The one thing about Lisbon that you will notice right away is there are pastry shops on every corner. The Portuguese definitely have a sweet tooth. We stopped at Pastelaria Ferrari because this café had their pastries on display in the windows and they looked so delicious.
We got a table and started off by ordering cappuccinos. These were freshly made with beautiful foam swirls on top with a sprinkling of cinnamon.
The pastry that caught our attention was the famous Pastel de Nata. These are a custard cream tart that can be found all over the city and everyone makes them about the same.
The Pastel de Nata were started in the convents because the nuns would use the egg whites to starch with habits and they had all these egg yolks left over. Rather than just throw them away they use the yolks along with the abundance of sugar that was available to them to make a custard that they baked up in little pie shells. This allowed them to make a little money and provide the Portuguese people with an amazing pastry that is popular even today.
We ordered a few of the original Pastel de Nata’s first. We sprinkled a little cinnamon on top. They are so creamy and sweet. The crust was flakey and crispy. It is the prefect size for a little sweet treat.
They did offer other flavors at this café. They used the same core custard tart and just topped them with different toppings. As we learned later on, these are more for the tourists, but we enjoyed them nonetheless. We tried three different toppings:
Chocolate – this was a creamy milk chocolate spread on top. It was very rich.
Almond – this was chopped up almonds with powdered sugar. It did not add much difference to the taste, but it did give a lot of texture to the custard.
Strawberry – a fresh strawberry preserve was spread on top. This gave an extra sweet but tart taste to the creamy custard.
This place also packaged their different tarts so that you can take a box home. The Pastel de Nata’s were delicious and I could not wait to continue enjoying them throughout our visit.
It was time for lunch on our first day in Lisbon. We received a wonderful suggestion from a staff member at the Turim Hotel. Ribadouro is a seafood restaurant that is a short walk from the hotel.
As soon as we walked in the door, we noticed all of the fresh seafood, whether it was in the fish tanks or the shellfish that was on ice just waiting for us to order.
We were seated right away and took a look at the drink menu. I ordered a Mojito. It was freshly made and not overly sweet. They blended rum, mint, lime, sugar, and sparkling water. It was very refreshing.
We ordered meatcroquettes for the table to start with. The meat that was used tasted like roast beef that was blended so fine it made almost like a pate. These croquettes had an amazing savory flavor to them.
A bowl of the seafoodsoup was also ordered. It was a seafood bisque with pieces of shrimp and cod in the savory, creamy broth. Croutons floated on the top that added additional texture.
Salted Cod (also known as Bacalhau) is a major staple in the Portuguese diet. It is used in so many dishes. One of the dishes we tried was Codfish Loin a la Ribadouro. This was cod fish served with boiled potatoes and broccoli. The potatoes were cut thick and sweet. The cod was not salty at all, it was tender and had a great savory flavor from how it was prepared. Every now and then there was a small fish bone, but nothing too outrageous.
The other dish was Strips of Codfish. These were thick pieces of cod that were sautéed with chopped onions, shredded potatoes and bound together with egg. It has a similar texture to scrambled eggs. It was absolutely amazing. There was a rich and creaminess to the dish. There was a nice salty taste. The cod was flakey, and a few pieces had some crispy edges which had a great crunch.
The Grilled Seabass Filets were also ordered. It was served with boiled potatoes and broccoli on the side. There was a garlic butter that came out was fantastic when it was poured over the fish and potatoes. The fish was fresh and flakey.
The meal was fantastic and a great suggestion from the hotel. We skipped dessert because we knew we would be hitting one of the pastry shops a little later.
Getting from the Lisbon airport to our hotel was very easy. Signs were all in English which made it easy for navigation. We were able to get a taxi from the airport and it was inexpensive (only 29 Euro for 3 people and luggage) and only took about 20 minutes to get to our hotel. Our driver was extremely friendly. As we were driving through the streets, he was pointing out a bunch of sights as well as giving us pointers on what to visit during our stay.
The Turim hotel was very nice. The staff greeted us as soon as we walked through the door. Our rooms were ready which was great so that we could shower and then hit the town.
Throughout our stay the front desk staff as well as the bar staff gave us amazing suggestions on what to see and where to eat. We really enjoyed happy our every night at the hotel to chat with the bartenders.
The hotel was in a great location. It was an easy walk to the main drag that takes you to the heart of Lisbon. Along this road there are so many restaurants and shops. The streets are filled with beautiful buildings – both new and old. There are ornate statues and monuments at every turn.
Sardines are a big deal in Portugal. It is a major export for them as well as eaten throughout the country. There was a whole store dedicated to them. Locals did say this store was for tourists, but I thought it was unique and fun to visit. It felt like a circus as soon as I walked in. There were so many options of sardine cans that can be bought for souvenirs. This was just one of the spots that we explored while walking around and getting an understanding of the city’s layout.
