Davide Pettenuzzo
Google
Fantastic dinner, a hidden pearl in Evora.
When we arrived in Evora during our trip we searched for something authentic, and we found this place almost hidden in the streets of the city. From the outside you wouldn't think that this is a fantastic restaurant: the only thing that gives it away is the sign out of the door and the numerous awards they display. In this family-driven place there is no menu: the chef and his son (and a couple of other people) gave us a warm welcome and explained that in their Taberna they cook like their grandparents used to. You start with some exceptional pork cold cuts, bacon-wrapped dates, a fresh mixed salad and a cheese/pumpkin pastry out of this world. Then they gave us a mysterious little sandwich (and I will not spoil the surprise for you) which was insanely good and flavorful. After all these entrees the real dinner starts: oxtail risotto, Portuguese codfish, beef neck braised for hours in red wine and homemade potato chips and pumpkin with onions. To top it all off, the desserts were astonishing: walnuts cake, cheese flan, caipirinha ice cream and a typical Portuguese dessert made with egg yolk, sugar and cinnamon.
Every flavour was intense, every dish was clearly made with love and experience. The service was exceptionally good, just like the food they gave us; every dish was explained with cooking details and even some history behind the recipe. The price was insane: the dinner was absolutely underpriced for how much we ate and for the quality of the experience. If they told me this was a Michelin-starred restaurant, I would absolutely believe it. The only thing you need to remember is that you need to book a table in advance because the restaurant is very small, but if you come to Evora you MUST eat here. They accept every major credit card.
Riassunto italiano: venite a mangiare qui perché è un posto pazzesco, ma ricordatevi di prenotare perché è piccolo e sempre pieno; non aspettatevi di scegliere cosa mangiare perché non c'è menù e il pasto è una sorpresa dall'inizio alla fine. Consigliatissimo.