Latest news with #Manteigaria
NZ Herald
22-07-2025
- NZ Herald
Exploring Porto: A four-hour food tour of Portugal's culinary delights
We waste no time and head straight out along Rua de 31 de Janeiro, towards the Douro River. As we walk, she shares that the river once divided Christian and Muslim populations, and how Portugal's famous colourful tiles are leftover heritage from Arabic people in the 20th century. Eventually, we join a crowd hustling to get into the city's central train station. It's odd to consider tourists stopping by Auckland's Britomart Train Station, but then again, it's not a 19th-century building like São Bento Station. São Bento Station in Porto, Portugal. Photo / Sarah Pollok Inside, the waiting pays off. The interior walls are covered in gigantic blue and white tiles, reaching across the ceiling like a Portuguese Sistine Chapel. More than 20,000 azulejo tiles depict historic events and daily Portuguese life in history, from epic battles to ancient festivals. Alas, this is a food tour, so we don't linger and head up a street lined with lush green trees that dapple the 11am sun. On Saturday, the streets are abuzz with people enjoying the downtown; families and couples, friends and travellers. Our first proper stop is Manteigaria for arguably one of Portugal's most iconic food items: pastel de nata. No, the pastries aren't just a tourist gimmick, Carlotta assures me, locals enjoy them just as much as visitors. Our Porto food tour guide, Carlota Braga. Photo / Sarah Pollok 'I'm very picky about the tarts,' she adds. 'We often enjoy them with an espresso and, well, if you like, a cigarette,' she laughs. Fortunately, picky is a quality one wants in a food guide. Outside Manteigaria, a crowd stands before the tall glass windows, behind which three white-aproned chefs deftly roll and shape pastry in a mesmerising rhythm. Minutes later, Carlotta appears bearing a tray with a dozen tarts and thimble-like cups of espresso. Pastel de nata (Portuguese tart) from Manteigaria in Porto. Photo / Sarah Pollok 'Cinnamon or sugar,' she asks before dusting the tarts. Stepping away from the group, I have a quiet moment with my first Portuguese tart, which is light yet creamy, only slightly sweet and perfectly offset with the nutty cinnamon. It is, quite simply, divine. Slowly savouring it over four leisurely bites, I rush to knock back the espresso and follow the group two metres up the road to Comer e Chorar Por Mais. 'It translates as 'To eat and cry for more',' Carlotta translates, hinting at what we'll enjoy inside. After a few blinks, my eyes adjust to the dim little gourmet deli. Two large glass cases groan with countless varieties of deli meat and giant legs of dried ham, while shelves wrap around the walls, stacked with lemon liquor and tinned sardines, local preserves and olive oil, while dusty bottles of port precariously graze the ceiling. A charcuterie board at Comer e Chorar Por Mais. Photo / Sarah Pollok Circling a barrel-turned table, a sheet of paper is removed to reveal a platter of bites that allow us to travel without moving an inch. On one board is South Portugal (where meats can be air dried by the drier climate) via ribbons of cured black pork (Porco Preto), which comes from the Alentejo region and fed primarily acorns. Another board holds North Portugal (where meat is typically smoked) selections, from chestnut-fed pigs. In the middle, several types of 'Amanteigado' sheep cheese ('the best in Portugal', beams Inês, the warm shop keeper) and chunks of squishy cow cheese. Then, to the side, some juicy black olives, a dish of fragrant olive oil and plate of wheat bread and 'broa de Avintes' a dark, doughy, rye bread popular in the North. Grabbing a slice, I dunk it into the oil and it tastes like a sun-soaked olive grove. White wines soon arrive and conversation turns to general culture as we pick at the treats. We chat about university culture in our respective countries and the pagan roots of popular Portuguese festivals. Plates cleaned, it's on to Mercado do Bolhão, a market dating back to 1914. 