Having never been to Portugal before, we were looking forward to this trip for a long time. To get there we flew American Airlines, and we were able to upgrade to business class. This makes the almost 10-hour flight a little more bearable.
What is wonderful about business class is all the food and drinks they give you as soon as you step foot on the plane. We started off with a glass of champagne – Duval-Leroy Brut Reserve. What better way to say, “your vacation has started”.
After takeoff, and getting settled in some comfortable seats, we were ready to be wined and dined.
First out is the bowl of warmed mixed nuts. Having the nuts warmed up is what makes these stand out. Otherwise, they are just plain bagged nuts. And enjoying them with another glass of champagne made me feel fancy.
The food menu was large. We would be getting at least three courses at 30,000 feet. I started off with the shaved beef. These thinly sliced pieces of beef had a lemon aioli on top and an edamame guacamole, pico de gallo mixture underneath. A taco crumble was sprinkled on the plate. The beef was extremely tender. The blend of the aioli and guacamole made a creamy sauce that added additional flavor to the beef.
A salad of seasonal greens also came out at the same time. The bead of lettuce had cranberries, feta cheese, and oven-dried tomatoes on top. There was a balsamic vinaigrette served on the side. The salad was fresh and light.
We had a choice of rolls to choose from when the flight attendant came through the cabin. I went for the pretzel roll. It was so warm I made sure to put the butter on right away so it would melt. It was heavier than a typical dinner roll but tasted just like a hot pretzel.
For my main dish I ordered the herb roasted chicken. This was a chicken breast that was still on the bone in a pomodoro sauce. It came with mashed sweet potatoes and green beans. The chicken had good flavor, I just wish it was off the bone. It would have made it easier to eat. The sweet potatoes were in deed sweet which complemented the chicken.
The herb grilled beef filet was also ordered. I did get to try a little of it. The filet had a bordelaise sauce on top and came with a twice baked potato, baby spinach, and roasted butternut squash. It was really good. I was surprised how tender the steak was. The twice baked potato was my favorite. I would have liked to have another one of those.
With dinner I enjoyed a glass of cabernet-sauvignon from Black Stallion Estate Winery in Napa Valley. It was a bold wine with a smooth aftertaste.
It also went well with the cheese plate I ordered after my dinner. It came with three different cheeses: bleu cheese, cheddar cheese, and brie. They also included grapes, cranberries and a date for accompaniments. It was the perfect little snack. And it went so well with the cheeses.
Now this was not all, there was a traditional dessert as well. They offered ice cream sundaes. It was a fun surprise. The sundae was vanilla ice cream with hot fudge, butterscotch, berries, and whipped cream and chopped pecans.
At some point on the flight, I stopped eating and actually went to sleep. This was probably because I had such a full stomach. But it was not long before we were about an hour and a half from landing. This meant it was time for breakfast.
To help wake myself up I ordered a cappuccino. This was a surprise to me that they even had this on the plane. It was very well made.
For breakfast, they brought everything out on the tray at once, probably to save time. There were a few choices, but I went with the omelet. It had Swiss cheese and roasted tomatoes on top, along with a hollandaise sauce. There was a few pieces of Italian chicken sausage, seasoned potatoes, and fresh fruit. It was a nice complete breakfast. The omelet was great with the cheese and tomatoes. The chicken sausage was just ok to me. I really prefer the taste of pork sausage. The fruit added a nice fresh element. And since I really enjoyed the first cappuccino, I ordered another.
As I finished up eating, it was time to clean up and get ready to land. It was on to the next steps in our Portugal adventure.
Having dinner with family can be extremely fun but also stressful. Making sure that everyone likes the menu is the stressful part. And when I am in charge of picking the restaurant the stress level increases. However, I met the challenge and found an Italian restaurant that everyone enjoyed. It is Josephine’s in Boca Raton, Florida.
The menu was spectacular. There were so many great options for appetizers and main courses. It was hard to narrow it down, so we tried a little bit of everything. We started with one of my favorite dishes, Clams Oreganata. These are littleneck clams that are topped with seasoned breadcrumbs and baked with white wine, butter, garlic, and lemon juice. They came out hot so the shells needed to cool off just slightly so I could pick them up. The clams were tender. The butter and garlic made the briny taste just disappear. The breadcrumbs had an amazing flavor from all the Italian seasoning. The saltiness complemented the clam. It was hard not to eat just one, but I needed to share it with the table.
The EggplantRollatini was delicious as well. The eggplant was thinly sliced. Each piece was stuffed with ricotta cheese, rolled up and topped with their tomato pasta sauce and mozzarella cheese. The eggplant was tender and paired wonderfully with the ricotta cheese that was creamy and sweet.
