Honeymoon in Sintra

[kpzachary]

We are spending our honeymoon in the Penha Longa Resort in Sintra and we want to experience great local cuisine in Lisbon, Cascais and Sintra. Any suggestions?

[tsquare]

No, but lucky you! On all counts. (My trip was 6 years ago already.)

[Rogelio]

Fortaleza do Guincho, Joao Padeiro and O Buzio are three good choices in the area in different prices range.

[Eric_Malson]

Sintra is unbelievably beautiful... you're going to have a wonderful time.

My two best recommendations in the vicinity: along the estrada de Guincho, just a bit south of Guincho itself, is a place that serves what was one of my very favorite dishes in Portugal when I lived there. From an old post of mine: Mestre Zé is an upscale (but worth it) restaurant specializing in seafood. Order the cataplana de marisco, the most delicious version of this dish I have ever tasted. The dish is named after the vessel it is cooked in....a cataplana is a pan made from copper, shaped more or less like two woks hinged together. One of the "wok" sections folds over on top of the other, like a dome-shaped lid, so that it can then be fastened and put in the oven. To call Mestre Zé's cataplana de marisco a "seafood stew" would not in any way suggest its magnificence, but that's the general idea. Lobster, squid, shrimp all cooked perfectly in a sauce of tomato and onions (and one couldn't possibly leave chouriço out of such a mix!) and cream. It is one of the top 5 dishes I ever tasted in Portugal.

The other is a restaurant I've been thinking about a lot lately since I'm going to Portugal in 3 weeks for the first time in several years, and this is one of the first places I intend to visit. Also from a very old post of mine here: Ginginha Transmontana (Rua de Alvide, 366, near the Largo das Fontainhas. It's a tiny place, so it's best to call ahead and reserve--214 832 655). The décor is best described as "funky", but the food is great. When you sit down, they will automatically bring you their house white wine and the house appetizer, mussels that have been steamed with white wine, onions, garlic, chouriço, and bacon. Accept them. They specialize in meats and seafood "grelhado na telha", or grilled on a roofing tile. They set up a piece of terra cotta roofing tile on a salver on which to grill filet mignon the size of a softball, lobster, squid, shrimp, fish, etc. over flaming aguardiente (brandy). When it is brought to the table, garlic butter is liberally applied, and, in the case of seafood, lemon, to douse the flames. They also do a killer chanfana (kid goat stewed with red wine, onions, chouriço). Closed Sundays.

Most of my favorites in the Lisbon/Cascais/Sintra are mentioned in an old post of mine here. If you decide to check any of them out, do a little research on the internet (or ask around) before going, but I think most of the info is still valid.

[PauloR]

The best restaurant in Lisbon is Tavares. Chef José Avillez worked in the kitchen at El Bulli the year 2007. d'ont miss. http://joseavillez.com/index.asp http://www.tavaresrico.pt/

In Guincho beach, 20 minutes driving from Penha Longa, Fortaleza do Guincho and more tradicional Porto Santa Maria.

http://www.guinchotel.pt/Default.aspx

http://www.portosantamaria.com/

In Lisbon, more relaxed Bocca restaurant http://www.bocca.pt/

In the hotel Penha Longa Arola Restaurant.

Sintra, G Spot restaurant.

Edited June 17, 2009 by PauloR (log)

[johnnyd]

Damn you all! I miss Portugal and it's food very much. Don't forget to report back, if even for a moment, to tell us how it all was.

Boa Viagem!

[kpzachary]

Got any suggestions for suckling pig (leitão) around Sintra, or do we have to drive up to Mealhada?

[PauloR]

Got any suggestions for suckling pig (leitão) around Sintra, or do we have to drive up to Mealhada?

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Near Sintra you have Leitão de Negrais, but Mealhada is by far the best.