DINING
Seafood is popular, especially in Lisbon, but can be expensive. Soup is a main dish. Typical Portuguese dishes include sopa de marisco (shellfish soup cooked and served with wine), caldo verde (green soup made with finely shredded green kale leaves in broth) and bacalhau (dried cod, cooked in over 100 different ways). Caldeirada is a fish stew with as many as nine kinds of fish, cooked with onions and tomatoes. Also typical is carne de porco á Alentejana, in which bits of fried pork are covered with a sauce of clams stewed with tomato and onions. Puddings include arroz doce (rice pudding), Madeira pudding and nuvens (egg custard).
Portugal’s sweet pastries (available in most cafes) are also worth a try. Table service is normal.
Portuguese wines have changed beyond recognition over the past 10 years. Many of these new, modern wines are indigenous varieties with distinctive flavors. Sparkling rosé wines are mostly produced for export. Mateus Rosé is a famous lightweight rosé. Portuguese brandies are also good; the best are produced around Oporto, where Port wines originate. There are no licensing hours.
Nightlife
The large towns offer every kind of entertainment. There are many nightclubs, theaters, cinemas, stage shows, folk dancing and music performances. The traditional Fado can be heard in many restaurants, and performances begin at about 2200. The theater season is from October to May. Gambling is authorized and Alvor, Espinho, Estoril, Figueira da Foz, Monte Gordo and Vilamoura have casinos. The elegant Estoril Casino is the most renowned. |
