Maria João Menezes – ViniPortugal Managing Director Lisbon

ViniPortugal in Lisbon is located in the Ministry of Agriculture premises in Terreiro do Paço (Praça do Comerçio), one of the most majestic squares of Lisbon.

Praça do Comerçio, Lisbon February 2011. Picture: Martijn Kramers

In elegant surroundings, you can taste fine Portuguese wines offered by producers through their respective regional wine growing commissions.

ViniPortugal, free wine tasting & tourist information Portuguese wine regions, Sala Ogival, Lisbon

A selection of wines from three different regions changes every month (regional calendar for 2011), and allows visitors/tourists to taste wines from all over Portugal. Some wines available for tasting can also be purchased and the very friendly and professional staff is always on hand to provide information of the wines currently available.

Wine tasting: a branco (white) wine and a rosado (rosé) wine

In comfortable chairs you can take the time to enjoy the wines. Every visitor receives a ‘tasting sheet’ (English/Portuguese) and more information about the three regions. To fill in she sheet you have to give your opinion about your ‘wine emotions’, like ’aos olhos’ (eyes), ‘no nariz’  (nose) and ‘ na boca’ (mouth). The tasting notes are used for market research.

A selection of wines from three different Portuguese regions

The huge space is separated by large panels decorated with a variety of pictures showing parts of a human body like beautiful lips (In Love), a belly (Mysterious) and a woman’s brest (Relaxed), accompanied by stories about wine

Descontraída - Relaxed

“The Portuguese, according to the French, are always having a party. We are cheerful whenever events are happy. That’s normal, is it not? Whenever we feel happy, we drink a toast to the hapiness and joy of those we love. Good wine – be it red, white, rosé or generous – cheers the heart. Cheerful soul? Cheerful wine? Let us celebrate whenever there is a festive occasion”

 Isabel Rebelo

The Lisbon Sala Ogival  is the first permanent space devoted to promoting Portuguese wines, preceding its sister location in Oporto, which opened on February 7, 2007 in the Palácio da Bolsa in the historic area of the city.

Lisbon: Sala Ogival

From Tuesday to Saturday, between 11.00 and 19.00, ViniPortugal‘ s Sala Ogival de Lisboa is open to the public, located at Praça do Comércio (“Black Horse Square”).

Tel. 00351 213 420 690. Mail: sala.ogival@viniportugal.pt

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Suckling pig is a young pig that has only fed on its mother’s milk. The piglets are slaughtered between the ages of 2 and 4 weeks… For me, it looks so pitiful!

Roasted pig ‘Siumei’ is served whole at Chinese weddings as a symbol of the bride’s virginity, although the same pig is said to symbolize both virility and prosperity.

Window dressing Pasteleria ‘A Merendinha’ Lisbon: suckling pig with sunglasses

Suckling pig is also a special occasion dish in the Philippines, a custom brought with the Spanish. In Cuba, the dish is traditionally served on New Year’s Day and it’s served for the Hawaiian lu’au, covered with banana leaves and cooked in a pit.

It seems to be gorgeous.  Pasteleria ‘A Merendinha’ (The snack) in Lisbon, Rua Condes de Monsanto 4-a, close to Praça da Figueira.

The European cuisines of Romania, Spain, Germany, Croatia and Georgia favor it highly as well. It also accompanies goose as the traditional Christmas feast of families in Russia and Serbia. There are many recipes found from as far back as ancient Rome.

Beautiful azulejos (tiles)!

The suckling pig’s popularity has declined in the United States and the United Kingdom. However, it retains a place in Cajun cuisine in the southern U.S., where the Cochon de Lait festival is held annually in the small town of Mansura, Louisiana.

Restaurant Cervejaria Paço Real, Rua da Conceição 55, Lisbon

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Very creative, very sweet, but delicious: ‘coelinho‘ (small rabbit): 1,30 euro

The interior has not changed since it was opened, and this teahouse is very popular with locals who cannot pass up the oportunity of good tea (chã), with traditional (and fabulous) Portuguese sweets and pastries.

Confeitaria Nacional launched the “Bolo Rei” (The Kings Cake), customarily associated with Christmas (who gets the bean?) brought to Portugal by the son of the founder in the middle of the 19th Century.

Tearoom upstairs. Taste the most typical Portuguese cakes, such as Queijadas de Sintra or Doces de Ovos de Aveiro , a sweet paste made with just eggs and sugar.

Confeitaria Nacional , Praça da Figueira 18B, Lisbon, more…. 

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Tea and lunchroom Versailles

After visiting the Gulbekian Museum, a must-do is to go to the nearby and wonderful old tea and lunchroom Versailles (1922) at Avenida da República, which has it’s own bakery. The homemade cakes and pastries are delicious, like the famous Portuguese Pasteis de natas. The decor is rich, with chandeliers, gilt mirrors, stained-glass windows, tall stucco ceilings, and black-and-white marble floors. It looks like it could be straight of Paris…Mostly elderly people and greats of the Lisbon cafe scene enjoy their bica (espresso) here.

