El Sabores - Lisboa

. Background: Starting off on a three-week train-and-hotel tour of Portugal, Spain and Morocco needs some major fuel for the body and across the street from my Lisbon hotel is just the right spot to do it. PROS: Proximity to the hotel is a big asset. Although not as centrally-located in the city, it is mere steps away from my hotel on the opposite corner of the intersection. The small façade ushers you into a small, yet cosy, restaurant with about half-dozen small tables. The décor for this red-and-black-themed eatery is modern and simple. It has a daily menu that offers both local and international selections. On my visit, they had the following choices: Velvety Cream of Leek,(unsweetened) Guava juice, Adobo, Confitado Cod in the Oven, Fusili with Chicken, Grilled Golden, Fresh Cheese Salad and dessert. Each dish includes either steam rice, couscous or grilled vegetables. The house specialty happens to be Meatballs with Cilantro Sauce. Of these, I ordered the Adobo, a dish comprised of a mixture of pork, chicken and vegetables in oyster sauce. Judging from his Filipino name, the chef Emmanuel Lapid has the ancestry as well as credentials to create this classic Filipino dish. And the result is quite good. The food presentation is pleasing and creative, like the ones we normally associate with luxury gourmet dining. Portions are ample, reasonably priced and of excellent value for what you get. CONS: Although Adobo is indeed a classic Filipino dish, I would have preferred to use the traditional mixture of vinegar and soy sauce rather than oyster sauce. I am not a gastronomic purist per se, but this may merely reflect an artistic difference between chefs. Verdict: It used to be enough for a chef to prepare a selection of the requisite one meat and two veggie courses on a plate and call it done. Not anymore. Those days are gone. The restaurant 's name says it all. El Sabore, translated as flavour , is what matters the most after all. A pleasant find in Lisbon. Grade A-minus. .

Portuguese Tipical food tasty food friendly staff and budget price tourist friendly. good to taste tradiotional filipinas fish soup

Definetly the Best Restaurant in Lisbon. The next Michellin Star. Try Vichisoise cream, meetballs with cilantro mousse and the famous grilled mackerel with couscous perfumed by lemon. Inforgetable, congratulations Chef Emanuel.