I Hate Portuguese Food

Actually I Don't, But Some People that Read this Blog Seem To...

Okay, I admit it. I created an inflammatory title for this post in hopes that more people would read it. Yep, I have succumbed to being a clickbait chick. But while I don’t hate Portuguese food some of my readers do. In fact, quite a few suggested I write about this topic. So today I will tell you what I really think.

Salted cod…does that look appetizing?

English Food Critic

In doing research for this post, yes I actually do research before I write…I found this headline in The Portugal News:

Times food critic under fire for panning Portuguese cuisine

It seems the critic was writing about his experience at a Portuguese restaurant that had opened in London, as well as childhood memories from summer holidays in the Algarve¹ in the mid-70s’. His article included zingers such as:

• “…the cuisine of Portugal is, at best, what English cooking would be if we had better weather.”

• “I’ve been to Portugal dozens of times and I have never had a good meal there. But then you don’t go to Portugal for the food, do you? You go for … Hang on, why do you go to Portugal?”

• “…the (Portuguese-English) alliance is one based not on political expedience but a mutual love of soggy cod, white bread, overcooked potatoes, plain cheese, sweet wine and cold custard.”

As my increasing waistline can attest, I cannot agree with his comments on bread, potatoes, or wine. All three are truly top-notch…and very cheap! However it can be near impossible to find a russet potato here, and it is difficult for me to distinguish one Portuguese cheese from another (other than by texture).

Taken after our first trip to the Mercado.

Be Thankful You Are Not a Vegan

But it can be difficult to be a vegetarian in Portugal, and as the title above suggests it is even more difficult to be vegan. I find this odd for two reasons. First, the fruits and vegetables found in supermarkets, local mercados, and roadside stands are top-notch! You may recall our first haul from the Cascais Mercado pictured above. Second, is the fact that Portugal was the first European country to make it illegal not to provide vegetarian and vegan menu options … albeit in public facilities (i.e. school cafeterias, prisons, and public hospitals). Unfortunately, none of these spots are among my favorite dining destinations.

So while I call myself a vegetarian, it is more accurate to call me a pescatarian…Saturday afternoon, for example, I had sushi with friends in Monte Gordo and occasionally happily enjoyed “grilled fish Tuesdays” in Alcoutim. Yes, I prefer to not eat any animal flesh…but when eating out in a smaller town that can be difficult. Too often I find the vegetables terribly overcooked. I prefer to identify the individual vegetables in my vegetable soup. And there are only so many salads of lettuce, tomato, and onion one can eat.

Remember my advice is free.

My Advice

So while I am told there is a book detailing 1001 ways to cook bacalhau…the question a reader offered remains, “What do I do if I hate Portuguese food?” Permit me to offer three suggestions:

1. If you are not a vegetarian, learn to eat a whole fish while avoiding the bones. Yes, it is an art. One we observed in Porto as a lovely Portuguese subscriber prepared a grilled sardine for Denise with skill and incredible speed. It will take practice. On many occasions, we have observed nearby Portuguese diners shaking their heads as they gaze upon our bone plate. On more than one occasion we have been asked, “Aren’t you going to eat the rest of your meal?”

2. Live in or near a city or tourist town. If you live in Lisbon or Porto it is easy to find international cuisine² and lots of plant-based options. During our trip to Cascais last week we even found a restaurant dedicated to brunch. I can’t tell you how excited I was! Pancakes, eggs-benedict, avocado toast, fruity champagne options…once again I second-guessed our decision to leave Cascais. And if you live in Albufeira you can have your choice of British Pubs, where you can dine on Bangers and Mash or (my favorite) Indian Curry.

3. Cook at home. Denise often compliments me by saying, “I don’t know why we go out to eat. We have better meals at home.” This may be true or this may be just her way of getting out of cooking…the jury is still out on this question. But the fact remains, you can’t find better raw ingredients than the ones you will find in Portugal.

So, what do you think of Portuguese food? Do you have any suggestions for the subscribers who asked the question, “What do you do if you hate Portuguese food?” Please let us know.

Até a pròxima semana, como bem, tchau

Nanc

1. Question for my regular readers: Should it be “the Algarve” or simply “Algarve”? I hear it both ways. My preference has always been “Algarve” comparing it to saying “New Jersey” rather than “the New Jersey”…but in this sentence referenced above it reads strange. Locals, please weigh in!

2. Monte Gordo has an excellent Nepalese restaurant. We actually were looking for a Thai restaurant when we found this place. I had never had Nepalese food before but found lots of tasty vegetarian options there.