portugese food [Food/Vendor]
2007 Jun 13
One of my co-workers is Portugese and I asked her this same question the other day. She mentioned that Cafe Spiga had some Portugese food (?) but she said other than that, it was slim pickins........you have to go to MTL.
Sounds like someone desperately needs to open up a really good Portugese restaurant in Ottawa..........
Sounds like someone desperately needs to open up a really good Portugese restaurant in Ottawa..........
2007 Jun 13
Yep.
The places I know of (none are amazing):
Casa do Churrasco - cheap, but they don't even charcoal grill their chicken (blasphemy! it shouldn't be called churrasco).
Cafe Spiga - Italian/Portuguese restaurant with Portuguese chef/owner. Food was uncharacteristically heavy but it's probably the best choice in Ottawa.
Portucale - in Vanier, I don't know if it's even around anymore. This place was very Portuguese, but the food just wasn't great.
El Meson - Spanish restaurant, but the owner is Portuguese and there are always Portuguese menu items. It's a great restaurant in general; wifey was disappointed by the pork and clams cataplana dish.
Nando's Chicken - a South African chain serving Portuguese-style churrasco chicken. A big step up from Swiss Chalet. I like it for what it is, but a Portuguese restaurant it is not.
I think part of the problem is that Portuguese food is very simple and relies on top quality seasonal ingredients. The potatoes, onions, tomatoes, and melons in Portugal are nicer than anything we get here 10 months of the year. Fish is incredibly fresh and the melons are super sweet.
P.S. If you're ever in Toronto and want to have the authentic Churrasco experience, visit the Churrasco St Clair take-out place and get yourself a grilled half chicken with potatoes and rice. To die for!
P.P.S. If you want to experience Portuguese cuisine at home, here's what you need to do:
At least half a day in advance, take some pork chops or chicken pieces and place them in a shallow dish. Salt and pepper them well, cover with generous amounts of sliced garlic and crumbled bay leaves, drizzle liberally with white wine and a little olive oil, and allow them to marinate in the fridge. (Optionally use a little less salt and apply hot sauce such as Piri-Piri to the meat.) Grill on the BBQ for a taste of the simple yet irresistible flavours of Portuguese cuisine.
Accompany the BBQ with rice and a Salada Mista (mixed salad) consisting of lettuce leaves, tomato wedges, and some very thinly sliced white onion in a bowl to which you add several shakes of salt, a grind or two of pepper, a tiny dash of vinegar, and a glorp of excellent olive oil. Toss. So simple but really really good! Serve with good bread and some cheap wine. Ahhhh... ;-)
The places I know of (none are amazing):
Casa do Churrasco - cheap, but they don't even charcoal grill their chicken (blasphemy! it shouldn't be called churrasco).
Cafe Spiga - Italian/Portuguese restaurant with Portuguese chef/owner. Food was uncharacteristically heavy but it's probably the best choice in Ottawa.
Portucale - in Vanier, I don't know if it's even around anymore. This place was very Portuguese, but the food just wasn't great.
El Meson - Spanish restaurant, but the owner is Portuguese and there are always Portuguese menu items. It's a great restaurant in general; wifey was disappointed by the pork and clams cataplana dish.
Nando's Chicken - a South African chain serving Portuguese-style churrasco chicken. A big step up from Swiss Chalet. I like it for what it is, but a Portuguese restaurant it is not.
I think part of the problem is that Portuguese food is very simple and relies on top quality seasonal ingredients. The potatoes, onions, tomatoes, and melons in Portugal are nicer than anything we get here 10 months of the year. Fish is incredibly fresh and the melons are super sweet.
P.S. If you're ever in Toronto and want to have the authentic Churrasco experience, visit the Churrasco St Clair take-out place and get yourself a grilled half chicken with potatoes and rice. To die for!
P.P.S. If you want to experience Portuguese cuisine at home, here's what you need to do:
At least half a day in advance, take some pork chops or chicken pieces and place them in a shallow dish. Salt and pepper them well, cover with generous amounts of sliced garlic and crumbled bay leaves, drizzle liberally with white wine and a little olive oil, and allow them to marinate in the fridge. (Optionally use a little less salt and apply hot sauce such as Piri-Piri to the meat.) Grill on the BBQ for a taste of the simple yet irresistible flavours of Portuguese cuisine.
