A Cevicheria | Principe Real

We are moving right along through our day in Lisbon, we've wandered from Baixa + Rossio Square crossing Avenida de Liberdade into an upscale trendy neighborhood called Principe Real. Principe Real is home to 19th century mansions, fashionable shops, art galleries, and nightlife. We found ourselves at Atalho Real on a whim. A gorgeous glass of vinho verde hits the spot every time. Have I proclaimed my love for Portuguese green wine in every post? I think yes. The wine was actually preceded by a round of cocktails. Ryder is napping and please note Camden's 'Texas BBQ' Pringles in the photo below. Favorite snacks acquired at a mini mercado prior to happy hour = hunger meltdowns avoided.

Mom and Dad snacks = Pica-Pau! 

Tiras de carne grelhadas e servidas com bolo do caco, pickles e molhos. 

Tiras de carne are strips of steak. 

Grelhadas means grilled. 

Bolo do Caco is the bread. 

Pickles e molhos are the two sauces.

We took the boys to play in a nearby park, Jardim do Principe Real. There are a few children running around plus convivial groups enjoying dinner and wine on the picnic tables nearby. There were also some neat sculptures in the garden. 

The sun dips below the hill in the distance and we head just around the corner to dinner at A Cevicheria on a recommendation of Bob's co-worker. 

A Cevicheria features the Peruvian dish of ceviche with a touch of Portuguese influence. We have been eating lots of traditional food and this is a refreshing change of pace. Pisco Sours in slender champagne flutes prelude the meal; a traditional South American cocktail shaken with Peruvian Brandy, lime, frothy egg white and angostura bitters. Piscos top every table at the restaurant, so definitely order a round! I'm also fairly certain the bar window that fronts the street is famous in the neighborhood for Pisco Sours to-go.

We are seated at a high top outside, and it is a cooler and slightly windy evening! Inside the restaurant it is so chic and cozy. If we didn't have a stroller and two kids we would have snagged seats at the polished bar backed by shellac white subway tiles under a giant octopus sculpture. That is merely a recommendation to the wise, not a complaint about our seats. 

Taco de Tártaro de Lombo de Atum (€18,70) Tortilha de Trigo, Atun, Soja, Sésamo, Gengibre, Togarashi e Tobiko

Tuna Tartare Taco: Wheat Tortilla, Tuna, Soy, Sesame, Ginger, Togarashi and Tobiko

Ceviche de Atum e Foie Gras (€19,70) Beterraba, Framboesa, Líchia e Avelã

Tuna + Foie Gras Ceviche: Beets, Raspberries, Hazelnuts

Ceviche de Salmão e Pitaia (€18,60) Tapioca, Coco, Ananás e Caju

Salmon + Dragon Fruit Ceviche: Tapioca, Coconut, Pineapple and Cashew

This is certainly some of the most inventive and delicious ceviche we will ever eat; I am so glad we took the recommend.

So this was our last night in Lisbon! Three nights here flew by. We did so much, yet so much remains undiscovered. I am pretty sure we missed a few popular spots and squares, we somehow did not set foot in a cathedral or a church, and we did not make it out to Belem! I could have spent a couple more days exploring this city for sure. 

The boys on our last morning, ready to hit the road. We are headed south to Lagos on the Algarve Coast.

Atalho Real

Calçada da Patriarcal 40, 1250-182 

Lisboa, Portugal

A Cevicheria

R. Dom Pedro V 129, 1250-096 

Lisboa, Portugal

North Shore Kauai Eats

Here's some insight into our dining experiences on North Shore of Kauai. For starters, a Mai Thai at The Nui is a must!

We had a great dinner at BarAcuda in Hanalei Town offering small plates sourced from Island Fisherman + local organic farmers. 

We ate Papas Ajo - fried marble potatoes tossed in fresh garlic with paprika aioli. These were basically the local version of my favorite tapas - Patatas Bravas! There were tender Banderillas - grilled flank steak skewers rubbed with ancho chili coffee spice and a chipotle honey sauce, and a beautiful piece of Hawaiian Ono with roasted corn puree, grilled summer squash, green coriander + True Leaf Farms sunflower sprouts. 

And a Lilikoi Cheesecake with graham macadamia nut crust and lilikoi curd for dessert!

It was so nice to have the gorgeous St.Regis luxury resort a ten minute walk from our Airbnb condo complex Hale Mole. We fell in love with their Macadamian Old Fashioned. It was one of the best cocktails on this trip! 

On our first night we were met with a super lively bar crowd. The whole place was dancing to a husband wife duo who played local instruments and fun cover songs. We grabbed a front row table and ordered dinner. The bar menu features Japanese plates; really good ceviche, maki rolls, miso soup, edamame and more. We were delighted with our first experience here and knew we'd be back. 

A couple days later we dined at the glamorous Makana Terrace. The views over Hanalei Bay are incredible, but that was about all. The menu was lacking - they were out of a lot of items we wanted to order and we were not overly impressed with the food or service. We got the sense our waitress didn't like us - never a good feeling on your honeymoon or at an exceptionally luxe venue. 

