Post by geordy on Oct 2, 2014 19:39:26 GMT -5
It deserves it's own thread. The fancy, tasting menu place we were going to last nite in Lisbon...after the blackout in our area. Chef is their celebrity chef..Jose Avillez who now in addition to Belcanto has a whole host of other places in Lisbon..from a pizzeria to everything in between.
We arrive to a door where you have to ring a bell..took a few rings to answer. It is on a Largo..like a plaza..where there was a free concert taking place so perhaps that was the reason. We were a bit late for the Lisbon menu..20-24 courses.. so we decided on the Classique menu...4 courses described but waiter says it is actually 15=17 things brought to your table
Letme say this was the most pretentious type restaurant I've ever been to..amd I've been to a few btw NYC, Paris, and other European cities! However the staff was not..young and sort of whimsical and tongue in cheek about whole thing so ..the pretension kind of dissolved! First course the Garden of the goose who Laid Golden Egg..expained by server..based on chef's fav childhood story..a poached egg covered in gold leaf on a bed of kale, mushrooms and other yummy stuff..wonderful! Second course..sea bass cooked in sea warer with sea weed and other stuff..also superb,,third suckling pig painted with something and a potato chip bag..BAG IS MADE OF POTatos. you.eat the whole thing!
Inbetween..an orange sphere..it is representative of Portuguese cuisine..port and orange,,but it is liquid so eat in one bite and frozen so eat quick...served on a teaspoon with a short stem. 4 breads and 3 butters...one smoked , one with hazelnuts, one from the cows of the Azores. Before dessert...one raspberry stuffed with wasabi.Another course was olives 3 ways, one fried, one a deconstructed martini..all served on a tree branch...and so on...quite the experience!
Wine guy looked like a darker, better looking, slightly more masculine(not much) Johnny Weir(American figure skater..now commentator)totally charming..when we suggested we could keep our dry port aperitif thru first couple of courses..he raised an eyebrow and half a lip to suggest..not if you care about wine pairings you don't! So we put ourselves into his hands and were not disappointed or ripped off..rather reasonable considering! Plus he rescued me when I got locked in W/C.
Puzzle box to end meal..filled with chocolates and jellies and cookies....Actual dessert was Tangerine..ice cream made to look like tangerine stuffed with a whole bunch of stuff, different citruses, textures..etc. When thet brought it and I sighed server said.."You are almost done" ..like it was endurance test !
A really great experience..and we got to walk home and in hotel..to lights!
We arrive to a door where you have to ring a bell..took a few rings to answer. It is on a Largo..like a plaza..where there was a free concert taking place so perhaps that was the reason. We were a bit late for the Lisbon menu..20-24 courses.. so we decided on the Classique menu...4 courses described but waiter says it is actually 15=17 things brought to your table
Letme say this was the most pretentious type restaurant I've ever been to..amd I've been to a few btw NYC, Paris, and other European cities! However the staff was not..young and sort of whimsical and tongue in cheek about whole thing so ..the pretension kind of dissolved! First course the Garden of the goose who Laid Golden Egg..expained by server..based on chef's fav childhood story..a poached egg covered in gold leaf on a bed of kale, mushrooms and other yummy stuff..wonderful! Second course..sea bass cooked in sea warer with sea weed and other stuff..also superb,,third suckling pig painted with something and a potato chip bag..BAG IS MADE OF POTatos. you.eat the whole thing!
Inbetween..an orange sphere..it is representative of Portuguese cuisine..port and orange,,but it is liquid so eat in one bite and frozen so eat quick...served on a teaspoon with a short stem. 4 breads and 3 butters...one smoked , one with hazelnuts, one from the cows of the Azores. Before dessert...one raspberry stuffed with wasabi.Another course was olives 3 ways, one fried, one a deconstructed martini..all served on a tree branch...and so on...quite the experience!
Wine guy looked like a darker, better looking, slightly more masculine(not much) Johnny Weir(American figure skater..now commentator)totally charming..when we suggested we could keep our dry port aperitif thru first couple of courses..he raised an eyebrow and half a lip to suggest..not if you care about wine pairings you don't! So we put ourselves into his hands and were not disappointed or ripped off..rather reasonable considering! Plus he rescued me when I got locked in W/C.
Puzzle box to end meal..filled with chocolates and jellies and cookies....Actual dessert was Tangerine..ice cream made to look like tangerine stuffed with a whole bunch of stuff, different citruses, textures..etc. When thet brought it and I sighed server said.."You are almost done" ..like it was endurance test !
A really great experience..and we got to walk home and in hotel..to lights!
Let the riot begin! LOL - 
hahahha