Accompany the BBQ with rice and a Salada Mista (mixed salad) consisting of lettuce leaves, tomato wedges, and some very thinly sliced white onion in a bowl to which you add several shakes of salt, a grind or two of pepper, a tiny dash of vinegar, and a glorp of excellent olive oil. Toss. So simple but really really good! Serve with good bread and some cheap wine. Ahhhh... ;-)
2007 Jun 14
To add to Fresh Foodie's post, a Caldo Verde soup (portuguese) is also very easy to make and all the ingredients are available here. Chorizo you can find lots of places, same for Kale. (when i made it, i found it at the fresh market in Hull)
I made this twice (once when i had guests) and it was a success, and as i said, very easy to make :)
I know there's a big Portuguese community in Hull (old hull), but i don't know if they have any restaurants that serve the food. I know there's a catering service though.
edit: i just asked a friend and she says they used to have one on St-Joseph in Hull but it closed down. The only one she knows that's left is on Dalhousie (i think it was mentioned in this thread).
I made this twice (once when i had guests) and it was a success, and as i said, very easy to make :)
I know there's a big Portuguese community in Hull (old hull), but i don't know if they have any restaurants that serve the food. I know there's a catering service though.
edit: i just asked a friend and she says they used to have one on St-Joseph in Hull but it closed down. The only one she knows that's left is on Dalhousie (i think it was mentioned in this thread).
2007 Jun 14
Thanks a lot everyone, especially for the recipes from FF. Does steffQc have a recipe for caldo verde?
I remember back in the '90s that there were some pretty good portuguese restaurants in Montreal and had their national dish, porco de alentajana, think it is.... and had a hard time finding it even in Portugal. I remember Portucale's on Montreal Rd in Vanier was indeed very good. But the restaurant has gone through several transformations. Used to have a portuguese bar attached, I think.
I remember now that El Meson stresses it's Iberian roots, but don't remember seeing any portuguese dishes.
Must try Cafe Spiga, but have not heard great things about it.
Maybe there is a niche for a Portuguese restaurant in Ottawa. Anyone game?
I remember back in the '90s that there were some pretty good portuguese restaurants in Montreal and had their national dish, porco de alentajana, think it is.... and had a hard time finding it even in Portugal. I remember Portucale's on Montreal Rd in Vanier was indeed very good. But the restaurant has gone through several transformations. Used to have a portuguese bar attached, I think.
I remember now that El Meson stresses it's Iberian roots, but don't remember seeing any portuguese dishes.
Must try Cafe Spiga, but have not heard great things about it.
Maybe there is a niche for a Portuguese restaurant in Ottawa. Anyone game?
2007 Jun 15
Ingredients:
1/4 "galega", but i was recommended and use "Kale"
400g potatoes
1 chorizo
1.5 liters water
1 garlic clove
4 onion
4 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper
1. first cook the potatoes in the boiling water along with the onion, garlic and a pinch of salt.
2. drain, but keep the water at the boiling point on the stove (or any other heat source you're using) :)
3. cut the Kale in fine threads, cut the chorizo in disks, put both the Kale and chorizo in the water and cook for 3 minutes.
4. Add the potatoes, onions and garlic which you have "mashed" into a puree beforehand. (and i forgot to mention in point 2) :)
5. Add salt and pepper to taste and then serve in bowls. Just before you serve, drizzle a bit of olive oil.
voila!
That recipe was taken from this spot: www.saveursdumonde.net
Saveurs du monde is an excellent site for world recipes (i got a good pork chops with kiwi and coco recipe there which i love). It's in french, but there's an english version. The only downside to the english version is that there isn't as many recipes (not translated yet i guess). This Caldo verde recipe was one that wasn't translated yet.
There are variations to Caldo verde (just like pretty much everything else), but this one i found pretty good.
1/4 "galega", but i was recommended and use "Kale"
400g potatoes
1 chorizo
1.5 liters water
1 garlic clove
4 onion
4 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper
1. first cook the potatoes in the boiling water along with the onion, garlic and a pinch of salt.
2. drain, but keep the water at the boiling point on the stove (or any other heat source you're using) :)
3. cut the Kale in fine threads, cut the chorizo in disks, put both the Kale and chorizo in the water and cook for 3 minutes.
4. Add the potatoes, onions and garlic which you have "mashed" into a puree beforehand. (and i forgot to mention in point 2) :)
5. Add salt and pepper to taste and then serve in bowls. Just before you serve, drizzle a bit of olive oil.
voila!
That recipe was taken from this spot: www.saveursdumonde.net
Saveurs du monde is an excellent site for world recipes (i got a good pork chops with kiwi and coco recipe there which i love). It's in french, but there's an english version. The only downside to the english version is that there isn't as many recipes (not translated yet i guess). This Caldo verde recipe was one that wasn't translated yet.
There are variations to Caldo verde (just like pretty much everything else), but this one i found pretty good.
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