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

RUKA Begins

I have been anticipating Ruka's opening for quite sometime - ever since I toured the connected Godfrey Hotel in its under construction state and attended the subsequent opening party, the huge empty space kept me in suspense!!


From the restaurant group that brought Lolita and Yvonnes I was expecting big things and Ruka delivered; beginning with their 15 page cocktail book! Don't let it overwhelm you though, it is one cocktail per page and very inspired. And although I chose the least exciting presentation wise, I can assure you that comprehensive little book and the drinks that follow are seriously fun.

Ruka is an astonishing exploration in Peruvian-Asian culture, highlighting the Nikkei (Japanese-Peruvian) and Chifa (Chinese-Peruvian) cuisines. These cuisines were brought to Peru by large immigrant populations, combining elegant Japanese cooking techniques like sashimi and makimono, as well the traditional Chinese recipes like fried rice and stir fry with native Peruvian ingredients - Amazonian fish, yucca, corn, aji peppers and nuevo latino seasonings such as chili powder, chimichurri and cilantro.

The space is designed to embody Peru's dramatic landscapes and vibrant cities - live edge wood tables, concrete columns with Inca symbols, a vivid wall to wall street art mural, suspended ropes inspired by Peruvian fabrics - guests will surely feel transported to another world and a stunning one at that. 

I was dazzled by Ruka's vibrant creative cuisine - the octopus lomo soltado in particular was a standout dish. In order of appearance:

Crunchy Salmon Tacos ($18) salmon ceviche, avocado, roasted tomatillo salsa, pickled radish

Hamachi Amarillo ($17) baby corn + avocado roll, hamachi, tomatillo salsa, jalapeno-corn sauce

Old Hill ($14) Knob Creek 9 year, Caribbean rums, Nikka Japanese Whiskey, black sugar, bitters, coffee oil

Crispy Rock Shrimp ($18) Asian pear + avocado roll, soy paper, aji amarillo mayo, Florida rock shrimp

Junmai Gingo, Tensei ($7) song of the sea: coastal, seaweed, lemon zest, crinshaw melon

Octopus Lomo Soltado ($17) peppers, onions, ginger-soy, black rice, shoe string fries

White Nest While Ale ($9) Hitachino, Japan

Ruka - Restobar. Nikkei.

505 Washington Street

Boston, MA 02111

Taranta | North End

Taranta is a solid choice for a special occasion dinner out in the North End. I find they cater well to large parties as evidenced on Saturday evening where I was dining with a group of women for Kirsten's Bachelorette party and in the past I have celebrated a friends birthday here with a large group! Just because I associate them with hosting large groups, does not mean they compromise on the classic intimacy you'd come to expect when dinning out in Boston's Little Italy. I assure you this restaurant would be just as special for a date night or intimate celebration for two. Taranta hosts on three floors where each cozy level over looks Hanover Street. The first level offers floor-to-ceiling street front windows which I love to see open in the warm months. The atmosphere as a whole is enchanting with a combination of exposed brick and exposed granite stone walls. An eclectic mix of colorful dangling glass light fixtures hang from the ceilings. Circular lights embedded in the steel staircase emit deep blue, yellow and green lights to captivate you from the moment you set foot inside. Opened in July of 2000, Taranta focuses on Southern Italian meets Peruvian Cuisine. The restaurant is owned by Chef Jose Duarte (who is originally from Peru) and his wife Anna. The owners deserve much praise for their commitment to sustainable initiatives in all aspects of work. This restaurant became Green Certified in 2007 and in 2008 received The City of Boston Green Business Award. They use efficient lighting and are recycling and composting 99% of their waste stream; which is very impressive.
When some of us arrived to dinner on Saturday evening 15-20 minutes late, the hostess was still welcoming and completely understanding. She even sat the members of our party who were on time (which I know some restaurants are hesitant to do). I really appreciated the thoughtfulness and hospitality regarding this.
I spotted a Pisco Sour ($10) featured on the menu and decided to try this one out for size. You might recall I drank a Galliano Sour the night before at The Abbey, so clearly this was the weekend for sour martinis! A grape liquor whose namesake honors to the city of Pisco, this traditional Peruvian cocktail made with lemon, Angostura bitters and a dash of sugar combined with the delicate frothiness of the egg white revealed a complex and lip puckeringly sour taste. I drank two. I was impressed when our waiter after announcing the specials, gave us his sincere apologies for the wait we experienced early on after we were seated. It took longer than usual for him to grace us with his presence and take drink orders. (I'm hesitant to admit because it didn't seem to matter whatsoever to any of the 12 women engaged in conversation.) But, the fact that he acknowledged our wait with a simple apologetic gesture was thoughtful and, all it took to set the tone for the rest of the meal. He was efficient and attentive from there on out and overall did a fantastic job, managing to get all 12 drinks and entrees correct in a timely fashion without writing anything down! For my entrée I chose the Butternut Squash Ravioli with brown sugar, sage and cream sauce with asparagus and shrimp. This dish to me represents fall. The raviolis were well made and the sauce flavorful and comforting, however I was a little disappointed in the asparagus. (There was not but 3 tiny bites of it!) I tried a few bites of the Pappardelle con Funghi Porcini ($26) - free form cut pappardelle pasta with wild mushrooms, porcini and truffle oil and it was exquisite. 

We did order three desserts to share - A traditional Tiramisu ($8), the Hazelnut Mousse ($8) with a drizzle of dulce de leche and Chocolate Soufflé Cake ($10). I wasn't about to make anyone wait to dig in, hence, desserts went unphotographed. Sometimes this is for the best. The Tiramisu was excellent, living up to all my expectations. The Chocolate Soufflé was disappointing, but I had really high and perhaps unfair expectations after this souffle. The Hazelnut Mousse with its decadent layers was my favorite of the three. The flecks of nuttiness dispersed throughout added a texture similar to a Ferro Rocher candy.
I'm confident in this establishment as a whole because the staff is truly wonderful and their business practices demonstrate real integrity. The marriage of Italian and Peruvian cuisine makes for a unique concept to embrace in Little Italy. 

Taranta

210 Hanover Street

Boston, MA 02113

P.S. Earlier that afternoon I was getting pampered with some of the ladies at Christine's Day Spa in Quincy. I received hands down (haha) the best massage I've ever had. I felt so relaxed and spoiled the entire day. And my mani-pedi complete with a salt scrub leg rub was invigorating. I got OPI's All That Razz-Berry on my fingers and toes. We spent the day in bliss on the private third floor lounging around eating decadent cupcakes in plush bathrobes.P.P.S. After dinner we had a fabulous night out at Sanctuary.