Janet's Jaunts

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes." —Marcel Proust

Rainy night seafood feast in Lisbon

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Lisbon

A rainy night in Lisbon found us in a great seafood spot in a working class neighborhood

 

I’d never been to Portugal but  knew the Atlantic defined its western coast and the country was one of Europe’s wealthiest during the Age of Discovery.  Early in our Iberian adventure our Insight tour took us to a Lisbon monument marking the place where  Vasco de Gama and Magellan set out to explore the world.

 I was  looking forward to eating some great seafood, but concerned that  motor-coach tour dining would be less than stellar. It’s got to be a challenge in planning such a trip to find restaurants to handle 28 people at one time. Food on my earlier motor-coach tours  usually ranged from adequate to ordinary so I didn’t have high expectations.
Seafood

Platters filled with seafood kept coming.

Most meals on the Insight itinerary were included but several times  we were free to arrange our own dining. On our second  evening in Lisbon I’d intended to go to a newly opened market boasting food stations staffed by a rotating group of local chefs. t sounded like a good story, but it was pouring rain. I didn’t want to take a cab, and lacked confidence in negotiating the streetcar to the waterfront.

Extraordinary clams, unlike any I’d seen before, were succulent and delicious.

Extraordinary clams, unlike any I’d seen before, were succulent and delicious.

So when Insight president John Boulding asked us if we wanted to join him for seafood, I jumped at the chance.

Several writers had other plans so our  group numbered about a dozen.

John told us we’d be taking the ferry across the Tagus River to dine in a working class neighborhood far from the tourist haunts

shrimp

Whole shrimp, with eyes still in place, required us to bite of the heads before consuming them.

Our coach took us to the ferry where we all got umbrellas and queued up to board the boat, which ran every few minutes. We were urged to stay together and used tickets handed us by Toni, guide/concierge extraordinaire.

The restaurant Marisqueira Val de Rio was just a half block from the ferry landing, but it was pouring by then. We raised our umbrellas and leaned into  the deluge to follow John to dinner, while Toni brought up the rear. Keeping travel writers on the straight and narrow is something like herding cats. We’re curious types who are easily distracted. But the rain probably helped.

Once inside the restaurant we relinquished umbrellas and were shown to a trio of tables.

I’d hoped for octopus and got it

I’d hoped for octopus and got it

I eyed a blackboard menu promising octopus and planned to order it.  After orders for beer and wine were filled  platters filled with all kinds of seafood kept coming our way . It  proved to be an extravaganza of clams, crab, lobster and other shellfish and crustaceans and included the octopus I’d eyed.

 The place was not fancy but the food was extraordinary. My concerns about  dining quality were quickly put to rest.
Toothsome crab claws had a side of bread stuffing on the plate.

Toothsome crab claws had a side of bread stuffing on the plate.

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