The bad experience at Makana didn't outweigh our love for the good vibes at the bar. We came back on our last night for a final round of Macadamian Old Fashioneds at sunset. 

Tahiti Nui or the Nui is the local Hanalei dive. Live music plays late into the evening and the Mai Thais are flowing. The food was decent. We had coconut shrimp (can't go wrong), beef poke (not my favorite) and a local fish and rice dish (average).

Piazza was a real treat and somewhat of a surprise! Serving local Italian cuisine in the Princeville Plaza (next to Foodland) this polished establishment served us well on our last night in Kauai. We sat at the bar where the staff was fun and attentive. The masterful Ahi Tuna Carpaccio with a deconstructed tapenade, lemon confit and black lava salt was one of my favorite plates in all of Hawaii. The wine list and cocktails were on point - my Vespa with Aperol, lychee puree and prosecco was the perfect blend of Italia meets Hawaii! The Kauai Shrimp Scampi with handmade squid ink linguine, garlic butter, tomato, lemon preserves and chili flakes was a terrific entrée. As was the gorgeous Tagliatelle Bolognese!

Overall, we had some pretty great food on Kauai's North Shore, but not without a couple misses in the mix. If you've visited this part of Hawaii, where are your must eats?!

Playa Jacó

Nestled deep in tropical Centro America, bordered by Nicaragua to the North and Panama to the South lies the exquisite country of Costa Rica, which meaningfully translates to "Rich Coast". The unofficial national slogan Pura Vida or Pure Life embodies the nature of its gorgeous landscape and kind-hearted people to a tee. A funky little Pacific surf town with a wide stretching volcanic black sand beach called Jacó (pronounced haco, rhymes with taco) is where we spent most of our days: outsmarting the waves, exploring the shores and hunting down the shaved ice cart. 

The ocean defies expectations - swells are fierce yet the temperature is incredibly warm; swimming (and our water sport of choice: boogie boarding) is an adrenaline rush and a comfort at the same time. Flanked by intense lime green palm trees and beachfront bars, dotted with rocks and driftwood; daily beach walks lend treasures abound, while venturing to the outer edges leads to hiking through strong current inlets and around fascinating volcanic rock formations. Colorful iguanas and lizards also make an appearance at the beach!

The main strip of downtown Jacó located just a block off the beach is a mecca of kitschy tourist huts meets laid back surf shops. Fantastic restaurants and plenty of tour-guide agencies are here at your disposal. Downtown at night makes no apologies (prostitution is legal, someone might offer to sell you drugs), yes, Jacó has a well deserved reputation as a party town. Don't mistake that for lack of charm, as common sense will dictate, that type of scene isn't hard to avoid despite its presence. Oh and speaking of nighttime, the sunsets are incredible. 

The food in Jacó was always delicious and incredibly inexpensive. From the eclectic must-visit TacoBar, to authentic lunches at Soda Jaco Rustico, to dinners at Tsunami Sushi and Mono Verde, every type of restaurant stands to impress. We even had a traditional Thanksgiving feast at Lemon Zest. Fish is abundant and fresh caught - from Corvina (Sea Bass) and Dorado (Mahi Mahi) to Atun (Tuna), you will find ceviche offered on almost every menu, along with hearty grilled or fried entrée portions. The country offers a wealth of tropical fruits - impeccably ripe and juicy mangoes, pineapple and bananas were the best I've had. Starfruit is also common, mostly as a drink garnish! Guacamole was prepared with large, ripe aguacate (avocado) at our condo on a regular basis, usually consumed alongside an Imperial, the official beer of Costa Rica. 

As to be expected, lots more on the adventures and restaurants to come! 

the rebirth of Olives

Chef Todd English recently threw a party to celebrate his flagship restaurant located at City Square in Charlestown. Olives grand RE-Opening event was met with much fanfare and excitement. The original Olives which opened in 1989 was something of a legend in Boston. Having been closed since 2010, the space has been revamped to embody a rustic elegance, with a grand mahogany wraparound bar and a stunning open kitchen as the central focal points. 

Todd has partnered with Chile Extra Virgin Olive Oil which was a featured ingredient in many of the signature party bites. Beautifully prepared ceviche (tuna with avocado panna cotta and hake with cucumber and coconut milk) and a remarkable dessert of olive oil tres leche cake. Even the signature martini highlighted the olive oil by lacing it a top a fantastic concoction of shaken vodka, vermouth, basil, Cointreau, muddled orange and simple syrup. I arrived early to attend a tasting of the olive oil before the party began. It is definitely some of the smoothest, most flavorful I've had. It truly enhanced everything from the quail egg shooters (above) to the carrot and duck risotto (below).

After some mingling, drinking and dancing we dug into a lavish dessert bar. The sweets were abundant and incredibly executed, from rice krispies pyramids to wonderfully fluffy, decadently frosted cupcakes.

This was such a great night. I captured much less of all the details and the exquisite passed appetizers than you see here, I was mainly relishing the spirited energy with friends and bubbly. I love that the opening nearly coincided with my move to the neighborhood! I can't wait to return for dinner.