An actual restaurant review on the blog! I have to say post lockdown life has been so busy that I have just about had time to get recipes written up and rather neglected my restaurant reviews and travel guides (I still owe you an updated Stockholm AND Paris foodie guide), but fear not I will use the calmer summer months to make an effort to write more because I have seriously missed it!
My first review after my unplanned hiatus may be a little clunky but bear with me, I will be in the swing of things in NO TIME and luckily Lisboeta was so bloody fantastic that it was a real pleasure to write about my wonderful dinner there!
It took a while to find a dinner spot both me and my favourite dining companion, Henry, could agree on and most importantly one where we could actually get a table (much like the travel sector, restaurants are not ready for the onslaught of post lockdown guests) but I instantly loved the idea of Lisboeta when Henry suggested it.
Indeed the second he mentioned that top chef and legend of the London restaurant scene, Nuno Mendes, was the brains and palette behind Lisboeta I was pretty much sold.
Mendes has run some of the best restaurant kitchen in London over the years but with Lisboeta he is trying something a little different, bringing a taste of his home country, Portugal, to Fitzrovia and oh BOY does he succeed!
Lisboeta is vibrant, refreshing, confident and delivers in terms atmosphere, food and service, making my dinner there one of the best restaurant experiences I have had a in a long time!
The space is gorgeous, bright, over three floors and with an impressive open kitchen. It's also bang in the middle of Charlotte street, one of the most quaint and lovely, yet not too touristy streets in central, making it perfect spot if you want dinner in town but want to avoid crowds.
At first glance the menu is a little meat heavy but don't be put off by that. While I wouldn't say it is the most vegetarian friendly spot (even the bread gets served with lard), their fish options are out of this world amazing and made it such a wonderful dining experience.
The space is gorgeous, bright, over three floors and with an impressive open kitchen. It's also bang in the middle of Charlotte street, one of the most quaint and lovely, yet not too touristy streets in central, making it perfect spot if you want dinner in town but want to avoid crowds.
At first glance the menu is a little meat heavy but don't be put off by that. While I wouldn't say it is the most vegetarian friendly spot (even the bread gets served with lard), their fish options are out of this world amazing and made it such a wonderful dining experience.
We started with a couple of small plates which were so packed full of flavour that they could have easily been billed as main courses. The Mushroom Açorda, shared between the two of us, was quite possibly one of the best mushrooms dishes I have ever had - a mix of wild mushrooms is served with the most wonderful egg yolk bread sauce.
Henry had get some sort of meat fix so had the grilled acorn-fed black pork from the Alentejo with fermented red pepper paste which according to him was a carnivore's dream, while I had the Bacalhau à Brás - confit cod with caramelised onions and thinly sliced crispy potatoes. My god, it was an absolute dream - sophisticated yet satisfying and Henry tried to steal more than just a spoonful once he realised how delicious my choice was.
The main course section is made of platters and pots to share and we simply HAD to have the most hyped dish on the menu, the Arroz de Marisco or red prawn and seafood rice (a sort of rice stew rather than a paella in consistency, and my god did it deliver.
Served in a clay pot and topped with the most incredible red prawns, it also came with a side of prawn heads which were to be squeezed over for extra flavour. It was utter perfection in its simplicity, full of flavours, beautifully plated up and encapsulating the vibrancy of Portuguese cuisine in one dish. I
It's the sort of dish you will not forget in a hurry and that you will yearn to have again, which also pretty much sums up Lisboeta because it really highlighted what a great restaurant can do and make you feel!
I love cooking and have grown a little tired of eating out but when there is special places like Lisboeta still opening and doing there thing, I realise that the restaurant scene is still out there thriving and worth the effort of hunting down a reservation.
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