The meatballs were traditional Sicilian style. They were moist and tender. The herb taste of basil and oregano shined through.
The last appetizer that we ordered was Josephine’s Italian Eggroll. This was a unique dish for the restaurant that I just had to try. It was a filling of sweet sausage, sautéed broccoli rabe, and cheese. It was then rolled up in a thin pasta and fried up. It was crispy just like an eggroll. The sweetness of the sausage paired well with the tartness of the broccoli rabe. The moisture stayed locked inside the crispy shell. There was no need for a sauce because of all the flavors in the filling.
Now it was time for all the main courses to come to the table. I ordered the ChickenPiccata. This is my absolute favorite Italian dish. The chicken breasts were thinly sliced. They were sautéed in a white wine lemon sauce with capers. The chicken was extremely tender, I could cut it with a fork. The lemon flavor gave the sauce a great tang, along with the buttery rich taste.
ChickenMarsala was ordered as well. This chicken was also thinly sliced. It was cooked in a Marsala wine sauce along with cremini mushrooms and a little demi-glaze. The sauce was wonderfully savory. The mushrooms added a slight earthy taste to the dish. The chicken was cooked perfectly to retain its juiciness.
The Gnocchi was amazing. They are my second favorite Italian dish. These potato ricotta dumplings were freshly made and very fluffy. They tossed these in a homemade marinara sauce and fresh mozzarella on top. The sauce was rich but did not overpower the gnocchi.
The last dish that was ordered was the FettuccineCarbonara. The fresh made fettuccine pasta was tossed in a parmesan cream sauce along with pancetta, shallots, and baby sweet peas. The sauce was rich and creamy with a salty taste. The peas added sweetness in each bite. The pasta was so tender you could tell it was homemade.
Even with all this food, we still made sure to order some desserts. We thought it would be great to share around the table. The cheesecake was classic New York style. It was soft but still firm. The sweet taste and creamy texture made the dessert very satisfying.
The other dessert was the cannoli. The filling was creamy and loaded with mini chocolate chips. The shell was crispy and had a nice taste of cinnamon. It was very well made.
The food was amazing at Josephine’s. Everyone enjoyed what was ordered, so I am glad I made my family happy. I would recommend this restaurant to everyone. Check out their complete menu at www.josephinesofboca.com
North Italia is a small restaurant chain that I have seen during my travels. I had never visited one until a recent trip to Franklin, Tennessee. There is a newer area of town that has been developing over the last few years and North Italia opened. I made a reservation to check them out.
The place was packed inside, every table was taken. Even with how busy they were, our waitress was very attentive to our table.
For my dinner I ordered the scallops. It was a special for the night. These were jumbo size scallops that were grilled with crab meat and placed on top of a vegetable rice. The scallops were tremendously soft and tender. They were cooked to perfection. The crab meat was sweet and added great texture to the scallops The butter sauce that the scallops were cooked in drizzled onto the rice and made it even better than it was by itself.
Another dish that was ordered was the chicken pesto. The tender chicken was tossed with gigli pasta. Gigli pasta is a small, fluted pasta rolled into the shape of a cone. The pesto sauce was made with sweet basil, shaved garlic, toasted pine nuts and crispy capers. It was a strong, herby flavor that had a fresh taste. It was bold and went well with the thick pasta.
A pizza was a must to order as well. They cook them in a wood fire oven and I could smell the pizzas cooking when I first walked in. We ordered The Pig. This was a meat lovers pizza. It had a salumi, sopressatta, spicy pepperoni, and Italian sausage all on top of the sweet dough. It was a good balance between sweet and salty with this pizza. The crust was slightly overcooked, it was a little too burnt for my liking; however, outside of that the pizza was good.
I can see why the restaurant was busy. The food was good. I would like to check out another North Italia to try something else on the menu. Check the out at www.northitalia.com
Happy National Pretzel Day! I love a great pretzel with beer cheese. Whether it is at a ball game, the movies, or at my favorite sports bar, I can never go wrong with a hot pretzel.
Estes Park is a beautiful town within the heart of Rocky Mountain National Park. While exploring the park, we decided to spend the night in town at the Estes Park Resort. The resort backed up to a beautiful lake. There were chairs and fire pits set up all around so visitors could watch the sun set over the majestic mountains and look up at the bright stars.
The resort had a wonderful restaurant called Dunraven that we made reservations for. Since it was a beautiful evening, we got a table outside on the patio.
We started off the meal with the calamari fritte. This was crispy fried calamari that was served with tartar sauce and homemade marinara sauce. The seasoning in the breading was great. It had a wonderful salty taste. And the crunch from frying was perfect. The calamari was tender too.
