Stumbling across Sardines
Sardines. They're terribly ugly little fellows, but boy are they scrumptious. And nutritious too, giving you a beautiful hit of valuable omega 3 fatty acids. Thanks for that, my funky little friends...too familiar? Sorry about that. It's just that I'm relatively new to the sardine party, so I'm a little enamoured. For those of you who cannot move past their blatant, bold fishiness, trust me, I was once like you. But push through, looks aren't everything. I dearly believe you will one day fall in love with sardines.
While in Lisbon we were treated to some truly delicious seafood, including a lovely big plate of sardines one sunny Wednesday. I'd like to share those beauties with you today...
Ben and I stumbled across a little gem of a place after our initial lunch-spot fell through. In fact many restaurants in Lisbon were randomly closed, and while initially frustrating, this allowed for spontaneous dining experiences, which happened to result in some of the best meals we ate on our entire trip. Our lunch at Churrasqueira O Cofre is an example of this.
We were greeted with the aroma of an eager grill, as rows of hungry diners satisfying their lunch-time appetites. Peering inside, we spotted a long table filled with elderly men engaged in a raucous lunch gathering. Wine glasses, broken bread and the remnants of a well-enjoyed meal were strewn across the table...we knew we had to eat here. It was fate. In my opinion, when it comes to food, you can always trust elderly european men - they sure know their sardines.
Ben and I devoured plates of fresh, grilled sardines and another fleshy fillet - simple, clean perfection, served with boiled, buttered potatoes and a basic salad. There was also bread, soft, lovely bread.
It was a completely unpretentious and completely perfect meal. Oh how I'm pleased we stumbled across these sardines. Simple seafood perfection.
We then visited Jardim da Estrela and spent some time lying on the grass. Reading in the park...one of life's true pleasures. Along with sardines, of course.
