Foodie Bootie

We ate really well in Portugal – lots of fish, nice salads, and tons of olives. Each meal started with a selection of appetizers such as cured ham, sardine or tuna pâté, and cheese.* I came home with enough treats – a super strong sheep cheese called Quejo de Ovelha Corado, the “Wurst of the Week” sausage, a tuna pâté, anchovies, and sea salt – to keep the trip on the tip of my tounge for a while. I also picked up a set of appetizer plates for a steal at the Thieves’ Market.

For anyone planning a trip to Lisbon, we stayed at the Borges Hotel on Rua Garrett. It’s in a great location, affordable, and clean and comfortable. Also, consider the following restaurants:

• Louro & Sal, 53 Rua da Atalaia: clean, modern décor warmed with brown paper and bright napkins on whitewashed tables; excellent salads and fish; a delicious house red, and a nonsmoking section
• Mercearia de Comida, 90-92 Rua da Barroca: eclectic décor with mismatched tables and chairs; really good baked sole with prawns; sangria
• Sul, 13 Rua do Norte: Because there was no printed menu I assume the options change frequently; steak that you cook at the table on a hot stone; the best olives on the trip
  

* Be forewarned, you don’t order these apps but you pay for them. Ironically though, the better the restaurant was, the few random apps they put on our table.