- 2 days ago
Chef Nuno Mendes joins Condé Nast Traveler as he guides you through Lisbon’s must-try food spots. Discover where to find the city’s best bifana, the freshest seafood, and hidden local favorites that define Lisbon’s vibrant food scene.
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00This is luxury.
00:01There's so much love here, you know?
00:03Hi, I'm Nuno Mendes.
00:04Welcome to Lisbon.
00:05I will be taking you to some of my favorite spots
00:08around town today.
00:10This is where the chefs eat.
00:13This is one of my favorite places in Lisbon.
00:16There's always a line here,
00:17regardless of how early you get here.
00:19Today is not too bad.
00:26This for me is Portuguese sandwich gold.
00:28One of the most simple things.
00:30Portuguese water bread, braised pork,
00:32typically shoulder, that is cooked
00:34with a little bit of the actual pork fat,
00:35lots of garlic, bay leaf,
00:37and then basically it's stewing in the juices.
00:40Incrível, huh?
00:41Ah, wow.
00:43Depending on the time of day,
00:45why not a Super Bowl to go with it, you know?
00:47A really cheeky beer.
00:48And so this is my favorite table.
00:50I grew up eating these,
00:51and this is still like, for me, the best.
00:53A little bit of mustard, a little bit of chili as well.
00:57This is the way to do it.
00:58You see that?
01:00That's good.
01:01And it's dripping.
01:03For me, it's like the warm, juicy pork
01:05that has been braised.
01:06Just the warmth of that, like, you know,
01:07that kind of melts against a really nice bread
01:10that has a nice little crispy crust
01:11that holds it together really well.
01:13You can see it's delicious.
01:15If the meat was overcooked, you'd melt too fast,
01:17or if the bread is too hard,
01:19then the ratio wouldn't be right.
01:20Then the way you eat it would be completely different.
01:22So I think the fact that they get this...
01:24That's good.
01:25It'll be fun!
01:26The charm of this is not just it'll be fun,
01:28but it's the setting.
01:29It's the crazy people that drive around here.
01:31It's the cool people that live here,
01:33that stop by, and regardless of what you're doing,
01:35they'll stop and interrupt you and say hi.
01:37Here I am with the master.
01:38So this gentleman's learned with Mr. Fos,
01:40who's the original person who started this,
01:42and he's kept the recipe in the family
01:43and basically making the same recipe every day.
01:45A little sal, paprika, a little pork fat,
01:48a lot of garlic, and white wine is important,
01:51a good white wine.
01:52It's the same wine I sell in the customers.
01:55Exactly.
01:56It's the same one in the pan.
01:58If you see the menu, it's the same in the last 20 years,
02:0230 years, with the soup, with the patanis,
02:04because it's a traditional Portuguese snacks and sandwich.
02:08I think what's amazing is that in the last 50 years,
02:12you still have a huge percentage of locals
02:14that still come here.
02:15So you still get the leisburtas here.
02:17Every kind of person.
02:19The locals, the workers, the neighbors.
02:23It's always as a pit stop.
02:24They open early and they close mid-afternoon,
02:26so it's literally like, it's not lunch,
02:28it's just you stop here and you have to be fun.
02:30It's a tradition, you come and say hi.
02:31If you're in the mood for, you have a beer,
02:32you have a coffee or whatever.
02:33These are still very classic old recipes.
02:36I wanted to ask you, obviously,
02:37like I've been eating be funnest for many years.
02:40The base juices that you have,
02:41how long have they been going on for?
02:46All the time.
02:47Because when I clean the pan,
02:50the old juice I keep it to start the new one.
02:53Bloody hell.
02:54It's 10, 15, 20 years now.
02:56It's like, of years that that's possible.
02:59Incredible.
03:00As you can see, I still have a nice clean T-shirt.
03:03And one of my goals for today,
03:05one of the achievements is if I can actually go through today
03:08and eat all these delicious things
03:10and still finish the day with a nice clean shirt.
03:13I'll be very proud of myself for that.
03:14Now, let's go to our next stop.
03:17The food culture in Lisbon is very unique
03:19because it has so many different influences.
03:22Because this is a port city,
03:23we also have a huge array of different cultures
03:26living in the city.
03:27Here we are for our second stop of the day.
03:29This is my favorite restaurant in Lisbon, Prado.
03:32It's been open for seven years.
03:33It's got amazing food, very creative.
03:36The team is incredible.
03:37The wine service is incredible.
03:39The space is beautiful.
03:40It's young, it's youthful,
03:42and it represents the food scene in Lisbon,
03:43what's happening in Lisbon today.
03:45Food for one.
03:46Wonderful snacks, yeah.
03:47So our classic beef tartare with a crispy cabbage.