'It was renovated during Covid and some say it's lost its charm,' Carlota says as she guides us through the open-air building, which is roughly the size of two football fields and filled with covered stalls. At the entrance, people eat or relax alongside dozens of tables and bar leaners and lost charm aside, I do enjoy the clean white walls, pristine concrete floors and light floral smell. Mercado do Bolhão, Porto. Photo / Unsplash Grouped roughly by category, the stalls all sell food either in ingredient form or as a dish. There are dried mushrooms and tiny hot sauce bottles, busy crepe stands and pyramids of colourful sardine tins. If you should want for a bulb of dried garlic, shucked oysters, fresh juice or coffee beans, this is the spot. That most people roam around with full glasses of white and red wine also feels deeply European. Sardines are a popular dish in Porto. Photo / Sarah Pollok Having gone 30 minutes without food, it's absolutely time for another bite, and this time we walk up Rua de Santa Catarina and down an unsuspecting alley to a literal hole-in-the-wall joint. Inside Casa Louro, it would be easy to mistake the shoebox restaurant for an FC Porto fan club, decked entirely with the team's blue and white paraphernalia, from team posters and fake trophies to scarves and jerseys. Inside Casa Louro. Photo / Sarah Pollok 'It's hard to be in the city and not support a football team,' Carlota explains. First up is a small mug of yellow, effervescent 'Green wine', which comes exclusively from Minho and is named for the rainy region's verdant landscape. Strong, tart and chilled, it's the perfect summer drink according to Carlota, and has become a popular drink in the past two decades. In the 30C heat, it certainly hits the spot. Then come the plates, bearing tiny salted fish, cured pork, broa de Avintes, and my favourite, Bolinhos de bacalhau. A Portuguese speciality, the crispy deep-fried pillows contain a mix of potato, flour and salted cod, which has the most unusual soft yet fibrous texture and briny flavour. After describing the dishes, conversation turns cultural as Carlota answers our curiosities about life in Porto and the politics. Eloquent yet humble, she describes the current climate and recent history. Like other countries, Portugal recently swung conservative after several years of a liberal Government. Like other countries, rent is expensive and certain jobs are unfairly underpaid. Same trailer different park as they say. The portobello mushroom burger from Casa Guedes, in Porto. Photo / Sarah Pollok It's at this point that we make a mistake many do on a food tour; filling up at the second-to-last stop. Thankful for my choice of dress rather than buttoned pants (a crucial food tour outfit choice), we slowly stroll for 10 minutes, towards Praça dos Poveiros, an area known for restaurants that serve quality meals for working-class folk. One of the more popular among locals is Casa Guedes. Once a humble tavern, its pork shoulder and Serra cheese sandwich was so popular amongst students and workers that its set up four more locations, but Carlotta believes the original is the best. 'I bring groups here, but I also come here myself,' she says. At 1pm, the shaded outdoor tables beside a lush public park are full, so we opt for air conditioning inside. Most of us order the specialty, washed down with a cold rosé, and I try the portobello mushroom option with a brioche bun and sautéed vegetables. True to form, the €5.50 sandwich is simple but delicious. A plate of chips arrives, which Carlotta describes as a restaurant's litmus test. 'You know it's a good place if they hand-make their chips', she reveals. Details For more information on Intrepid Travel's 8-day 'Portugal Real Food Adventure, featuring Galicia', visit New Zealand Herald travelled courtesy of Intrepid Travel.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Yahoo
10 things to eat and drink when you're in Portugal and Northern Spain
Finding something good to eat in Portugal and Northern Spain is ridiculously easy. Nearly every establishment serves its own specialties, often seafood-based near the coast. But there are some traditional (and not-so-traditional) foods you should seek out while you're in the area. Here are 10 dishes to try — most of which are difficult to find elsewhere in the world. 1. Cachorrinhos (small hot dogs): Popular especially in Porto, these skinny sausages, stuffed into a long crispy, fluffy roll along with a little cheese and some piri piri hot sauce, are a hot-dog lover's dream. We had one at Gazela, a popular local watering hole in Porto that became world famous after Anthony Bourdain's visit there aired in 2017. That being said, expect to wait a bit for a table, especially during peak hours. Given how insanely cheap the hot dogs and crisp, refreshing beer are, I'd say it's worth every second. Pro tip: Get more than one, especially if you're there with more than two people. They are so good you'll regret not having one more nibble. 