Authentic Portuguese dishes made with premium ingredients contribute to Casa Lisboa’s continued success
A Portuguese restaurant located right in the heart of Central overlooking vibrant Wyndham Street, Casa Lisboa has a casual, cosy vibe that’s recommended to those who want to relax over good food and wine with family and friends. Well known for its authentic Portuguese cuisine, as opposed to the Portuguese food fused with Macanese influences that is more common in Hong Kong, the restaurant’s head chef, Rodolfo Vicente, presents classic Portuguese flavours and cooking techniques in an exciting menu.
We were welcomed with a complimentary glass of sangria in celebration of Casa Lisboa’s 14th anniversary on the Hong Kong food scene.
Seafood starters are our favourite! Let’s take a look at some of the sumptuous options.
The clams à bulhão pato (HK$148) are cooked in traditional Portuguese style with lemon juice, garlic and chopped coriander – a refreshing and finger-licking starter.
The garlic octopus with chilli and vinho verde (HK$185) is a simple dish done right at Casa Lisboa. Sourced from Portugal, the octopus is fresh and exceptionally tender despite its chunky cut. It comes in sizzling-hot, spiced-up olive oil, further enhancing its succulent texture. The generous portion size is perfect for sharing. This is our top-pick starter.
The sapateira, or Portuguese marinated stuffed brown crab (HK$168), is another starter not to be missed by seafood lovers. Served with slices of thin, crispy bread, the fresh crabmeat is lightly marinated in order to preserve its natural savoury flavor. The chopped raw onion and boiled egg add to the mouth-watering appeal of the dish.
We sampled two meaty main dishes that showcase the excellence of Casa Lisboa’s Portuguese cooking.
The suckling pig slow-roasted à Bairrada (HK$390) is cooked to perfection with thin, crispy skin and super-juicy, tender meat – a hearty dish for sharing! There’s not a hint of greasiness, a reflection on both the cooking skills of the chef as well as the premium quality of the meat. The suckling pig is served with chewy Japanese rice cooked with chorizo and pig’s liver.
The duck rice Lisboa with chorizo and slow-cooked pork belly (HK$290) is another moreish main course that’s ideal for sharing. The elaborate cooking steps involved in preparing this dish are especially impressive. The pork and duck meat are cooked with chorizo, and then the reduced meat juices are used to cook the Japanese rice, giving it an incredible flavour profile. Finally the duck meat is shredded and mixed with the rice on a clay plate, grilled to a crispy topping in a salamander oven and topped with chorizo and pork belly for serving.
Pampering the palate with intense, meaty flavours and different textures, this is definitely one of the best rice dishes we have ever savoured. Compared to Chinese-style claypot rice, the flavour of the meat is even more infused into the rice in this Casa Lisboa signature dish. This duck rice will leave an indelible mark on your foodie memory!
The serradura, or Portuguese sawdust pudding (HK$80), and port-wine drunken pear (HK$88) brought a sweet conclusion to our meal. We suggest more “sawdust” and less cream to give more balance and texture to the serradura.
Verdict
Standing over a decade in an area boasting so many restaurants, Casa Lisboa owes its long-standing success to its authentic Portuguese cuisine, use of choice ingredients and uncompromising attitude on service quality. We loved all the dishes we tried, which are generous in size and offer good value for money. We look forward to many more anniversaries to come for this stellar Portuguese restaurant.
Where: 2/F, Parekh House, 63 Wyndham Street, Central
For reservations: phone 2905 1168 or book online
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.
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