The obvious must-eat and visits while in Lisbon and Porto were the acclaimed Cervejaria Ramiro for the freshest of seafood bounties, the elegantly tinned sardines at Sol E Pesca, breaking my alcohol fast with a Ginjinhas and plenty of aged Port, bifana pork sandwiches, prego, Confeitaria de Bolhao, and virtually bottomless pasteis de nata. Portugal is a sensual overload, and I'm already looking forward to another summer spent in Portugal.
Thank you to eater.com for the No Reservations Bourdain one-liners below. It's a highly-recommended episode if you're looking for an additional shoulder-bump of inspiration or culinary excuse to escape to Lisbon next summer.
- On shrimp brains: "Basically, if you don't like what's in a shrimp's head, I can't be your friend."
- On a steak sandwich served with yellow mustard: "There are certain American dishes for which you want the nasty mustard."
- On prego: "For dessert — and you gotta have dessert right — prego, a steak sandwich slash booze mop that puts you right over the edge in a protein overdose."
- On what he's into these days: "I have recently acquired a true and deep love for really good stuff — eels, sardines — that come in cans. Really."
- On drinking cherry liqueur first thing in the morning: "Cancel the meal scene. I'm going down."
- On bifana pork sandwiches: "Yes, give me your hot porky love."