I have already addressed the problem of gentrification in the restaurant sector in downtown Porto in other columns. The issue is not only the emergence of ultramodern places and the offering of characterless food, but also the disappearance of restaurants with traditional Portuguese cuisine and comfort food that values ​​our national identity and expresses our soul.

I believe that’s what Real (by Casa da Calçada) discovered and tried to address. It’s a segment that’s starting to become scarce in the city center. It offers its customers, including tourists, authentic, well-prepared and presented food in a very elegant setting designed by architect Paulo Lobo. A pleasure for both the eyes and the stomach. The menu also manages to include details that appeal to Portuguese customers who appreciate traditional cuisine, while adding less obvious and, in some ways, surprising touches.

Sourdough bread, olive oil from Trás-os-Montes, and butter from Marinhas are the opening act that confirms what I said earlier: Portuguese character. For starters, there was pickled mackerel, whose vinegar immediately announced itself (after all, it’s pickled). The mackerel was dense, with a lingering finish. There were also oxtail croquettes, intense and creamy inside and crispy and dry outside. There was also room for the traditional octopus in green sauce, cut into wide but thin discs, with all the ingredients and flavors of the popular recipe, which evokes the sea and the countryside, with herbs and olive oil.

For the main courses, the first thought came to Aveiro, with a suggestion of a cod tongue stew. In this recipe, the more common beans were replaced with the firmer and more flavorful feijoca beans, and the entire dish benefited from the collagen-rich consistency of the tongues, binding everything together into a single flavor.

On another visit, we succumbed to the Minho region with a dish of Bísaro pork, in giant cubes that fall apart like flakes, gently cooked throughout. Luckily, there are two large pieces, because it’s hard to be satisfied with just one. It’s accompanied by creamy corn with sausage and a touch of vinegar at the end, which gives it a fresh side that begs for another bite. I also highlight one of the daily specials, which was rabbit rice, golden brown, fresh from the oven, in a rare but Portuguese presentation. The sea bass rice was more contradictory, as the fish was very good but the rice was overcooked. This extra cooking also sacrificed the sea flavor of the seaweed present in the dish. The fish, divinely cooked, helped to balance it out. There was even room for a tender and homogeneous roasted veal, without dry parts, with a very long-lasting flavor on the palate.

Pastry is a journey through Portugal and the sweet moments of our year, like Christmas. Casa da Calçada de Amarante has a very rich pastry selection, and this is reflected in the Real’s sweet offerings, from the Abade de Priscos pudding from Minho to the sericaia from Alentejo, but with the twist of being accompanied by pear and Port wine syrup.

The wine list is extensive and caters to a diverse clientele, from the most classic and conservative to the most trendy. The service is attentive and the drinks are excellent.

In the Real’s kitchen, you can feel the enthusiasm for serving Portuguese food, as well as the concern for showcasing it to passing foreigners. In a calm and elegant style, which is becoming increasingly rare, it’s a good place to eat Portuguese cuisine.

Published in Global News

By: Paulo Russel-Pinto