If you came to Portugal and you ask people about food you will most certainly get a conversation that will last for hours. Some will tell you that we have the best fish in the world (it seems like a hotshot international cook said it about our fish and seaffod) and of course, proud has we are, we just can´t stop repeating it. Some will tell you about the simplicity but unique aromatic food of Alentejo; others will not stop until they have explained you the historical theories about “cod fish” and “Oportostile tripe”. The “bôlas” from the North, cod fish pasties, sardine patés, an enormous variety of smoked sausages, salted ham, and an endless list of others“petiscos”.
Conventual pastries, “doce de ovos” “pastel de Belém”, “Pastel de Nata”, “Bolas de Berlim”, “Pastel de feijão”, “Bolo de arroz”, “Jesuítas”, “Traveceiros”, the classic almond cakes from Algarve.
And so and so and so….
So the next question is “WHERE TO EAT ALL THIS THINGS and be quite sure they are prepared the way they should?”.
As far as I´m concerned there is one thing, a really simple thing that allow me to immediately understand If the the place is god or not. BIFANA. Them I go to a place I ask for a Bifana, wish is a simple sandwich with a pork steak. It can be grill (it this case it only depends on the quality of the meat, you will find it mainly in the south of Portugal) or it can be cooked in a spicy tomato sauce (mostly in the north). If these are good you can be sure that the place will have great food.
