Vila Nova de Gaia

Across the river is Vila Nova de Gaia or for short Gaia. We walked across the bridge again but this time using the lower deck. Now, we can see the full view of the Ribiera in the day time. 

Spent the whole afternoon walking around this side of the waterfront and admiring the beautiful boats docked on the river. The boats are just a decorative touch for tourists and he bigger boats are for tours. I opted not to take the tour, it was way too packed for my taste. 

What I Ate: Churrasqueria

It's all about food on my blog this week. Specifically, what I ate in Portugal while I was on vacation.

Before I even went to Portugal, I started going to churrasqueria's here in Toronto. I always ordered the grilled or roasted chicken with rice and potatoes.  I was happy with it until I went on vacation and had the best grilled chicken in Porto!

Hands down the best chicken EVER! Tucked away in a little street was Pedros dos Frangos restaurant. We peered inside the window and we were drawn to the grill and the sizzling sound of meat.

Everyone was super friendly and we ordered the meat platter (above photo) and it did not disappoint. It had everything we wanted and blew my expectations away. The sausages were also the best! You must order it with the chicken if you visit this restaurant.

I could not sleep thinking about this dinner. The next day, we went back for more chicken and sausages. We packed it up to go and the really really nice man at the grill counter even packed us the hot sauce to go. We left Porto early morning with our loot in tow and ate the chicken in our car like hungry wolves.

We also looked for a churrasqueria in Lisbon and we were given a recommendation by one of the restaurant server we spoke to. This time, it was rotisserie instead of grilled chicken. It was good but not as good as the one from Porto.

The restaurant is called Restaurante O Churrasco and it's located in the busy Rua Portas. This was our last dinner in Lisbon and it was wonderful. The restaurant is pretty popular but we didn't have to reserve in advance.

I've been trying to find a similar tasting grilled chicken here in Toronto and so far I'm out of luck. I tried Churrasco of  St. Clair last weekend but of course it was a disappointment. I have no idea how to cure my cravings now without booking a plane ticket to Porto. 

Any ideas from people who live in Toronto? And please don't say to make my own..that's going to be impossible. I have no talent in the kitchen.

What I ate: Portugal

One of the reasons why I travel is to try new things and that includes trying local food. I love to eat..if you haven't already noticed on my instagram. I was beyond excited to try Portuguese cuisine.
Our first day in Lisbon was a bit of a blur due to jet lag but I had the best lunch of my life at a little restaurant in the city centre. I ordered a fish special and it was wet rice with fried sardines and it was to die for!!! It was really really yummy! And I regret not taking a picture of it but I was too hungry to pause. I had to just eat and eat!
We went back there a couple of times but I cannot remember the name for the life of me.

1. Pastel de nata - from a cafe in Lisbon sooo gooood!

2. Pastel de nata - from Belem is even better! 

3. Pork Sandwich from Porto - sooo amazing! Crispy pork that was chopped up to make this sandwich! Score! 

4. Vegetable soup - this was an every day staple and my fave soup! Super healthy!

5. Lunch in Belem - a little bit of everything

I wish I took more food photos but most of the time I was too hungry or too shy to whip out my camera in restaurants. I mostly used my iphone to be discreet. 

Douro river & Cais de Ribiera

After admiring the night view of the waterfront, it was time to see in daylight. Our hotel was up the hill so we walked down slowly admiring all the buildings and then, bam! Stunning waterfront views! Why can't we have this Toronto?? instead of condo buildings? 

I loved the boats adorning port barrels and the colourful ancient houses lined up near the river.  Most of the buildings are now restaurants, cafes, or bars with the best view of the Douro river and you can admire the port cellars on the other side of the river as well.

We walked across the Ponte Luis I bridge again but this time we used the lower deck instead.

Wishing all of you a happy weekend! Next week posts will be all about food :)

Capela das Almas Chapel

The Capela das Almas Chapel is located in a busy street of Rua de Santa Catarina. It's a very very beautiful building covered in azulejo tiles both in the exterior and interior of the chapel. I was glad to see that the church has been preserved and in a very good condition. 

Hope you all had a great weekend! Happy Monday!

Mercado do Bolhão

It's no secret that I love markets. I grew up accompanying my grandmother in her weekly groceries every Tuesday or Friday. Wet markets are the best! I love the hustle and bustle, the noise, the fresh seafood, the display of meats, fresh veggies, and the smell of spices.

We visited the Bolhao Market on busy saturday morning. I was very excited to poke around the market and see the different produce being offered for sale. I really wished we had rented an apartment in Porto so we could purchase the goods from the market and cook it. But alas, we walked around to get inspiration instead. I was surprised to see mostly women vendors at the market; it's usually the opposite most of the time. 

I was drooling over the different types of fish and the freshest vegetables. It was a feast for my eyes and wish I could have eaten everything I saw.