A taste of Lisbon

For some time we have been anxious to explore Lisbon, and from our base in Cascais, it was a short 35 minute train ride into the city. Our self-guided tour began in the Baixio neighborhood with stops at several well known Pasteliara or pastry shops. Since our arrival in Portugal we have fallen in love with the Pastel de Nata, a flaky pastry tart filled with a creamy egg custard. They are popular at breakfast and, well really any time of the day. We continually search for the best example, but are haunted by the memory of our first pastel at the Venezuela Pastelaria in Tavira. The powerful spell of that love at first bit is hard to break.

This famous pastelaria, Pasteis de Belem, is said to use the secret pastel de nata recipe of the monks from the nearby Jeronimos monastery, and they sell more than 20,000 of these treats daily.

Along the way we stuck our heads into a variety of interesting specialty shops like this salted cod shop and adjacent charcutaria. Nothing screams Portugal like Chorizo and Cod.

For another distinctly Lisbon experience we stopped in at the Ginjinha bar to sample the unique liqueur produced using sour cherries. Inspired by an old recipe developed by an order of Cistercian monks, this centuries-old business serves the ruby colored drink with or without sour cherries.

Lunch was about one thing and one thing only, the bifana. This classic Portuguese sandwich consisting of sliced pork marinated in white wine, garlic, and olive oil, is usually topped with mustard and chilli oil or piri piri sauce. The establishment with the esteemed title of best bifana in Lisbon is Bifanas do Afonso, a small corner eatery with a street side takeaway counter and a side door where locals apparently circumvent the queue. We waited our turn in line and were rewarded with a bifana to beat all bifanas. Unlike most versions of the sandwich which can be tough slices of grilled pork on a roll, this sandwich was filled with beautiful pork tenderloin, sweet and juicy, with a flavor approaching the sublime. Bifanas do Afonso deserves the title!