Lazy weekends always call for lavish brunches, and Casa Lisboa’s newly launched Portuguese brunch ($350/person) may be the game changer to jazz up the Hong Kong brunch scene. Home to contemporary Portuguese cuisine,Casa Lisboa values traditional cooking techniques and reinvents classic Portuguese dishes with great passion. Having been to Casa Lisboa before, I harboured high hopes for their brunch offerings, and the restaurant did not disappoint.
Starters
The midday feast was kick-started by a selection of six appetisers that captured the essence of Portuguese cuisine. Amongst codfish cakes, clams Casa Lisboa, garlic octopus, Alentejo gazpacho, Algarvia tartare (beetroot salad) and cold crab salad, the cold sapateira crab salad served with warm bread was our favourite. The poached crabmeat was left to rest for half an hour before it was mixed with mayonnaise, onion and celery. These simple ingredients created a beautiful explosion of flavours. We could not stop scooping generous heaps of the creamy crab mixture onto the buttered bread slices – this crabby-carby combination stole our hearts.
Another highlight was the clams Casa Lisboa. Bathed in a rich butter-lemon-wine sauce, the clams were succulent and cooked to perfection. The refreshing beetroot salad pepped up our palates and got them ready for the richer treasures to come.
Main courses
Only available at weekend brunch, the codfish in caldeirada sauce was a big hit around the table. Fish, shrimp and clams were simmered in a simple, tomato-based soup base. Surprisingly, the simplicity of the dish did not take away from the sensational seafood flavours, which packed a real punch.
As we are seafood fanatics, we ordered another seafood dish: Portuguese seafood rice. The seafood broth made with lobster, clams, shrimp, mussels and cuttlefish delivered umami-rich flavours and a vibrant orange colour. Nonetheless it wasn’t easy to devour the huge portion of rice after already wolfing down six starters and another main course.
Dessert
Staring down at our very happy tummies, we still ordered dessert. Pear in port wine drew our brunch to a close in an elegant way, in the royal shade of purple. The wine-infused pear slices were lovely and syrupy without being overwhelmingly sweet.
Verdict
Casa Lisboa’s brunch is certainly worth both the calories and the price given the quality and variety of the ingredients, the ambience and the professionalism of the chefs. The portions may be too generous for some diners, so it would be nice to allow the flexibility of cutting down the portion sizes upon a customer’s request. All in all, Casa Lisboa never disappoints as a gem in Central.
Availability of brunch: Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, 12–3pm
Prices: $350 (adults), $210 (children aged 4–9)
3 free-flow drink options:
- $88 for 2 hours of free-flow juices, soft drinks and fresh lime soda
- $150 for 2 hours of free-flow juices, soft drinks, fresh lime soda, red sangria and vinho verde
- $188 for 2 hours of free-flow juices, soft drinks, fresh lime soda, red sangria, vinho verde and house red, white and sparkling wines
2/F, Parekh House, 63 Wyndham Street, Central, 2905 1168
This write-up is based on a complimentary media tasting provided in exchange for an honest review and no monetary compensation. The opinions expressed here represent the author’s.
