acidity and some freshness, and voluminous, keeping the cabidela rooster good company.

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The meal ended with plump and juicy sweet cherries. It is their season after all. Old town Viseu expected us for a reinvigorating walk…

Contacts
Estr. Nacional 2
3515-331 Viseu
Tel: (+351) 232 459 325
E-mail: geral@restaurante-santaluzia.pt
Website: www.restaurante-santaluzia.pt

Taberna Ó Balcão, a wild feast of scents and flavours by Chef Rodrigo Castelo

April 20, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by João Pedro Carvalho

Text João Pedro de Carvalho | Translation Jani Dunne

A typical tavern since the 40s, after appropriate remodelling, Taberna Ó Balcão was opened in 2013 and is owned by Chef Rodrigo Castelo, born in Santarém. He was a bullfighter for more than a decade in Aposento da Moita and briefly worked in the Pharmaceutical industry, but his true passion since he was a child was cooking. Thus, his project was born – a breath of fresh air for the city, crowned with the Revelation Award at Tejo Gourmet – 5^th Competition in Delicacies and Tejo Wines.

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This place is friendly; we feel surrounded by memories of a distant past, in an amusing décor inspired by old taverns of stone-top tables. With only a few free seats, this place is close to becoming a cult restaurant – the kind that know how to serve and make us feel comfortable up until the real feast. Because that is chef Rodrigo’s kitchen, shining above everything else.

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This inspired kitchen respects local produce, invoking taste at its simplest. The menu has as much variety as it has taste. Rodrigo Castelo explains how one can recreate regional meals while respecting produce and the original recipe even more so. That is what he does, and to an excellent result, because he does not add anything but his own special touch to a quality product. This usually results in very high levels of satisfaction and quality.

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The chef presented us with an entire lunch, a true wild feast of scents and flavours. It started with delicious Oxtail Croquettes – shredded meat and excellent seasoning – followed by Quail Thighs with a reduction of fortified wine – tender and juicy. The entrée was Rabbit in Pickling Brine, with a two-day old pickling brine, very finely shredded rabbit and a slice of dehydrated apple to garnish – very good contrast. The first main course was fish. I congratulate the River Fish Soup With Roe; very fresh. The fish in the spotlight, the herbs and soft spice to regulate, and the roe to add body. The highlight of the meal was Large Mullet Loin with River Cockle Rice. Ribatejo large mullet is in the grey mullet family and fries very well. Its loins were breaded in a crunchy crust, leaving a juicy and tasty interior. The River Cockles were less salty and of a lower calibre. They revealed a delicate flavour and tasted excellent alongside the fish. To cleanse the palate, we were served a shot of Tangerine with Sichuan pepper. It did an efficient job of handing the stage over to the meat.

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Comforting and delicate are my adjectives for the Bone Soup – a velvety soup with just the right flavours of notable palate; an excellent reinterpretation and another great moment. Next, the Steer Lombeta (a small cut of meat between the hand and the chest) with a reduction of the Juices in coloured mustard and sweet potato; sliced, very tender and flavoured. Lastly, Alentejo-style steer stew, with no stock or potato, as they do in Alentejo.

In the end, you get the feeling of a great experience, simple food of regional flavour, with chef Rodrigo Castelo’s notorious touch. A place to visit and to remember; it has everything it takes to become an icon of this city and of the entire region. The staff get an A for always being friendly and attentive.

Contacts
Taberna Ó Balcão
Rua Pedro Santarém 23
2000-223 SANTARÉM
Tel: (+351) 243 055 883
E-mail: castelo.rodrigo@gmail.com
Facebook: facebook.com/tabernaobalcao

O Antigo Carteiro, in Lordelo do Ouro, in the invicta city of Oporto…

April 7, 2015 no comments in Uncategorized by José Silva

Text José Silva | Translation Jani Dunne

Helder Sousa comes from Santo Tirso. He moved to Porto to study theatre and later became a theatre producer. He worked in that field for quite some time.

One day, his interest in food and wine tempted him into a life-change. As a stroke of genius, he realised he wanted to run a restaurant, so he took over Carteiro, an already established eatery.

He named it Antigo Carteiro (meaning Former Postman) and moved into the square where the restaurant (originally a post office) was located. He knows people and places round the square; he visits the local café and people know him and respect his work. The restaurant used to serve traditional food in a homely environment. You can find it on Rua Senhor da Boa Morte, after Largo do Ouro, looking right over river Douro and winking at Aldeia da Afurada, on the other bank – in Gaia.

The kitchen is on the ground floor and, on the first floor, a tempting terrace is home to the original lettering for the Post Office.

Inside, there are two rooms, one of them facing the front of the building, with many windows and a tall mirror around the corners – an excellent effect. The back room is smaller, yet equally comfortable and well decorated using light colours – very refreshing.