When Pastelaria Versailles was inaugurated on November 25 1922, the objective was to turn into a symbol of the fashionable Avenidas Novas, an elegant and new neighborhood in Lisbon. Remaining a courageous resistant to the construction fury that replaced many of the beautiful small palaces and stylisch houses of the first halve of the 20th century by today’s unattractive buildings at Avenida da República, where ‘Versailles’ is….

The Pastelaria also knew how to resist to the fast-food wave that assaulted many of the most well-known cafes and pastry shops in Lisbon, transforming them into uncharacteristic places where people can only grab a fast meal. The wide variety of snacks includes codfish balls and toasted ham-and-cheese sandwiches. They are also famous for their confectioneries served in a glass case.

Pastelaria Versailles, long known as the ‘grande dame‘ of Lisbon’ coffeehouses, was quite recently declared a part of the national heritage. It still serves the famous Mozambique black tea that was introduced in 1662. Lunch, served in a back room, is a full meal of such Portuguese specialties as codfish with almonds. Most visitors come here for tea or coffee, served with sandwiches and snacks. Desserts, including duchesses (whipped-cream cakes) are justifiably famous.

As an old-fashioned and formal touch, immaculately attired waiters serve customers from silver-plated tea services. In addition to coffee and tea, the house specialty is hot chocolate. It’s open daily from 7:30am to 10:00pm. Metro: Saldanha.

 Window dressing Pastelaria Versailles, Avenida da Republica 15a
Lisbon   

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Praça da Figueira, view from Rossio (Praca Dom Pedro IV)

The square is also an important traffic hub, with bus and metro stops. In 1971 a bronze equestrian statue representing King John (1357-1433), by sculptor Leopoldo de Almeida, was inaugurated in the square. In 1999/2000, during the last renovation of the square, the statue was relocated from the middle to a corner of the square, in order to make it visible from the Praça do Comércio.

Ola (hello), you’re welcome! The very friendly waiter Marcelo Brito. Pastelaria ‘Tentacao (‘Temptation’)', Praca da Figueira, for lunch (or breakfast, delicious pastries!) I enjoyed roasted salmon, vegetables and boiled potatoes (salmão grillado) € 7.

It’s nice to enjoy the sun and to view the hustle and bustle of the square.

Not too many tourists here….

Another nice place to sit outside for lunch: ‘Pastelaria Videirinha‘ (‘little vineyard’), owner Filipe Barbosa is preparing the tables outside.

Pratos do dia (menu of the day) from  € 3.80 – 5.00

Very tasty bean soup (sopa de feijado verde), a cheap replacement for a full meal (€ 0,95). Don’t be too surprised to see a Portuguese ordering a soup to finish the meal. Soups made from a variety of vegetables are commonly available, one of the most popular being caldo verde made from moderately thin potato purée, thinly chopped collard greens and slices of chouriço.

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In case you want to take more than funny souvenirs from Lisbon, this shop is absolutely worth a visit. Cláudio Silva created this new deli, selling all type of products that you can’t wait to try or to give to somebody.

Cláudio Silva: “I worked 14 years as a sales representative for a multinational, but I always dreamed that one day I would open a shop like this. The selection of products is sometimes based on memory. Happily young Portuguese people who start their own business nowadays are proud of traditional Portuguese products, but with a new, natural approach”.

All products are translated in English.

Cláudio Silva: “This olive oil (Herdade da Calada) from Alentejo is really good, first cold press, price € 6,50. The most expensive ones are not always the best! Besides, ‘Herdade da Calada’ are very good and cheap wine producers: from € 6 to € 30″.

While we’re talking two eldery people enter the shop to buy dr. Bayard cough candies (since 1949, the tradition remains the same, generation after generation).

Rebuçados de ovo de Portalegre (candied egg yolks). This typical Portugese candy was disappearing, but due to a new procedure you can keep them for one month instead of 3 or 4 days.

T-shirts, an example ’Portugal regrets inventing fado’

Cláudio Silva “ I’m very happy with my new shop in this area’, close to the most beautiful square of Lisbon: Praça do Comércio.

‘Meio da Praça’, (‘Halfway the Square’). This shop just moved to Rua da Prata, nº 78,’ From Monday to Saturday, 11am to 20pm. Phone 00351 21347 6013.

http://www.meiodapraca.blogspot.com/ more than funny souvenirs…

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‘Hot and good, a dozen for € 2“.

Much to the chagrin of many, the traditional paper cone made out of the Yellow Papers has been replaced by soulless paper packages, which takes something away from the ritual of chestnuts.

Baixa area, the commercial heart of Lisbon

Saint Martin Day, is celebrated on November 11.

It is called Magusto. This day is the peak of three days, often with very good weather, known as Verão de São Martinho (Saint Martin’s summer). The Portuguese celebrate it with jeropiga (a sweet liqueur wine) and roasted chestnuts (castanhas assadas).

Rossio, Lisbon in December

On Saint Martin’s Day traditions dictate that family and friends gather around a glowing hearth or bonfire, where they roast chestnuts and drink água-pé (a watered kind of wine), jeropiga, vinho novo (young wine), or the slow smooth burn of aguardente (‘firewater’, alcoholic drinks between 29 and 60 percent alcohol).