03:50Amazing.
03:51Caramelized croissant soaked in a savory pruned custard
03:55with a pruned tartare on top.
03:56And this is our sweet potato croquette.
03:59And on top, we have a curried mussel emulsion
04:01with grilled mussels and pickled onions.
04:03This is one of my favorites, the beef tartare.
04:05I'm going to open it up to show you.
04:08I mean, the aged beef is like chopped.
04:10Because Tosier works with the whole animals,
04:12you know, the fat, the aged fat,
04:14to be seen as the tartare.
04:15And this is made from the trimmings of the beef
04:17that he serves on the menu.
04:18And then the cabbage leaves are just very simply
04:20lightly grilled and then toasted.
04:25Mm.
04:25The smoke on the leaves is amazing.
04:28Mm.
04:29Still have my clean shirt.
04:30So far, let's see how we get on.
04:32You know, there's a little bit of seasoning on the meat,
04:33but just enough to taste the age,
04:37the really intense age profile that the meat has.
04:41The kale is like the smoke,
04:43the spice that really makes the combination is like,
04:45it's incredible.
04:46It's like the best tartare bite that I've had, really.
04:49This is a new dish.
04:49I've never had this before.
04:51But you have the croissant and laminated dough.
04:54Oh.
04:57Wow.
04:59There's a lot of technique,
05:00but it's also approachable and casual.
05:02I think that's amazing.
05:03I remember when it opened,
05:04it really changed the scene.
05:06I think it had a massive impact
05:08in the Lisbon dining scene
05:09because there's a lot of attention to detail,
05:12but it was also casual.
05:13And it had a generous price point.
05:15It seems like in Lisbon for many years,
05:16there was either a Tashka or like a fine dining restaurant.
05:19And a fine dining is too fine, too refined.
05:21The Tashka is like a very casual,
05:24the more mom and pop joint.
05:25So like to be here,
05:26this is a perfect juxtaposition where, you know,
05:29you still scream about the product.
05:31There's a lot of technique, but it's accessible.
05:34Love the sweet potato croquettes with the mussel emulsion.
05:36Look at that.
05:37I mean, again, taking our nice, our basic classic croquettes,
05:41and you have the lovely mussels in the pickle.
05:43Yeah.
05:44The curry, the mussels, wow.
05:46Really, really special.
05:47The creaminess of the sweet potato
05:49against the brightness of the mussels is incredible.
05:51And then the curry really adds another layer.
05:54It's quite magical.
05:55In Portugal, we're very familiar with curry.
05:57We use curry spices a lot.
05:59To see that here is, yeah,
06:01it's quite a unique combination.
06:04Hmm.
06:04Hmm.
06:06The execution on all these dishes is incredible.
06:08It's a restaurant that is focused on farm-to-table.
06:12They work with very small producers, fiercely seasonal.
06:15The chef, Antonio Galapito,
06:17is one of the most talented chefs I know.
06:20And it's a place where you showcase creativity.
06:22When I come here, I feel like I'm in Antonio's home.
06:24So it's very special.
06:26Carabinero head.
06:27Wow.
06:28Stuffed with pork chorizo.
06:30Nice.
06:31Why not?
06:31Why not?
06:32Well, mackerel.
06:32A mackerel with savory apple juice and green olives.
06:37I'm going to go for this.
06:38This is the mackerel.
06:41You can see the mackerel is really pristine.
06:43A little bit of the green apple.
06:46Hmm.
06:47Incredible.
06:48The richness of the mackerel and the flavor of the apple,
06:52the savory juice.
06:53There's a little bit of green olive,
06:54which is really quite special.
06:56So simple, but incredible.
06:58And you want to drink the whole juice.
07:02Wow.
07:05Yum.
07:06Now this is a very clever one.
07:08When you have the carabinero,
07:09you have all the head juices,
07:11but then with your little spoon,
07:14you just go in and get a nice little chorizo inside.
07:17Haha.
07:18That's a very clever one.
07:22Yum.
07:24They've been gently smoked and cooked very lightly
07:27with the lovely head juices of the carabinero.
07:29This is very nice.
07:31With the pork.
07:32Hmm.
07:32Amazing.
07:34Last two.
07:35So this is the last of the season.
07:37White asparagus.
07:37Next week, we don't have more.
07:38With stracciatella from Stubal
07:40and pickled turnips,
07:42saffron oil,
07:43and some breadcrumbs.
07:44And here is a cot tongue,
07:46grilled,
07:46and then steeped in seaweed butter
07:49with crispy kale.
07:50Enjoy.
07:51The profile flavor of the things that are combined here
07:54is going to be very, very special.
07:56And asparagus are probably one of my favorite ingredients.
07:58When they're in season,
08:00they're incredible.
