Since our dinner time is too early to dine out, we try to enjoy lunch at a restaurant every other day or so.
We have a favorite restaurant one minute away from home, but today he picked a new one in the neighborhood.
It seems like just another restaurant.
The restaurant was almost full when we arrived around 12:30pm. A good sign!
We spent some time to figure what to order as usual by googling or translating. They offer a menu do dia, which includes bread, olives, drink, dessert and coffee.
Now I have a strategy. When I don’t know what to order, I would go with one on the top, usually one the restaurant is most confident of. They said it was pork cheek and it sounded good to me.
Although we order a glass wine, they brought more than 500ml wine in a carafe. Very intimidating. Really?
I couldn’t finish my share but a gentleman next to us finish 500ml all by himself. I think he is not special but at Portuguese standard. Btw, olives always taste so good 🙂
Mine: Bochechas de Porco Assadas no Forno, the cheek was very tender and perfect with red wine.
His: Frango de Caril (Chicken Curry)
The lady brought a set of desserts for us to see what is what. How nice!
He chose almond caramel something…I think this is ‘Baba de Camelo’ caramel mousse.
I have another rule. I try ‘Doce da Casa’ whenever available. This was so delicious!
Un cafe cheio to close the meal. An amazing deal for 7.50 euro per person.
Grocery shopping on the way home.
Checking a fish market
Curious about all different seafood, but didn’t buy anything.
A butcher next to it
Very overwhelming
I bought a thin steak beef and cheese (total 3.25 euro). Panados might be a good option next time.
Two more stops to buy some vegetables and pastries. Then I had to stop another to pick up alho (garlic).
Dinner @ 6:30pm: Soup, We didn’t get hungry at all for the big lunch.
This restaurant quickly became one of our favorites.
The owner/chef was standing at the door, so we greeted him “Bom dia!” and asked about the Sunday special. I always wanted to try ‘Cozido Á Portuguesa’
Starting with Azeitonas (olives), Pão (bread), Vinho Tinto & Branco (red & white wine)
Prato do dia Peixe: Carapaus Assados (daily special fish)
Prato do dia carne: Cozido Á Portuguesa (daily special meat)
Sobremesas: Pudim & Doce da Casa (dessert: pudding & house special)
Cafe Chieo (finishing the meal with great coffee)
Unlike 8 euro weekday lunch special here, it’s not prix fixe menu, but still an amazing deal! I really love the house dessert, which is similar to blanc manger.
Skipped dinner for a big lunch. He had a bowl of chicken soup.
I woke up again around midnight…worked for a couple of hours and got my throat sores again…Oh no…
Went back to bed around 2am and stayed in bed till 2pm. That’s crazy… but I was feeling so fatigued.
I have to figure how to fix both my jet lag and cold as quickly as possible.
We took it easy watching TV this afternoon and went to a grilled chicken restaurant, which was supposed to open at 6pm.
6pm is too early for dinner
Great reviews on this restaurant
Arrived right on time, but they said it’s not open till 7pm. Shoot!
Chicken looks ready tho. At 6pm I guess no one eat dinner.
Snack Bar Pirata
At this point, we were too hungry to wait till 7pm. So picked a place nearby. The one I see it’s always a full of people.
But I was not sure that they were serving dinner because all people enjoyed just drinks.
I asked a server in English, but he didn’t understand. In my mind, what to say “dinner” in Portuguese…Then, “Jantar?” He replied, “Sim!”
Yes!!!
He brought a table set and menu. No one having meals here 😛
Everyone enjoys drinking and watching soccer.
Only in Portuguese
Since the server doesn’t speak English, we have to communicate only in Portuguese and gesture, which was good and interesting.
He asked, “Peixe or carne?” and I answered, “Peixe,” but I didn’t know what kind…He took me to the fish case and told me to pick one.
He: “Dois?” Me: “Um.”
I took him back to the table to take my husband’s order (he knew what he wanted).
I kept trying, “Uma garrafa de agua, por favor.” He said, “Fresca or natural?” (I believe). I replied, “Fresca.” If I am correct about the conversation, fresca means cold water and natural is room temperature. I read somewhere it’s common to be asked in Portugal. I wish this would be common in the US because there is always too much ice in water for me.
Ok done. But I saw he grabbed two fish and headed to kitchen. I followed him to say, “Um! Nao dois.” He said something like that would be fine. I asked, “Um prato con dois peixes?” He nodded, “Sim, Sim!”
Our dinner was amazing!
