Tapa Bento

You can save for months, read all the brochures, make all the reservations and trawl through reviews on trip advisor, but sometimes the best moments while traveling are those that are completely unplanned and take you by surprise. 

surprise! being photobombed by a seagull at sunset

Caz and I thought we had it all planned out. I mean, not that we are meticulous planners, but when it comes to visiting a new city we check out the places we might want to eat or drink, we make lists, we compare notes and we add everything to Google Maps just in case. So on this particular night, we had our pre-dinner drink, our post-dinner drink and our dinner all lined up. We'd been talking about it since dinner the night before. It was going to be great.  But when we jumped off our bus in the city and Caz pointed out a piece of street art we'd both wanted to photograph we headed in the opposite direction to our planned route, but ever so slightly. 

As we strolled back from admiring the artwork we noticed a couple of people loitering outside a restaurant that had not yet opened for the evening. Inside was all a-bustle with wait staff running to and fro, bar staff stocking the bar, chefs out back prepping and a stern looking lady with a clipboard pacing in the doorway.  With barely a word between us we joined the small throng of people; when you've traveled a fair bit and you really like to eat you get to know when you're onto a good thing. 

A few minutes passed and we realised we'd both read about this spot, but somehow had missed it from our lists. A quick look at the menu pasted outside and we were set: time to load our resting bitch faces and work this line. Thankfully, as a party of just two, and two who were willing to sit anywhere to get at the noms, we were seated in less than 15 minutes, a refreshing white port & tonic in hand. 

We decided to share a few dishes, making the most of the menu (of which we wanted to devour everything) and allowing us to experience a wide variety of flavours. It was our last night in Portugal, and my last night before I attempted to begin real life again, so there was no reason to hold back.

We started with the tuna tataki which was perfectly seared and dressed with sesame seeds. The accompaniments were light and refreshing: wakame, roe, pickles and wasabi - if we hadn't been in full view of the restaurant, kitchen and the waiting hordes outside at least one of us would have licked the plate! 

Next up was the foie gras toast. It didn't sound like much, but we were willing to give it a go and it was probably my favourite dish of the evening. Paired with berries and macadamia nuts and topped with a baked pear, this rich and unctuous dish bordered on dessert-like. All at once I wished we had ordered one plate each, but I was probably glad we shared. 

The oxtail empanadas were homey and comforting, a nice crumbly pastry and warm, gamey filling, but on the back of the previous two dishes they hardly stood a chance.  We rounded things out with razorback clams, a delicacy not often seen on menus in the parts of the world we're from. Cooked with lemon and garlic they were worth the slightly longer wait, and a perfect way to end our meal. 

The dessert menu sounded like the stuff dreams are made of, but with high demand for our spots, and one final night to explore it was something we had to add to the 'next time in Porto' list.  If you're visiting Portugal, and I would highly recommend it, you won't want to miss Porto. The city is filled with a plethora of delicious eats, but TapaBento should definitely be on your list. Just remember to reserve in advance!