08:00With stracciatella,
08:02it's obviously Italian style cheese.
08:04It's the inside,
08:05the curds inside of the burrata,
08:06but obviously these are made locally.
08:07And the asparagus.
08:08Mm.
08:12Wow.
08:14It's quite harmonious.
08:15The crunch of the breadcrumbs is really,
08:18gives a nice textual contrast.
08:19The turnips as well,
08:20they give,
08:21the pickled turnips,
08:22give a slight little acidity.
08:23But the rich butteriness of the asparagus
08:27is really...
08:32I've never had anything like this before.
08:34Very much an Antonio dish or Prado dish.
08:36This is what makes it special as well
08:38about this restaurant.
08:38A lot of the dishes that you have,
08:39you have them once and that's it.
08:41They never come back again.
08:42Now we're going to go for our third stop.
08:44It's almost like the polar opposite of this as well.
08:46Come with me and let's go to Ramiro.
08:48For me, this captures the essence of what Lisbon is about.
08:51A real Suvjeria Mariscaira.
08:54This has been here since 1956.
08:56For me, it's a trip down memory lane.
08:58I used to go there with my father in the 1980s.
09:01Now it's one of the iconic restaurants of Lisbon.
09:04This gentleman is,
09:05I've been coming here for,
09:07you know,
09:08probably 45 years.
09:09This team has been always looking after me.
09:11So I'm in his hands.
09:13I know exactly what I like.
09:14Yeah.
09:15So I'm just going to sit here and have this amazing food arrive.
09:18The specialty is always whatever seafood is on.
09:21So amazing seafood,
09:23ice cold beer that comes very quick
09:26and maybe fast,
09:26maybe way too fast at times.
09:28The vibe here is amazing because it's just busily
09:31and busy and chaotic.
09:33You can hear the people hammering away on their crabs,
09:37which are also very fresh and also local.
09:39And it's the place to be.
09:41So far it?
09:43The famous ham.
09:46Oh, that's how we dance.
09:47Amazing.
09:50Any good Portuguese house,
09:52you always start with amazing ham.
09:56And this one is second to none.
09:58This is acorn fed Alentejo style ham.
10:00Blackfoot pig,
10:01much darker meat.
10:03They're really, really nutty because of the acorns
10:06that the pigs eat.
10:07It's a trade tradition in Portugal.
10:08One of the best Portuguese delicacies.
10:11Wow.
10:14Every day you're busy.
10:15You have a skew outside and people come out
10:18and everyone that I know,
10:20when they say they've been to the Muir,
10:22they're like, wow, amazing.
10:23There's nothing like it.
10:26Oh, for me.
10:28So this is Mariscada bread.
10:30Don't like it, yeah.
10:31So that's what you eat.
10:32Like, you know, a little bit of this lovely bread.
10:34And then your trick is like,
10:35you put a little bit of this lovely ham on it
10:37and then you're happy.
10:38And then, oh, there you go.
10:41Gambinas.
10:44This, for me,
10:46is a trip down memory lane.
10:48I mean, simple garlic prawns,
10:49a little bit of chilies,
10:50a little bit of oil and butter.
10:53Just go straight from there, like this.
10:55Yes.
10:55And, oh.
10:59Like a small scene.
10:59It's like a small scene.
11:02Let's continue.
11:03This is clams from Portugal.
11:05Very simple.
11:06Corianders, garlic and olive oil.
11:08They're super plump, really succulent.
11:10The clams are outstanding.
11:12It's called a major bowl.
11:14And he knows how to eat it.
11:17Use your hands to eat.
11:18That's how you eat the clams.
11:19Here you go.
11:20They're plump, they're juicy, they're briny.
11:22They're perfect.
11:25Whatever's left of the bread,
11:27you can put it in there.
11:28Still a clean shirt?
11:29A kilo?
11:30Still, still.
11:31Let's see, let's see.
11:31I know.
11:32Doing okay so far, doing okay.
11:35The best of Portugal.
11:36Like, it's like,
11:36the capture is like proper seafood
11:38in a very simple way.
11:40Amazing quality ingredients.
11:42And the space is like convivial.
11:44It's, you know,
11:45there's families, there's tourists,
11:46there's friends.
11:48You know, it's always buzzy.
11:49I love it.
11:49Yeah, thank you.
11:50We're going to continue the sound.
11:52This is the razor clams.
11:53Also from me, from Portugal.
11:55All this is the garlic and olive oil.
11:57Look at that.
11:59Super plump razor clams, huh?
12:01So nice.
12:02When you have them like this.
12:09Wow.
12:10The flavor is amazing.
12:11Briny, plump, loads of garlic in there.
12:14Some of the shellfish that we have here is,
12:16it's really outstanding.
