When traveling to Porto, Portugal, a meal at DOP Restaurant is a must. This chef-led restaurant is a kitchen of memories that will stay with you for the rest of your life. Today, I’m sharing our lunch experience at this incredible restaurant and my reasons as to why you must put this on your foodie bucket list in Portugal!
On our latest trip to Porto, Portugal, I had a short list of restaurants I wanted to dine in, and DOP Porto was at the top of the list. Located in the historical center of Porto, a World Heritage Site, the restaurant is surrounded by some of the most impressive monuments like the Clerigos Church Tower, Port Wine Institute, and the Ferreira Borges Market, among others.
You’ll find DOP within the walls of the Palace of Arts, another historical building that used to be an auction art site as well as the meeting place for City Hall. And quite honestly, it’s the perfect location for this prestigious restaurant!
Amuse Bouche + Bread Service:
The Appetizers:
For my husband, the traditional sausage samosa as seen below. Portugal is known for its vast variety of sausages, like this Culture Trip guide tells us, but this particular samosa had a blend of force meat and vegetables, wrapped in a crunchy thin dough and served with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar reduction.
The Main Courses:
For this one, my husband dined on the baby goat leg with sautéed potatoes and let me just tell you, this was divine. We both aren’t big goat fans as it tends to be too gamey and bony for us, but this one was prepared perfectly. The potatoes seemed to also have been sautéed in the goat sauce, making them lusciously tender and flavorful.
My main course at DOP was their sea bass served with fried rice, with a drizzle of an herb oil that really complimented the fresh fish. A light sear on the delicate fish worked very well with the punch of flavor from the fried rice of carrots, onions, and peppers.
The Desserts:
As a baker, nothing makes me happier than ordering dessert and I’m so glad this menu included it! I personally wanted to try their Lime Meringue Tart, as I make my own tart at the restaurant. I loved how this was cut and served, with intense lime flavor to balance out the sweetness. A touch of berry sauce, freeze dried and fresh berries, all came together for a simple yet delicious last bites.
The husband’s dessert was a chocolate cake with tobacco ice cream, which was a very interesting flavor pairing that worked so well. The smokiness of the tobacco in the ice crea was balanced with the fattiness of the cream and when had with a bite of the sweet chocolate cake, it was a delight.
Lunch was followed with a tray of mignardises (candies and confections made in house) that I can barely remember now, but I remember being so impressed with them. As you can see, a visit to DOP Restaurant while in Porto is a must. It is sometimes difficult to get reservations to. fine dining restaurants for dinner but when you try to visit them for lunch, the wait is much shorter (and here non-existent), the service is excellent as the servers aren’t overwhelmed with patrons, and your photos even come out better thanks to the daylight!