I like meat, but I don’t love it. I wouldn’t normally order a steak at a restaurant… until Portugal.
Let me first start off by saying, Lisbon is lovely. It’s a beautiful city with cobblestone streets and tiled buildings, full of hills and green and red-rooftops. I had no expectations for Portugal, and it has completely blown me away. Everything is so affordable, and so beautiful. In short, I love this country!
Last night my boyfriend and I went hunting for a great, small, local Portugese restaurant in Lisbon. We asked everyone we met for recommendations, and we settled on a small place called Cantinho do Bem Estar in Bairru Alta.
We walked in to the very small restaurant and sat down. The chef gave us menus (which were in Portugese) and then came up to us and said, “Fish, or meat?”
We couldn’t decide. So he brought out a huge tub of fish, all freshly caught. “Pick!” he says.
In the end, we chose meat. The fish, I’m sure would have been delicious, but the meat…. oh, the meat!
Our meal started out with delicious home-baked bread, topped with olives, butter and cheese. Twenty minutes later, our plate of meat came out—two massive ribeye steaks that I was positive we would not be able to finish (we did).
The meat was seared in an olive oil, garlic and lemon sauce, seasoned perfectly with just the right amount of salt. We were in heaven. Even my ridiculously picky, chef of a boyfriend said it was the best steak he’s ever had–usually when we eat out he just says “I could cook this better.”
Somehow, we polished off the entire plate of meat. And a jug of wine. And some chocolate cake. And all of this cost us 30 Euros, (about $45). So, so worth it!
Portugal Day 1 was incredible. Now we’re off to start Portugal Day 2: Beach day!