Here is my dish, two fish on one plate! Carapaus con molho a espanhola (6 euro). It tastes totally like Japanese grilled fish and made me miss white rice & miso soup.
Even better with this Spanish sauce, I thought two fish is too much but I finished. Potato was sweet and good. He had beer, Super Bock.
His: Carne de Porco à Alentejana (Pork and clams 6 euro), This was amazing too.
Sobremesa (dessert)? Sim! I pointed one in the showcase again.
Pudim (1.80 euro)
I didn’t want to finish our dinner and instant Portuguese lesson yet. So ordered Jinja (Cerry liqor 1 euro). Since Portuguese say it’s medicine, I am hoping this get my cold away.
This is what we got. Amazing!
When I am totally recovered, I would like to come back to enjoy wine and petiscos (snack).
I slept from 9pm to 7:30am straight. It’s too much sleep but feels great!
In the morning, I fixed breakfast and worked on my blog and research on activities in Lisbon.
Today, we tried to get meal time straight like breakfast @ 8am, lunch @ 12:30pm and dinner @ 6pm.
Breakfast @ 8:30pm: Croissant, greens, ham & broccoli omelette, grape, orange & mango juice and tea
Around 11:30am, he finished his work and we left for lunch around 12:30pm.
There is a neighborhood restaurant we pass by everyday and are so curious about it.
We are finally here for the amazing lunch deal, 8 euros!
The restaurant seemed full but there was another dining area inside, where three groups were dining and it got almost full within 30 minutes.
Bread and olives are not free usually but this daily lunch special (Almoço de Dia) includes everything on the table, such as main, soup or salad, drink, dessert and coffee.
All other customers were enjoying red wine, which was served in carafes and he ordered beer, but I am not still comfortable to drink alcohol so stick to water (sem gas).
He ordered Dourada Grelhada (8 euro) from regular menu
I had a lunch special, Grelhada Mista Espetadas (Mix Kebabs). It comes with salad and fries.
Pork belly and sausage are simply good.
I chose Mousse de Chocolate for Sobremesa (dessert). We were asked, “Dois?” and instantly answered, “Sim dois.” Then he got the same too.
Cafe Cheio at the end. He got a cup too. I wish coffee was served with dessert but a dish comes one by one in Europe, I guess so I try to get used to it.
It was very busy during lunch time. We noticed that everyone paid at the register. So we did. We wondered how much for the extra he ordered. It was just 2 euros for beer, dessert or coffee! I couldn’t understand what dessert options would be and just picked one I understood. But I could point one in the showcase next time.
I really wanna come back here for lunch again soon. Next time, I would have wine along with my lunch in a best condition!
We took a walk to a different direction we’ve never taken to explore the neighborhood. It’s residential area and I like that there are a little market or cafe on every block. Feels so local.
Found a supermarket and got grocery for dinner.
Can you guess how much it costs for these. Only 3.75 euros!!! I don’t get it since chicken is marked 3.08 euros…This has happened when we purchased a monitor. It was marked 249 but charged only 175…I still wonder it’s a mistake or discount?
His dinner: Chicken Soup
My dinner @ 7pm: chicken broth & cereal, I wanted to kill the milk, which should be finished within 4 days once opened.
On the second day in Lisbon, I felt much better at least no exhaustion. I got up around 8 am and fixed breakfast for my husband who already started working at 4am.
Breakfast: tea, pastel de nata (from My Auchan), sausage and egg
Then I went back to bed and slept all day.
In the evening, we met with the agent and went to see an apartment.
On the way to the property, there is an amazing view. Yes! This is the Lisbon I have dreamt for!
The apartment looks nice. We like it but the agent has a few more properties to show us next few days.
We went to have dinner, the first nice meal in Lisbon on the way home.
It was around 6:30 pm. We were early and only customers while all employees having dinner along with wine before work. I love this laidback culture. They still gave us a full attention.
I still need a full recovery, so take it easy with a bowl of vegetable soup (1.40 euro)
He had a big mug of beer (cerveja 2.50 euro) and Brazilian Steak (Vazia Brasileira 8.70 euro). I had a bite of steak and it tasted so good.
They brought bread and some appetizers to our table. Be aware that nothing is complimentary. If you don’t want them, send them back. I tried three little croquettes (0.90 euro each) because I felt guilty to have only soup but they just tasted ok. Too dry for my throat to swallow. They could be good if you drink beer or wine.
In Portugal, they don’t serve tap water. A bottle of water could cost more than beer or coffee sometime.
MyEverydayEatsInLisbon 