The first Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau opened 2015 in Lisbon. The menu is simple; cod fish cakes and Port wine served on what looks like an artist’s palette.
Yes, it’s touristy and I’m pretty sure locals don’t visit – but the cod cakes are delicious and the Port excellent.
The concept has been so successful that there are now twelve branches of Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau – we visited the first on Rua Augusta in Lisbon.
A cod cake and port were €12 – you pay the cashier and then take the ticket to the counter.
The lady demonstrated how to hold the ‘palette’ and then added the cod cake and Port when I’d managed to hold it correctly. Then I carefully lowered everything on to an outside table.
The cod cake and Port are a delicious snack. I tried to return the glass and palette, but was told that both were a souvenir – I still returned them, but that makes the €12 better value.
A few weeks later in Porto, we found the Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau in Vila Nova de Gaia. This branch is spectacular and worth a visit even if you don’t eat anything – there was even live music. I think the cake and Port price there was €15.
Don’t be ashamed to be a tourist and do visit one of the Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau.
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