My 24 hours in Lisbon were flying by. It was an eventful day riding a Vespa, enjoying great seafood, and wandering a tasty food hall. I only had one night for a nice dinner, so I made a reservation at Alma. It was a short walk from the apartment in the heart of the Chiado district.
With two Michelin stars, the fine dining restaurant by Henrique Sá Pessoa offers innovative dishes influenced by his travels around the world, passion for Asia, and knowledge of traditional Portuguese cuisine.
The restaurant had a stylish interior and warm glow. I had one of the nice hardwood tables near the kitchen all to myself.
They offer two tasting menus, but it was a rare instance where I skipped the tasting and ordered a la carte. I was asked about drinks and let them suggest a couple wines to enjoy throughout the meal. It started off with a Horácio Simões Tradição Boal White from the Portuguese wine region of the Setúbal Peninsula.
My first dish was the Glazed Baby Carrots with goat cheese, dried fruit bulgur (whole wheat grain), and cumin oil. It was colorful, fresh, and delightful. I’m not a big fan of goat cheese and still enjoyed the dish.
On to the next wine – a Passagem Reserva Red from Douro.
For a main course, I wanted to try the signature “Cobblestreet” Salted Cod with bacalhau (cod), shoestring potatoes, onion purée, and egg yolk. It was a gorgeous presentation with a patterned sheet of dried black olives covering the creamy mixture of onions, potatoes, and cod topped with a confit egg yolk to represent the mosaic tile sidewalks of Lisbon. Very cool. It was super tasty too.
For dessert, I had my heart set on the Chocolate “Bomb”, another signature dish of Alma. The beautifully presented rich creation of chocolate mousse, hazelnut sorbet, salted caramel, and crunchy hazelnuts was incredible.
Service was attentive and I was checked on consistently throughout my dinner. The meal ended with a few single bites that were savory, sweet, then refreshingly tart.
I was glad I made the reservation at Alma. It was my one and only dinner in Lisbon and I enjoyed the creative modern dishes. The ambiance was nice and service was solid. It was one of three Michelin-starred meals I had planned for my trip back to Europe.
I couldn’t end my night in Lisbon just yet! I was set to meet up with another local for a little bar hopping to enjoy some drinks and listen to traditional Portuguese music.
Alma
Rua Anchieta 15
1200-224 Lisboa, Portugal
+351 213 470 650
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