If you are in Portugal with the opportunity to go to Sintra for a day trip and are questioning if it’s worth the train ride out, take this as your sign: go. It is the most beautiful little fairy-tale town that must be walked through in your travels.
The second you step out of the train station, you’re greeted with tapas-lined streets, palaces, flowers, greenery, and several streets to explore and get lost in. I could have spent weeks falling in love with Sintra, but unfortunately had only 1 day. The restaurant of choice after hiking the trails to the various castles, with stops for Pastel de Nata, was somewhere in this vicinity.
I absolutely hate to leave out a name, and a backlink, to a very deserving restaurant but we made the cardinal sin of not noting the restaurant. If you’ve been, you know this is not difficult to do. Mostly because there are so many spots lined up across the main square and throughout the streets, all similar in size and vibe, and I am going to assume all equally lovely. Also because you are so distracted by the beauty of the city you are in, cannot stress this enough.
You must start with a crisp, white wine to cool off, and also get all of the flavors mixing and mingling just right.
As you’re likely to be dining on tapas, the best place to dig in is with the most beautiful charcuterie board you will ever see. Ours took up the entire table, and somehow we managed to get all of the rest of our tapas to fit. Check this scene out:
Labeled “girl dinner” these days, slicing up some fresh bread, cheese, and a prosciutto sleeve and you have a no-effort meal that is delicious, filling, and all of your favorite things. There is nothing wrong with calling that dinner! We don’t have to make up Paninis or Burek every night. 😉
This board came with 2 types of meats, 2 Sheep’s Cheese, walnuts, a pumpkin jam, a fig jam, with a basket of bread. Where to start? The bread is of course homemade, you would never come across a sliced store bought baguette in these charming spots. Like one does, we tried everything and named which was our favorite of the things along the way. For the meats, we chose a Sopressa and prosciutto. I will always prefer a Sopressa. Partially because I do not enjoy the texture of a thin slice like prosciutto is, but also because I get more flavor from the zesty kick from the garlic, red pepper, and black peppercorns.
Between the mozzarella-style cheese and the more mild Sheep’s cheese, either is “preferred.” It’s cheese. It was so fresh and creamy, does it matter what I even say to get? If you are a lactose lover like myself, I’m sure you’ll order the ones that call your name and you’ll savor every bite.
Pumpkin jam was the curveball on the board, as we both preferred it to the fig alternative, although it was tasty as well. Pumpkin jam we did not expect to love. Maybe it’s the annoyance with pumpkin spice everything around this time of year, but this was a pumpkin taste unlike any other I have had. “Marmelada de abóbora” has some deep roots in Portugal’s history, dating back to the 15th century! Often enjoyed with a slice of tangy cheese, it’s an essential component of Portuguese desserts, and during special occasions, like Christmas and Easter, it often finds its way to the table.
You combine all of these together, each time a different way, and you have the most fun little adventure across your table. If I have one recommendation, it’s get that bottle of wine, order the biggest board, and chew slowly to enjoy every second of this experience.
While you can certainly get full off the size of these boards, the hikes and 20,000 steps walked before getting to finally eat worked up space for plenty more.
If you’re not eating croquettas in Portugal, you’re not doing it right. These fried balls of fun are everywhere and they never disappoint. The perfect street snack, we decided to add a couple to our meal. I’ll explain what these are, should you not be familiar, rather than go into this restaurants particular ones.
A mixture of minced meat (usually chicken, beef, or ham), seafood, veggies, or even cheese, all bound together in a creamy béchamel sauce. This heavenly concoction is then shaped into little cylinders, rolled in breadcrumbs, and fried until they’re gloriously crispy on the outside and oozing with flavor on the inside.
Portugal is famous for its love affair with bacalhau, or salted codfish, croquettes. Portuguese croquettes often feature this iconic ingredient. The cod is soaked to remove excess salt, then flaked and mixed with other goodies, resulting in the above, although I do prefer the beef the most. Regardless of the filling, when in Portugal, be sure to give them a try.
And last, an Octopus Salad. Octopus has become a dish I’ve looked to explore more when given the opportunity. I’ve enjoyed it very much at times, and others wondered what the reason for its existence even was. An Octopus Salad was intriguing enough, with the promise of a bright take.
The octopus is tenderized through simmering, which makes it incredibly soft and succulent aka no rubbery texture! Portuguese cuisine often celebrates the beauty of simplicity, and octopus salad is no exception. It’s dressed with olive oil, vinegar, chopped parsley, garlic, and thinly sliced onion. While the classic octopus salad is above, different regions may add their own twists. Some versions include boiled potatoes, black olives, or even a hint of citrus for that extra zest. I’d order this again as a starter to share but with everything else going on, it was the one dish that was just a little extra for me. If you like octopus though, you’re going to love this version of it, and should absolutely get it.
After a day of exploration and falling in love with every inch of Sintra, I hope you explore any of the tapas offerings in the main town square and fall in love with how beautiful life can be!
