LISBON, Portugal — This ancient port city is well known for its marisqueiras. The local seafood restaurants specialize in lobster, shrimp, the sweetest, most succulent baby clams you will ever find, langostines and all manner of fish.
It’s hard to go wrong in one of these modest establishments, particularly when you go with some local knowledge. So I asked around following a visit to the Douro Valley, Portugal’s most important wine region.
Two marisqueiras were strongly recommended — Sete Mares, across the street from the Corinthia Hotel, a local landmark, and Cervejaria Ramiro, in the old section of the city.
The good news first. I was looking for a marisqueira that embodied the genre in Lisbon. When I arrived at Cervejaria Ramiro, there was a line out the door. I made my way to the front and spoke to the manager, who understood English.
After maybe 15 minutes I was seated at a small table covered by butcher block paper. A waiter whizzed past and dropped off a basket of the unbiquitous toasted bread that is as much a part of the marisqueira scene as the tank of live lobsters and crayfish.
I listened for other languages in a good-sized dining room in which every square inch of space was taken, yet all I heard (to my ear) was Portugese spoken in loud voices as customers strained to be heard over the din.
Everyone seemed to be going for the pata negra — the black pig, which is an appetizer course of cured ham that is served throughout Portugal, even in the seafood houses.
Searching for the authentic marisqueira experience, at Ramiro I found myself in the belly of the beast. People smoked, people shouted, waiters spun every which way, Vinho Verde flowed as if it was water, my steamed clams (natural, as opposed to the most popular presentation with butter, wine and coriander) were tender and sweet, and the grilled tiger prawns from Mozambique to die for.
The bill, with wine, came to $67.
Sete Mares, on the other hand, was a huge rip. I should have suspected that, I suppose, given that it is situated across the street from a large hotel with many tourists.
Oh, the clams at Sete Mares were exceptional, and the langostines (crayfish) divine, until the check arrived. You see, in the marisquerias you pay for most of the shellfish by the kilo.
My langostines, at 139 euro per kilo, came to 111 euro, or about $145. The check said I had been served 0.80 kilo of langostine. Now, I have to scratch my head on that one. For my tiger prawns, at 50 euro per kilo, cost me $17 at Ramiro. The scales there tipped out at 0.35 kilo.
To my untrained eye, my serving of tiger shrimp far outweighed my serving of langostine. I could have asked my waiter to weigh those bugs again. One problem, however. I had eaten the evidence.
The bill, with wine, an astounding $175. No question, I’d been had. If I only knew the word for ouch in Portugese!
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