Confraria

This is the place to go for sushi in Cascais. A small sushi house, really in the center of the town, in a very quite spot, with a nice balcony outside and yummy food!

Confraria is right in the centre of Cascais, just a few meters away from my choice for an Italian – Caffe Italia (http://allthegoodrestaurants.blogspot.com/2011/10/caffe-italia.html ). It is in small, traditional Cascais house, with white walls, a small and nice balcony, on a white-stone quiet street. The dining room is not exactly very big – you can count on maybe 40 sits, but is dark and beautiful… and just like 90% of sushi restaurants…

Confraria is a good choice for a sushi dinner, with a couple of good friends and just before you hit the streets for some drinks and fun (though let me tell you that Cascais has lost some of its steam on this department…). The miso soup is a good way to start your meal – even if you don’t love tofu, like I don’t. And then the sushi is quite good. I usually choose a sushi to sashimi mix, with all the right salmon and tuna and and hossomaki and uramaki. And I always make sure I have some hot sushi (yes, I love it!!!) in there – I would go for a shake cheese hot, but there are also other good choices in the menu. But you can also order off the menu – just ask the waiter what is the sushi chef doing that is not in the book (and sometimes you will have a very good surprise!).

If you like sushi and are in Cascais, this would be my recommendation (with some sake along the meal as well…).

Where: Cascais - Portugal

Address: Rua Luis Xavier Palmeirim, 14 – Cascais

Phone: +351 21 483 4614

Website: http://www.confrariasushi.com/

Expensive: Around €40.

Last visit: December 2011

Castas e Pratos

Peso da Régua is at the heart of Douro’s wine district – probably, Portugal’s most famous wine area. So, good wine was guaranteed. But what about good food?

Castas e Pratos is set up in an old railway warehouse – next to the train station and a few dozens of meters from the Douro River. It is big 2 storeys house, the first one being a wine bar (of course) and then the second one being the restaurant.

The cuisine is a balance between the traditional flavours of the region (a heavy, tasteful exploitation of beef with some occasional pork dishes) with some modern and even fusion like appointments that blend different tastes and invite to be tried. Starters like “Alheira cannelloni with egg and rappini” (alheira is a specific type of Portuguese blood sausage) or “Grilled aspargus with Iberian pork ham with a string of honey” or entrees like “Codfish with corn bread”, “Duck maigret with rum caramelized pineapple”, “Calf medallion au Roquefort sauce with mushrooms risotto” or “Traditional beef (“posta”) on a toast with olive oil, grilled potato and salted rappini” promise a lustful and delicious dinner. There are also pasta options (more regular) and veggie options. And, as a concession to Southern tastes, a rice dish and an “açorda” (a typical bread, garlic, eggs and olive oil entrée from South of Portugal). And please, pick one of the nice Douro wines in the menu and make the meal even more tasteful!

Castas e Pratos is a fresh alternative to the heavier options of traditional North Portugal cuisine – without actually renouncing to them. It introduces a different blend in an already quite taste appealing region (did I already mention the wine?).

Where: Peso da Régua - Portugal

Address: Rua José Vasques Osório

Phone: +351 254 323 290

Website: http://www.castasepratos.com/

Expensive: Around €25 per person.

Last visit: December 2011

White Port

One of the good surprises of my recent trip through Portugal inland regions, was actually the discovery of white port wine. I had no idea it existed! Which I know it is a huge shame when you consider that I am actually Portuguese… But I discovered a smooth, mildly sweet wine, that begs to be drank fresh (maybe with a bit of ice?) under the Sun, while enjoying a nice chat with friends. I actually picture myself in Lisbon, looking at the river and the white houses while sipping it… I think I probably discovered my drink for this summer – which is particularly awkward if you think we are in January – oh, well…

P.S- I might also try to blend some red fruits in it as part of a cocktail. It seems a good experiment.

Dom Sancho

Nobody goes to Sortelha – unless you know the village. It is an incredible medieval village, deep in Portugal, next to the Spanish border. It is a really off the beaten path place – and a magical one. Imagine an old village at the top of a granite block, surrounded by old and well preserved walls, its houses mad of grey stone and moss, under an amazing blue sky. My girlfriend was amazed at the place and the pureness of the air! And, if you go to this fairy tale village – make sure you stop by the restaurant!

Dom Sancho is in the first square of the village, right after you drive your car through a narrow wall gate. It is a two storey wall building, like any other in the village – the first floor is a small bar and the top one being the dining room. Once you step inside, you feel the outdoor magic flows indoor as well. The sober room, decorated with some game motives on the walls, the wood chairs and tables, the kitchen at the end – it all seems authentic. And some small details, like the menu being just a brown paper sheet nailed to a wooden piece just reinforce it.

For food, ask for the traditional starters – Iberian ham, Serra cheese, salami,… It is all non processed, organic, from the region that surrounds this village. Don’t forget to order a good Dão red wine, with a strong taste that goes well with the flavours you will put in your mouth in just a couple of minutes. For entrees you have a couple of options. You have game, like wild boar stew (that was delicious) or an assortment of deer. You may also order rabbit or hare, cooked the traditional way – “à caçadora”, meaning “hunter style”. Or then, you can try one of the oven cooked fish, like cod or octopus “à lagareiro”, with a tasty olive oil and soaked potatoes. Whatever the option, let me tell you that will make you really consider the possibility of walking down to the square and take a nap under the sun, lying against an old tree and looking at the ever-standing city walls. And will make you wish to come back to this village and restaurant.

Sortelha and Dom Sancho restaurant are out of the way. It is not a place to go in a fancy night out. But is a great place for a dinner in a romantic weekend, or a good lunch when you go on a family trip and want to show your kids a medieval village. Dom Sancho has the right ingredients to help make this a memorable part of an amazing day

Where: Sortelha - Portugal

Address: Largo Corro

Phone: +351 271 388 267

Expensive: Around €20

Last visit: December 2011