I ordered a cup of the minestrone soup. The temperature of the soup was just what I needed to help stay warm from the cool mountain air, as the sun was setting. There was a generous amount of beans in the soup. The broth had a great savory taste.
I ordered the shrimp scampi for my dinner. The shrimp was cooked in a fantastic garlic and sherry sauce. The garlic flavor was intense, but wonderful. It is the best flavor to complement shrimp.
This dish also came with fresh asparagus and a polenta cake. They prepared the polenta by slicing pieces and sautéing it on each side until it because crispy. Normally polenta I have enjoyed was softer and more like mashed potatoes or grits. This was unique and had a fantastic texture. I liked how crispy the edges were. It was easy to eat with a fork. There was a subtle salty taste that was addicting.
I got to try the eggplant parmesan. It was a large dish because it also came over pasta. The eggplant was sliced thin and fried up to be crispy. I could taste the oregano and basil that was mixed into the breading on the eggplant. The fresh made pasta sauce added a fresh element to each bite.
Another dish that was ordered was the chicken fettuccine alfredo. The sauce on this dish was exceptionally creamy and rich. They used seven different cheeses: Romano, mozzarella, fontina, parmesan, provolone, mascarpone, and cream cheese. All this cheese was melted and mixed with heavy cream. It was amazing. It was the best cheese and pasta I have ever had. The chicken was cut up and mixed throughout the pasta. It was tender but it was overshadowed by the cheese pasta.
The food, the view, and the service was outstanding at Dunraven. Even if I was not staying at the resort, I would make sure to make a visit to this restaurant. Check them out at www.dunravenepresort.com
Grand Lakes is a beautiful town in the Rocky Mountain National Park. Many of the places close down during the winter. When spring rolls around, the town starts opening up to cabin rentals, tours, and of course ice cream shops. When I visited Ceaira’s Sweet Shop was open once again for business.
The shop originally opened in 1953. Over the years it has had many different owners but it has endured time and continues to offer guests homemade ice creams.
They offer a ton of unique flavors.
It is a small place, that has walk up windows for ordering. The staff is nice and friendly.
I ordered the Butter Pecan ice cream. My grandfather loved butter pecan and I remember eating it with him in the summer. So, I thought this flavor would bring back some wonderful memories. And it certainly did. The ice cream was extremely creamy. There were nice large pecans in each spoonful of ice cream. It was very satisfying.
The sweet shop had a constant line. Visitors ordered all kinds of treats. They even offered homemade ice cream sandwiches. If you are looking for some great ice cream, check out Ceaira’s Sweet Shop at www.sweetgrandlake.com
While visiting Denver, we rented a car and decided to start exploring the other areas of Colorado. We drove the Rocky Mountain National Park and saw some of the most beautiful scenery. Everything was so green with only the peaks of the mountains having a little snow on top.
One of the small towns we drove through was Grand Lakes. Several years ago, when Colorado had those massive wildfires, Grand Lakes came really close to being destroyed. As you drive through the outskirts of town, the devastation of the forest can still be seen all these years later.
It was lunch time while we were in Grand Lakes, so we decided to stop at Sagebrush BBQ & Grill. It was a local place filled with Western décor.
What made me excited about this restaurant was their menu of wild game meat. There were several I have never had before and was looking forward to trying. The first thing I tried was the Buffalo Red Chili. It was ground buffalo, and it was tender. It really tasted like beef when it was combined with the red beans and the chili seasoning that was extremely savory.
For my main lunch meal, I ordered the Rocky Mountain Elk Burger. The large patty was topped with Swiss cheese, smoked bacon, and a raspberry chipotle sauce. Of course, there was lettuce, tomato, and onion included. The elk meat was juicy, and it seemed to fall apart easier than a beef patty. There was a slight gamey taste to the elk, but it disappeared from the saltiness of the Swiss cheese and the sweetness from the raspberry sauce. I was really surprised how great the burger tasted with the sauce.
I got French fries with my burger and instead of using ketchup, I decided to use their homemade BBQ sauce. The sauce was sweet with a slight peppery flavor.
To wash down the burger I tried a unique bottled soda. The brand was called OldCentennial and the flavor was Orange Cream Soda. The soda was not overly sweet. The flavor of the orange was subtle but there really was a creamy taste to the soda even though it was not actually creamy.
I also got to try the Buffalo Meatloaf Sandwich. They baked their meatloaf in a red tomato sauce. The buffalo was seasoned nicely, and it stayed moist through the baking process. They served it on a baguette. This bread was able to hold up well even with all the sauce that was on the meatloaf. There was also a generous portion of mashed potatoes and gravy on the side.
If you are interested in trying different game meats, then Sagebrush is for you. There are several other types of game dishes to try; However, if you are not feeling adventurous they do have some traditional meats as well.
