Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
LISBON'S CULINARY REVOLUTION
Sarajevo-born Ljubomir Stanišić is one of Lisbon's most celebrated chefs, the mastermind behind the award-win-
ning restaurant
100 Maneiras
(
Click here
) and a
bistro
(
Click here
)
of the same name. Here he gives the dish on
Portugal's dynamic culinary scene.
What influences your cooking?
My cooking is based on French knowledge and techniques, but I'm also interested in exploring everyday types of
cuisine on the travels I make (come with us on
www.papakms.com
)
. Asia is also a huge inspiration, as is Africa.
So, the world is, in fact, a daily inspiration. I love to taste and to see what others do and then take bits of this and
bits of that...
How would you describe the current dining scene in Lisbon?
Portuguese traditional gastronomy is very rich but has grown even richer in the past five years. With the econom-
ic crisis, haute cuisine has fallen out of fashion, and the emerging trend (even among high-level chefs) is to focus
on bistro-style
tascas
or
tavernas
- more relaxed, less expensive and informal.
What's the one thing that distinguishes Portuguese cooking from other cuisines?
The perfect mixture between olive oil, garlic, coriander and wine. And definitely the best fish in the world.
Aside from your own restaurants, what are your favourite restaurants in Lisbon?
Tasca da Esquina (
Click here
), Ramiro (
Click here
), O Pitéu (
Click here
), Jesus é Goês (
Click here
) and Solar dos
Presuntos (
Click here
), among others.
Do you have any insider tips for visitors seeking an authentic Lisbon dining experience?
The fresh grilled fish and the seafood like
bruxas
and
percebes
at Mar do Inferno (
Click here
), in Cascais; the
fried
carabineiros
at Ramiro (
Click here
), in Lisbon - they're not on the menu, so ask; a fresh-squeezed juice
with the best terrace-view in town at Noobai (
Click here
); and several glasses of excellent Portuguese wine at
Wine Bar do Castelo (
Click here
).
TOP OF CHAPTER
Chiado
The elegant back streets of Chiado have some memorable dining options, some of which
have vistas overlooking peaceful tree-fringed plazas. Good places to browse restaurant
options include Rua dos Duques de Bragança, Rua Nova de Trindade and around pretty
Largo do Carmo. You'll also find a handful of restaurants on a well-concealed plaza off
Rua Garrett, just east of Livraria Bertrand.
Carmo 1; 9am-8pm Mon-Fri, 10am-8pm Sat, noon-7pm Sun)
- an organic, reasonably priced grocer -
stocks the essentials: wines, yoghurts, granolas, cold drinks, chocolates, cheeses, breads
and more. There's also a small cafe, with outdoor tables in front.
