Not only going to deCastro was the perfect ending for this experience, but we were also eager to find out what dish Chef Gonçalo Ribeiro created with our fish.
As we lost track of time, and while the suspense to experience the main course increased, we carried out the most familiar and distinctive Portuguese traditions: chit-chat at the table with food and wine.
The starters’ ingredients were very close to home (codfish, green beans, sausage, beef). Still, there was a lightness to them and a refreshing sense of innovation that surprised us at every bite.
There were respect and passion for the Portuguese ingredients, not overpowered by exotic seasonings or deconstructed into dishes we wouldn’t recognize as Portuguese cuisine.
The taste was just as crisp and as authentic as the house wines blended by Chef Miguel Castro e Silva. The atmosphere was everything but stiff and presumptuous.
As the conversation and the tasting lingered, Chef Gonçalo Ribeiro approached our table to finally reveal his creation. One side of me was slightly embarrassed with my poor fishmonger skills. The other side of me was genuinely impressed with his adventurous sense of creativity.
Yes. Adventurous. I believe the least of the problems here was to know what fish he would cook. Still, the Chef was kind enough to hold back on any critiques and embrace the experience with a genuine sense of humor.