PORTUGAL - PORTO - MATOSINHOS - RESTAURANTE O LUSITANO
RESTAURANTE O LUSITANO
This is our second visit to this restaurant in Matosinhos, Just north of Porto.
All the seafood is cooked on the outside grills.
It is near the sea and the fish market, so all the fish should be fresh.
On this street with the beaches a stone's throw away restaurant after fish restaurant greets you but this is our place to go. You can eat at the outside at tables (which now have glass borders since covid. In the past they were just in the street) or inside where you get a warm welcome like you are an honoured guest.
The place is always full of locals and local businessmen out for lunch.
The outside terrace began to fill up quickly, with the locals keen to capture the spring sun. The inside filled up later with more business-type locals.
Here one can eat inexpensively and very well indeed as copious amounts of food pour off the grill and from the kitchen. It is mainly about the seafood but they also have grilled meats but it is the seafood that interests us. After all, this is Portugal and we are near the Atlantic Ocean and the Douro River.
The room has many pictures and paraphernalia of famous Portuguese football players.
To start we chose a local bottle of wine, a Soalheiro Alvarinho 2021 (Vinho Verde).
Normally in this type of place, we would go for the grilled sardines from the outside grill. As the sardine season does not start until May, we went for.
Gambas (large prawns, unfortunately, they were a little soft, so hard to peel).
Lulas (baby squid).
Linguardo (sole, dressed in olive oil and garlic).
Rodovalho (turbot, dressed in olive oil and garlic).
All the main dishes come with local potatoes cooked in the own skins. with a pungent garlic sauce.
We had another bottle of wine, a Encosta da Capela Reserva Alvarinho 2021 (Vinho Verde).
Not as good as the first one.
For dessert we chose,
Pao de Lo (local dish made with egg yolks).
Tarte Maçã (apple pie).
This was finished off with a glass of Tawny Port.
We never found out the meaning of the shoe, which was pinned to the wall!
The lady who served us spoke perfect English and was very friendly and humorous.
We arrived at 12 noon, so the restaurant was empty but full by the time we left. If I lived in Porto I would be there every week exploring their menu. This is what good Portuguese food is all about. Simple, honest, down to earth, and fresh.
RESTAURANTE O LUSITANO
Rua Herois de Franca 329, Matosinhos, 4450-158, Portugal.
+351 22 937 5902
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