Chestnuts and jeropiga

Because this pagan festival is a celebration of life, there is food and drink and plenty of fun: in some regions people smother themselves with ashes, black themselves up and sing around the fire.

Largo do Chiado, Lisbon

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Restaurant/bar “Tropical do Meco”, Meco village in September

During our stay in Meco village we ate in several restaurants in the previous days. Our favorite: Restaurant/bar “Tropical do Meco“. At night the weather is turning a bit colder in this time of the year (end of September and close to the Atlantic!), so we enjoyed our dinner at the veranda (smoking allowed).

Restaurant/bar “Tropical do Meco”

Restaurant’s specialties (especialidades): Mexilhões de cebolada (Mussels prepared with onions) ; Caldeirada de Peixe-espada com amêijoa (a fishstew of scabbard fish and small clams); Filetes de Peixe-espada preto fritos com arroz de tomate (Fried black scabbard fish fillets with tomato rice).

Our choice: Espetada Tamboril Camarao, € 12,50 and Picanha Carvao (Grilled Picanha, € 11,00) .

The espetada is a typical Portuguese dish made of chunks of beef or fish rubbed in garlic and salt, skewered onto a bay leaf stick with vegetables such as onions and bell peppers and left to grill over smouldering wood chips. Other meats including pork and chouriço are also commonly used, but there are also other types like those made from squid. It is literally named “sword”. The dish can be served on a skewer which hangs from a hook on a stand as it is presented.

Picanha (meat from Brazil) is generally considered to be the number one cut, even better than beef fillet. Picanha (pick-ahn-yeh) is much better than a steak, meltin-in-your mouth !

The restaurant service was really great, professional and friendly.

‘Tropical do Meco’ owners Hugo, Sergio (brothers) and their mother Teresa. Besides being a great restaurant, Tropical de Meco is also thé place for the Meco beachcrowd for late night cocktails and other drinks (try a caipinrinha!). Especially high summer, the bar is a favorite hangout for Meco-visitors to end the night with a drink or two, or more….

We also got invited to a tour of the kitchen: Teresa, Isabel, Gladys, Clarice and Niso.

To accompany our food we enjoyed a bottle of Montado white wine from the Alentejo region (€ 5,50), a superb choice! While drinking our coffees a glass of a delicious liqueur was offered by the restaurant: ‘Moscatel Roxo’, a liqueurous wine from the Setúbal Peninsula.

Restaurant ‘Tropical do Meco’, Rua do Comércio 28, Aldeia do Meco, Sesimbra, Setúbal. Phone 212 683398, mail tropicaldomeco@hotmail.com. Closed Tuesday.

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Largo de São Domingos: ‘Lisbon, City of Tolerance’. What you’ll find here is a real Portuguese atmosphere: a variety of little shops, a typical Portuguese restaurant, a ginjinha café and a delicious Charcutaria (deli-shop).

Charcutaria Tábuas, Rua Barros Queiróz 45-51, selling Portuguese hams (presunto), sausages, smelly Portugese cheeses, fresh herbs, spices and bounties of tropical fruit and vegetables.

Presunto is the name given to dry-cured Portuguese ham similar to Spanish jamón. There are a wide variety of presuntos in Portugal; among the most famous are Presunto from Chaves, produced in the north of Portugal, and Presunto from Alentejo, in the south, made from local Alentejano pig.

Ginjinha cafe Rubi, Rua Barros Queiróz 27. Ginjinha is a liqueur made of a cherry-like berry called (not surprisingly) Ginja. The berries are fermented into a brandy that’s slightly bitter, slightly sweet and very sticky. You can order a ‘Ginja’ for little money and with or without a cherry in it. Small one: euro 0,45, big one: 0,75. The taste of a Ginjinha is one you won’t forget!

‘Cafe Rubi’ inside, beautiful tiles (azulejos)! The azulejo is a typical form of Portuguese painted, tin-glazed, ceramic tilework. They have become a typical aspect of Portuguese culture. Azulejo comes from the Arabic word az-zulayj, meaning polished stone.

Wherever you go in Portugal, azulejos are to be found inside and outside cafes, churches, palaces, ordinary houses and even ceilings, train- or subway stations. Many azulejos chronicle major historical and cultural aspects of Portuguese history.

Grande Big Bazar, Rua Barroz Queiróz # 13

What an amazing dress!

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The taverns are the most typical and traditional restaurants in Portugal: tasty appetisers, irresistible cheeses, olives, salt cod rissoles with red pepper rice, sardines,  fried lamb chops, bean stew, beef with sauce.  Great local wines.

Beautiful view from ‘A Tasquinha’ ‘s terrace: Largo Contador Mor.

New owner of ‘A Tasquinha’ Romana Mendouça: ‘ My husband and I worked very hard to buy this restaurant. Happily it’s successful, some days we have 120 people for lunch.’ Restaurant speciality: ‘deliciosos molhos’ (delicious sauces).

‘A Tasquinha’ is open from 09:30 till 02:00 (in summertime). Every night live fado from 19:30 till 23:00.

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