12:20Mmm.
12:22Don't forget to lick your fingers.
12:24So don't be surprised,
12:25everything here is fast.
12:26Oh, look at these.
12:28All done.
12:29This is a white chain from Aldar.
12:31Wow.
12:32They're beautiful.
12:33And everything here,
12:34you just must work to eat it.
12:35They're incredibly sweet.
12:37It's a little steam, a little salt.
12:38The juices.
12:39You can see it's juicy.
12:41I'm going to cheat.
12:41I'm going to take the, oh.
12:43You see?
12:45The heads, the heads, very juicy.
12:47Wow, this is so good.
12:51This is why I like to do it.
12:52I like to peel them.
12:54And after you peel them,
12:55you dip them back in the head juices.
12:57Keep my shirt stays clean.
13:00This is a goose barnacles.
13:02Call in Portuguese a savage.
13:04A savage.
13:04Do you understand it?
13:05You get it.
13:05You understand it?
13:07You get it.
13:07The way these are caught.
13:08Someone goes out to sea on a little surfboard,
13:11on a little bit of boogie board.
13:13And they go with a shizzle.
13:15And then they dig.
13:16Get it and they remove it from the rocks.
13:18That's really not to do this barnacle.
13:23Wow.
13:23Yeah.
13:24The brining is incredible.
13:26This is the kind of shrimp that small scalloped shrimp.
13:29It's very rare to get it.
13:30Yeah, these are very hard to find.
13:31Yeah.
13:32They're sharp.
13:32You have to be careful because, yeah.
13:35You can drink this.
13:36I like to put it here and then.
13:40Incredible.
13:40Wow.
13:41Incredible.
13:43Wow.
13:45They're very sharp, but they're so sweet, huh?
13:47Look at this.
13:47This is a scalloped shrimp.
13:49It's the same as you can see it, but bigger.
13:52In Portuguese, we call it carabineiro.
13:55The story of carabineiro is because of the sound of carabineiro.
13:59This gentleman here to open for you, if you don't mind.
14:02Because I want to keep it your shirt clean.
14:04I want to see if my shirt stays clean after this.
14:06But look at it.
14:07This is worth like, wow.
14:08Very.
14:09Look at this.
14:10They open near the heads.
14:11The skill on this is amazing, huh?
14:14And the technique is, wow.
14:16Look at that, huh?
14:17Then we're going to open the head.
14:19And the head, you have the liquids.
14:23You don't need to do nothing.
14:25Just enjoy nature.
14:26This is incredible.
14:27You see the natural grass.
14:30Look at that little detail, huh?
14:31There you go.
14:32Now it's very simple.
14:34Just enjoy it.
14:35Thank you very much.
14:36This is luxury.
14:36This is luxury.
14:37This is...
14:37You deserve this.
14:38This is being at home, no?
14:40You deserve this.
14:40Thank you very much.
14:41This is beautiful.
14:43There's so much love here, you know?
14:45This is just natural juices.
14:49There's nothing added to it.
14:50Just the salt.
14:54Wow.
14:58So sweet.
14:59This is incredible.
15:02Let's go to our typical desserts.
15:05Yes.
15:05A sugar-free one.
15:07This is it.
15:08So we had a beef panne before, and this is the prego.
15:10Just straight.
15:11Yes, the Portuguese prego.
15:12The idea is very simple.
15:13You start with the land.
15:14You go to the sea.
15:16And you return to the land.
15:17And you go back, huh?
15:18So...
15:20It's like life.
15:20It's a circle.
15:21It'll be almost the ratio of 50-50 of beef and garlic and bread.
15:26This is incredible.
15:27A little bit of savor.
15:29Maybe a touch of chili.
15:32Shirt's still clean.
15:33We go.
15:33One, two, three.
15:41How many lunches have you had today?
15:44Well, you know, maybe one.
15:47A slightly longer lunch, you know?
15:48A couple pit stops here and there.
15:50But this is the way we like to eat in Lisbon, you know?
15:53A lunch is a long and complicated, you know, very fun affair.
15:59The way you use all the opportunity is too far.
16:00Fill up the room, coming into the mirror.
16:01I do hang in a little safe tomorrow, but I ist about to eat.
16:03Now, whatever you want to eat is really cool.
16:04Use those with walrus room and pizza.
16:08Ah, let me go.
16:09If you buy again one other time, I put that normally has to eat in the mirror but I try it.
16:12You can buy it.
16:13Oh, you know that I'll amen it safe.
16:15When that was a little, it meant you hear you 해야 it out.
16:16Then remember, probably feels the scrum room where I would stop like it.
16:18No room where the firepower is just looking for some space.
16:19Heather thinks you're doing this.
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