That’s when the starters come: fresh baked rolls, olives, tuna fish, and a plate of shrimp. *Tip: Like some other countries in Europe, be sure to ask about whether the starters (appetizers) are free or not. In some places they’ll bring you starters, and once you eat them you have to pay for them. It’s not like America where restaurants always bring you free bread or chips and salsa, so definitely double check so you don’t get unexpected fees on your bill.* We kill a plate of bread and the tuna, then order more bread with two small circles of Portuguese cheeses and our first bottle of verde wine (green wine). Let me tell you, if you ever see these cheeses anywhere, GET THEM! They were damn good, and didn’t last more than a few minutes! Hell, even the wine was good, and I don’t really care too much for wine.
While we’re waiting the guys are shooting the shit, making fun of each other’s favorite soccer teams, and telling me more about the local area. They even start to tell me about Barrete Verde, which is basically a green cap worn buy these guys called forcados. Well, FGT…what the hell is a forcado? Good question. Forcados are basically a bunch of crazy ass dudes that go into a bullfighting ring with no gear and attempt to wrangle a bull with their bare hands. And I’m not talking about like some little cow or something, I’m talking about full grown, big-ass 1,000-plus pound, scary-as-hell bulls! Umm…What? Yea, these dudes are friggin insane! To read more about these crazy-ass green hats, click HERE.
Now it’s time to get to the main event…THE FOOD! Plates start arriving one after the other, and soon we don’t even have room for all the food. First it’s a plate of some dark colored rice that has octopus and some pieces of salami in it, and then it’s a plate of beans with giant chunks of squid, and the occasional bit of salami. That’s quickly followed up by a plate with a big ol piece of pork, stuffed with cheese and ham. Add on some rice and some fries, and we’re sitting pretty. (Yes, we had a vegetarian with us, and I don’t remember what the hell he ate…something like salad and two fried eggs….not important).
This entry was posted in Europe, Lisbon, Portugal