If you are a foodie and an adventurous person or just love to try new dishes and experience new types of cuisine, you are overdue a visit to one of the best Portuguese restaurants in the Spanish capital. Little by little, curiosity around the Portuguese has increased and there are many restaurants in Madrid that offer some of the most emblematic dishes of Portuguese cuisine, so here are some of ones you cannot miss:
1. Tras os Montes
The codfish here is so good that even Don Juan Carlos, King Emeritus of Spain, has already been several times to savour it and even sent his private chef to learn the recipe.
There are more than 20 dishes in the menu, focused on the quality of Portuguese products. Make sure you try the oven roasted cod, the Bacalhau com natas (cod with cream sauce) or a good caldo verde (a traditional Portuguese soup made with kale) or a punchy queijo da Serra. And, if you go in with friends you can taste the special menu, available for groups of more than 7 people, "7 formas de degustar el bacalao".
Website: www.trasosmontes.es
Where: Calle Senda del Infante, 28
2. Atlantik Corner
This restaurant is the perfect destination if you are a lover of fusion cuisine. All the recipes have a common point, the Atlantic Ocean and, therefore, we find a mixture of Portuguese, Galician, Moroccan, Brazilian and even Indian dishes, since the Portuguese were responsible for the presence of Vinha d'Alhos (a sauce prepared with wine and garlic) in India, which gave rise to Vindaloo, and the introduction of panko (breadcrumbs) and tempura in countries like China and Japan.
If you like to get away from the traditional, try the roasted octopus with Vindaloo, the green seafood moqueca and Bacalhau à Brás, whose original recipe belongs to the grandmother of Nuno de Noronha, the owner of the restaurant.
Don’t think for a second that with so much fusion you will lose the essence of Portuguese gastronomy. The restaurant has the Bib Gourmand label, awarded by the Michelin Guide to restaurants that respect the products used in their dishes.
Website: atlantikcorner.com
Where: Calle de Ventura de la Vega, 11 and 13
3. La Taberna Portuguesa
La Taberna Portuguesa or simply "La Portuguesa" offers fado, typical food and Portuguese atmosphere.
If you are in the mood to have a good Bacalhau à Brás or Bacalhau com natas, a good dish of arroz de polvo malandrinho (a delicious octopus rice), or bolos de bacalhau, reserve a table at this restaurant.
Here, not a single detail is neglected and from the drinks, with good vinho verde (a type of wine made in Portugal) and Portuguese red wines, to desserts like the traditional Pastel de Nata, you have everything to guarantee a small gastronomic trip.
Website: www.facebook.com/laportuguesa
Where: Calle Juan Álvarez Mendizábal, 39
4. A Tasca do Bacalhau Português
In the Barrio de las Letras, you can eat to the sound of fado and the best of Portuguese pop. For starters, ask for a queijo Alentejano or queijo da Serra da Estrela, cheeses with real Portuguese flavours. Among the star dishes of the house, we find Bacalhau assado com batatas a murro, Bacalhau à Brás, Bacalhau com natas, Bacalhau à Zé do Pipo, Polvo à Lagareiro and Feijoada Transmontana.
You cannot leave without a good dessert. Delight yourself with a Baba de Camelo or Camel's slime, an amazing caramelly pudding so good you will be coming back for more.
Website: www.facebook.com/ATascaDoBacalhauPortugues
Where: Calle de Lope de Vega, 14
5. Frangus
In Portugal, a lazy Sunday lunch means frango de churrasco, a crispy barbecue chicken, that is probably one of the most missed dishes by Portuguese people living abroad. If you want to try some good frango de churrasco, Frangus is the best place. You can order it to eat in or to take away, seasoned with lemon sauce, orange sauce, or with piri-piri, a traditional Portuguese hot sauce. Once a month, you can also enjoy the Noches de Fado with live music organised by the restaurant.
Website: www.frangusriberadecurtidores.com