Tables are expertly set – comprehensively. The staff is friendly, dedicated and very polite, including Helder, who is always there to serve and explain how meals are prepared, what ingredients they entail and what products they are made from. You can tell he is very passionate and truly loves his life’s project, which he has embraced with open arms and perseverance. Helder developed his own concept, by creating a more comfortable white-towel restaurant and serving the food he most enjoys. Wine is part of this project, with the owner looking to serve unusual wines that are not very well known, but harmonise with his cuisine. According to him, the kitchen should use high quality products, so that results are as intended. He tries to recover some things that have almost fallen into oblivion or that aren’t that common, such as ham-style tongue and pickling brine, some of his favourites. In his menu, he includes codfish and octopus, cow’s tongue and lamb shank, veel cheek, pork knee and rice with smoked sausages; as Helder usually says, food from head to toe.
He recently gathered some friends round and brought in two wine producers for a deliciously engaging journey on a quiet Sunday afternoon.

We started with some excellently presented and very tasty toasts with tomato or cured salmon.

This was followed by mackerel marinated in dry tomato. This kind of fish makes for fantastic meals; it’s quaint and well-tempered. The crunchy dry tomato is an excellent accompaniment.

The small sardines in pickling brine were fully eaten – head and all!

The ham-style tongue with pink pepper and rocket were also very elegant and rich in flavour.

Then, a risotto made with long-grain rice, fresh shitake mushrooms, penny bun mushrooms and green asparagus – a beautiful mix.

Quail in pickling brine is a traditional recipe; served cold with little toasts – delicious.

Next were the veel cheeks, which had been marinating for several hours and came with pumpkin mash and sautéed greens, such class.

The meal came to an end with the dessert, which was served on a charming three-sided plate for three different flavours: chocolate mousse, apple crumble with port and a juicy sweet made of eggs, toasted almonds and pink pepper. This entire feast was bathed in two white wines. Very different, yet excellent:
Solar dos Lobos from 2014, young, cheeky, cool and perfectly acid, consistent and well paired with the brine.

Also, a bottle of Casal de Santa Maria of the 2010 harvest, with a delicate touch of wood, deliciously complex aromas of asparagus and something soft and tropical, a beautiful structure and elegant acidity. It worked exceptionally well with some foods, for instance the ham-style tongue, the mushroom and asparagus risotto and the veel cheek.

A tawny from the house of Vieira de Sousa was the choice for dessert; very elegant with intense nutty aromas, round and deep, with great acidity, crunchy and lightly toasted. It made for a grand finale after a long afternoon.

Contacts
O Antigo Carteiro
Rua Senhor da Boa Morte, 55
4150-686 Porto
Mobile: (+351) 937 317 523
E-mail: oantigocarteiro@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/oantigocarteiro

At the isle of Faial, Azores, a new restaurant appears…

June 30, 2014 no comments in Uncategorized by José Silva

Text José Silva

The Azores archipelago has become recognized all over the world as a fantastic destination, both because of its landscape and the environmental and ecological policy. It´s a group of nine islands in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, where the green color prevails, and a protected sea where unusual kinds of fish are abundant.

It is one of the largest tuna world reserves, along with other species like grouper and red sea bream. But there you can also find two mammals that can offer delicious and funny performances: dolphins and wales.

It is even the only place on earth where you can watch all the known species of whale. More recently, between the islands of Pico and S. Jorge, the trend is to dive with the sharks that are also abundant.

Traditional vineyards from Pico are world heritage sites.

And there are fantastic products in every island, mainly fish, some shellfish, excellent cow meat and a great cheese variety, besides delicious fruit, the pineapple from S. Miguel being the most famous. The Azores are the only place in Europe where tea is produced, in the island of S. Miguel.

Restaurants in the islands have developed a lot, making good use of these products, mainly the great variety of fish and the table wines that are more and more a constant presence.

The isle of Faial is well known for having had the last active volcano, in 1957, the Capelinhos vulcano, and the famous Peter’s Café, but it also has a citizen that twice completed a trip around the world, alone in his boat “Hemingway”.

It’s Mr. Genuíno, a man of the sea and the fish, one of the best fish experts in Azores, they say, who has brought thousands of souvenirs from those epic trips and that happened to get married in Brazil. Now calmer, he decided to open his own restaurant, in his native island, Faial. He chose a fantastic place, the small Porto Pim beach bay.

An architect friend designed the project and it was born, originally, as a place that wishes to spread the word about Azores’ shellfish and fish, through some traditional recipes with some innovation, discovering new pairings, new propositions.

It has two rooms, one below and the other on the first floor, simply adorned, in light colors, well-set tables, a relaxed scenery with large windows that opens into the beautiful landscape, Porto Pim beach. Calmness is everywhere. In this “Genuíno” they only serve fresh fish and some fresh shellfish in an appealing and modern menu.

