Barnacles, would you eat these?
We were just in Portugal and ate at a restaurant recommended by one of our guides, Cervejeria Ramiro. If in Lisbon check it out, you do have to wait, but it is well organized. It was a fish restaurant and the Portuguese love their shellfish. He suggested a few dishes and we took his advice.
I have never eaten barnacles before, and the waiter had to show us how to eat them. I guess Annie didn't like them as I ended up eating most of them. They looked like something pre-historic, almost like the foot of a raptor, but they were very tasty, and tender.
We also ordered half a dozen oysters, delicious and very briny.
Along with this we were drinking a bottle of Vinho Verde wine, or green wine, only $12.75 a bottle in a restaurant, the people sitting next to us, regulars had beer which flowed freely as they kept bringing more glasses whenever they were low. It was also suggested to order the clams, which came in a wonderful broth, unfortunately with cilantro which Annie cannot eat, so we ended up with two bowls, one I ate and helped Annie with the second one as well.
Then we also had some garlic shrimp which were so tender and delicious.
Annie had most of the shrimp, along with plenty of bread to soak up the garlic butter sauce. Now to end a meal at this restaurant it is typical that you order a tenderloin sandwich, with of course more garlic. The steak was tender and delicious and it made a nice end to the meal. I forgot to take a photo as I was busy eating, so had to steal this shot from our neighbors, hence the beer glasses.
It was a wonderful way to end the day which had been spent wine tasting in the Setubal region, where they make mostly Muscatel, a sweet dessert wine primarily although it can be drunk as an aperitif too.
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