Last night we went to the excellent and traditional restaurant O Painel de Alcântara and had the rich chicken dish – arroz de frango de cabidela – which is chicken cooked in its own blood rather in the same style as a jugged hare. With it we drank a bottle of 2007 Quinta do Côtto, a Douro red. Its generous, sweet ripe fruit was an ideal match with the richness of the chicken dish. I was delighted to see that it is closed with a screwcap, although I'm mildly surprised that their quinta hasn't been torched by supporters of the Portuguese cork industry!!
Quinta do Côtto is the domaine wine and the 2007 is a blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Francesca and Sousão. Part of the wine spends nine months in Portuguese oak barrels.
O Painel is open from Monday to Saturday and every day has two or three special traditional dishes. On Monday, for instance, it's our chicken plus pasteis de balalhau with arroz de grélos and a cabrito (goat) stew.
The portions are extremely generous – usually a feature of Portuguese restaurants – and , if you can, it is worth leaving some space for the desserts. We had an wonderfully opulent laite creme (créme brulée) and chocolate mousse with plenty of chocolate flavour and not too sweet, as is so often the case.
Certainly highly recommended if you want good wholesome, traditional Portuguese food with good, thoughtful service. Delicious samosas and ham to start.
O Paniel de Alcantara
Rue do Arco (a Alcantrara), 7-13
1350-019 Lisboa
Tel: 213-965 920, 213-964 706
Quinta do Côtto is the domaine wine and the 2007 is a blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Francesca and Sousão. Part of the wine spends nine months in Portuguese oak barrels.
O Painel is open from Monday to Saturday and every day has two or three special traditional dishes. On Monday, for instance, it's our chicken plus pasteis de balalhau with arroz de grélos and a cabrito (goat) stew.
The portions are extremely generous – usually a feature of Portuguese restaurants – and , if you can, it is worth leaving some space for the desserts. We had an wonderfully opulent laite creme (créme brulée) and chocolate mousse with plenty of chocolate flavour and not too sweet, as is so often the case.
Certainly highly recommended if you want good wholesome, traditional Portuguese food with good, thoughtful service. Delicious samosas and ham to start.
O Paniel de Alcantara
Rue do Arco (a Alcantrara), 7-13
1350-019 Lisboa
Tel: 213-965 920, 213-964 706
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