2. Portuguese pastries: If you're at all aware of the Portuguese food scene, you probably know about pastel de nata, the little cream tarts served all over Lisbon and much of the country. But what you might not know is that every little town in Portugal has a pastry it is known for. Stop into any local bakery and ask for their specialty, many of which contain obscene amounts of egg yolks. That being said, we did spend quite a bit of time trying to find the best pastel de nata, and I think we landed on Manteigaria, which has locations all over Lisbon and goes through so many of the tarts that they are always just-out-of-the-oven warm. 3. Bifanas: These pork sandwiches, served on a light, airy, crusty roll, are popular all over Portugal. We found a most excellent version at Taxca, a Porto bar popular with locals. For the filling, pork loin is pounded thin and marinated in white wine, garlic, paprika, and sometimes a few hot chiles, as is the case with the spicy version at Taxca, where the guys behind the bar pile a bun high with the meat before dragging it through the jus. I'm honestly still thinking about this simple, perfect sandwich nearly a month later. 4. Francesinha: This sandwich, found at nearly every casual eatery in Portugal, is anything but simple. Two pieces of square bread are layered with steak, ham and cheese, then smothered with a tomato and beer sauce before being topped with a sunny-side-up egg. It is messy, it is delicious, and it is the perfect hangover food. I speak from experience. 5. Ginjinha: I'm not always a liqueur person — generally, they are too sweet for me — but this cherry-infused brandy, found all over Portugal, is pretty good! The sour cherries it's made with offer a lot of complexity, and though there's sugar, it doesn't taste overwhelmingly sweet. Often, it's served in an edible chocolate shot glass. First, you sip it down a bit, then you put the whole thing in your mouth and chew for the best experience. Don't worry — the ultra-helpful Portuguese will give you a tutorial when you order it. My favorite was a chocolate-cup shot from a woman selling them on the street in Lisbon's Alfama neighborhood. 6. Pinchos or Pintxos: The former is the Spanish spelling; the latter is Basque. These little snacks — often one or two bites for people with bigger mouths than mine — are the Basque Country's answer to tapas, and I love them. Sometimes served on little slices of baguette, sometimes on skewers, they're usually meat or fish adorned with vegetables and whatever else strikes the chef's fancy. Traditionally, people in the region would go out for a drink and one pinchos before dinner, but as they have grown in popularity, tourists and locals alike are making dinner out of hopping from one restaurant to the next, ordering a little snack and a drink at each until they're full. I love the tapas crawl culture in southern Spain, so the pinchos crawl was a delight for us. The best places we found to do this were Logroño and San Sebastian's old town. 7. Piparras: These mildly spicy small peppers are popular in Basque Country. If you can find them dipped in tempura batter and fried, you're in luck. They are so delicious that we returned to Bar la Quimera, the place that sold them this way in Logroño, for a second night in a row. 8. Jamón Ibérico: All over Spain, the people love ham. They are proud of their ham. They put it on everything. It is delicious. Honestly, it's gotta be tough to be someone who doesn't eat pork in these parts because it's hard to avoid it. 9. Basque cheesecake: Though I wouldn't necessarily call this a traditional Basque food — it was invented at La Viña in San Sebastian in the 1980s — this cheesecake has gone viral on social media for a reason. It's simple, creamy and delicious. Unlike New York cheesecake, there's no crust on this 'cake,' it's just all the good stuff, cooked at a higher temperature than the U.S. version to keep the inside extra creamy and burnish the outside just enough to offer a caramelized flavor and a little texture. Pair it with a glass of Txakoli, see below. 10. Txakoli: Although it is possible to find this tart, slightly effervescent Basque Country white wine in Minnesota (I scored two brands at Mick's Bottle Shop on St. Paul's Grand Avenue), it's something you can and should drink while you're in the area. It is much cheaper there, and it goes really well with seafood pinchos and, well, everything. Our group drank many bottles of it in Logroño and San Sebastian. Apparently, Txakoli had been poorly regarded by wine snobs for many years, but has recently grown in popularity. I'm not a wine snob, but I think it's delightful. Reader trip to Portugal and Spain features funiculars, fun, fabulous food Smart travel hacks for the well-heeled, from hotel designer Kelly Wearstler What to know as US prepares to require REAL ID for many air travelers next month The best new hotel in the world is in Denver, says Esquire Worries about flying seem to be taking off. Here's how to cope with in-flight anxiety
