Olá! Good day! Bom dia! Hello from Portugal everyone!
Coming from the United States, it is not everyday that I get to globetrot to this handsome and charming country! I wanted a proper blog post that will allow my readers to visualize the beauty and hospitality of the Portuguese people. Truthfully, when I first hear of Portugal, my immediate thought goes to the city of Lisbon. What a wonderful surprise I was in when I reached my hotel from the airport to the alluring and captivating beach town of Cascais, an easy 20-minute drive from the capital city of Lisboa. The coast of Cascais is nothing short of breathtaking and The Hotel Oitavos was equally heart stirring and stunning!
I had reservations at Verbasco at the Clubhouse of The Oitavos Dunes golf course. One of the world’s top golf courses, walking between the lobby and Verbasco was an unforgettable experience. Imagine being surrounded by lush greens and the most beautiful view of the Atlantic. Going through the tall grass overlooking the rolling golf course was a relaxing and pleasant encounter. Verbasco sits atop the Clubhouse surrounded by the most dazzling floor to ceiling windows. There was plenty of natural sunlight and full on panoramic views to enjoy. Radu, our friendly waiter offered his hospitality and received us gladly informing us that Chef Hugo Henriques will be preparing our lunch. Like many of you, a picturesque view and a nourishing meal is my absolute weakness. It certainly should be quite good given the atmosphere and service!
Style Details
Outfit | TOPSHOP
Handbag | JIMMY CHOO
Shoes | MARNI
APPETIZERS
Our first appetizer arrived – delightful scrambled eggs with king crab meat, garnished with the most splendid harenque caviar. It was light and decadent while savoring an amount of king crab flavor. The caviar on top was a wonderful addition as it provides a delightful pop on the palette. Our second appetizer was called the piglet curry samosas. The dish came as three fried pastries. They were quite crunchy and flaky on the outside while maintaining a savory interior. The delectable piglet was rather flavorful similar to eating a succulent roasted pig. I also noticed a slight spice to the overall taste. I surely concur this as a wonderful appetizer. It could completely work well with a refreshing glass of beer too.
MAIN COURSE
I heard a lot of good things about the seafood in Lisbon and so I was quite excited about my first main plate called the Cantaril fish served in a steam basket with rice and vegetables in a wok. It arrived somewhat simple looking but upon your first bite, you will be amazed by how flavorful the dish actually is. The rice was rich with the flavors of its other ingredients, such as vegetables, that must have been beautifully sautéed together. I love it when the rice blends lusciously in a dish and absorbs all kinds of flavors making it taste so amazing. I think there were also some traces of ginger in there too. The fish was soft and gentle to the palette, which goes really well with the rice. Truly delicious in flavor, it is mouthwatering as it is palatable!
Our next main is a European classic – full-flavored sirloin beefsteak with aromatic green pepper sauce and tempting French fries. It came in as slices of soft and tender steaks topped with sweet-smelling gravy adding a fragrant and savory flavor. The scrumptious gravy and the ambrosial peppercorns on top of the steak provide a wonderful kick to this classic dish. The fries were nice and crispy – unambiguously cooked to perfection.
DESSERTS
Now for dessert! We had the decadent chocolate mousse and a distinctive apple crumble. A heaven for chocolate lovers, the mousse was relished with flamboyant chocolate. It also featured small crunchy chocolate spheres distributed throughout the mousse, which made the dessert that much more fun to eat! For the health conscious travelers, I can honestly say that I am able to truly taste the natural cacao in the mousse.
The apple crumble has the right amount of sweetness – it was not tarty whatsoever. The breading of the dessert was done so marvelously! It’s so crunchy that I would actually describe the experience as truly lovely. The apple crumble came in warm served with a side of caramel ice cream. The ice cream did not overpower the gentle apple crumble at all which I certainly appreciated. It introduced a pleasant balance between the hot and cold as well as the soft and crunchy.
Our wonderful waiter, Radu, did excellently in making sure our waters are always filled and that there wouldn’t be much gap between the courses of the meal. Good service combined with delicious food always equate to an amazing culinary experience. Delicioso!
Check out Part 2 & Part 3 of my review on The Oitavos here & here.
Genuine Thanks to the Wonderful Team at Hotel The Oitavos, Portugal | For Reservations, Click Here: Restaurante Verbasco | Quinta Marinha, Cascais, Campo de Golfe Oitavos Dunes, 2750 Cascais, Portugal | +351 21 486 0606