Tasty bread, cheese, cottage cheese and earth pepper to start with. There are two possible soups, Hemingway soup and vegetable soup. As starters a delicious shrimp “Genuíno” style, fresh tuna salad, octopus salad very well-seasoned and Cape Horn sward-fish sticks.

Using fish from the islands, they propose names from places that Mr. Genuíno has visited in his trips, some of them even including preparations and seasonings from those faraway places: sward-fish filets with its rice, Rapa Nui tuna in the oven, Polinesian hot fish racket, genuine fish rice, coast octopus rice (at dinner time).

On the grill we can have Guernica grouper, sward-fish with local banana, Timorese tuna, middle canal red sea bream and Vanuatu red snapper. There is a menu for children, a vegetarian menu and they also have take-away.

At the end, Genuíno’s dessert, Gorreana tea pudding, fruit salad, Pico yam pudding, pineapple and cheese dish. Wines from Azores, mainly from Pico and S. Miguel are very present as are Lajido and Ksar, both from Pico and very special. The restaurant is always open, and we can eat at any hour of the day, every day.
Just in front, that fantastic sea is always very calm…

Contacts
Restaurant Genuíno
Areinha Velha, 9 Horta
9900-067 Ilha do Faial, Açores
Tel: +351 292 701 542
Email: genuino@genuinomadruga.com

Lunch at Chalet Vicente

May 23, 2014 no comments in Uncategorized by José Silva

Text José Silva

In a warm and sunny day at Funchal, Olga and I sat down at a terrace table in one of the most sheltering restaurants in this Madeira town, for a peaceful meal. Chalet Vicente, a manorial house with several spaces and corners, between interior rooms and the big terrace.

Right at the entrance of the main room, there is a huge grill, where a variety of fish and meat pass through. But the menu has a great variety, between starters and main courses, and at lunch time there is even an interesting buffet.

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All that is ran by a master of Madeira’s gastronomy, a man with great experience and good taste, Nélio Ferreira, who not only received us, but also guided us through a wonderful meal, a trip through very well prepared morsels, a Madeira taste parade in our table, that tasted so good.

The “bolo do caco”, that delicious soft bread, toasted and covered with garlic butter, was always present during the meal. It started with some unusual but superb black sward fish eggs, very well seasoned, juicy and crispy, a very good surprise.

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Followed by a stewed octopus with sweet potatoes, an enticing, thick sauce, very tender octopus, excellent. By then, our friend Nélio had already opened a bottle of table white Madeira wine, from a small producer, named “Vai de Cabeça”, from Verdelho grape variety. At The correct temperature, it was very well, secure, fresh, very good acidity and that intense mineral touch that performs great matchings. As was the case with the small veal liver steaks, with onion and a lot of laurel, delicate and extremely tasty. Then came some delicious black sward fish fillets, soft and appetizing, covered with banana and passion fruit sauce, wonderful.

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During our meal, a small fresh tuna arrived at the restaurant, from which they showed us some parts, already cleaned and prepared. We didn’t resist Nélio’s proposition, and we enjoyed small tuna steaks with villain sauce, in the company of toasted sweet potatoes with sugar cane honey, something very special. The tuna loin meat melting in generous slices, a spicy and thick sauce, the sweet potato with exotic taste, very, very good.

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But we didn’t finish without trying one of the house specialties, breaded frog legs, very well done, with their white sauce, delicious. And we couldn’t reach desert…but we could delight ourselves with a Madeira wine from Barbeito, a 10 year old Verdelho that was very good. Intense on the nose, with great freshness and dry fruit notes, tangerine skin and caramel. On the mouth it’s an explosion of minerality, fresh, with vibrant acidity, involving, toasted notes, dry, delicious.

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Along with coffee we didn’t resist another glass of this delicious Madeira’s nectar, chilled as it should be, a perfect final for this meal worthy of a Chalet!!

Thank you my friend Nélio.

Contacts
Restaurante Chalet Vicente
Estrada Monumental, 238
9000-100 Funchal
Madeira, Portugal
Portugal
Tel: (+351) 291 765 818
Tel: (+351) 967 793 903
E-mail: chaletvicente@sapo.pt
Website: chaletvicente.com

Posts Tagged : Restaurants

Álvaro Costa and NH Hotel Batalha

Despite the modern facilities, Santa Luzia maintains a traditional cuisine

Taberna Ó Balcão, a wild feast of scents and flavours by Chef Rodrigo Castelo

O Antigo Carteiro, in Lordelo do Ouro, in the invicta city of Oporto…

At the isle of Faial, Azores, a new restaurant appears…

Lunch at Chalet Vicente