Francisco Martins or Kiko, as he is better known, is one of the most renowned chefs in Portugal. His trajectory, however, began in another Portuguese-speaking country: Brazil.
born in Rio de Janeiro, after his parents spent time in the city, the family returned to Portuguese territory when he was just 11 years old.
Graduated in Marketing Management in the country, he was in Paris the kitchen saga really began: he studied at Le Cordon Bleu and visited some of the most famous restaurants in the world, such as Ledoyen it’s the The Fat Duck .
Years later, he visited more than 20 countries on a trip around the world, a fact that opened his way into the kitchen. This is how, in 2013, it inaugurated The Butcher a house in Lisbon dedicated to “the gastronomic improvement of meat”.
Today, in addition to the renowned O Talho, the chef runs four other restaurants in Lisbon. And when he is not in charge of his business, Kiko also tries other flavors in the Portuguese capital and shares with the CNN Travel & Gastronomy your favorite addresses to eat well.
Parsley & Coriander
It is one of the best-known traditional Portuguese food restaurants in the city. Open since 2005, the Parsley & Coriander has inspirations from Alentejo and Trás os Montes. Here, confit cod, octopus a lagareiro, seafood rice and alheira are served, to name just a few.
But my favorite dish is the hare rice (€18.50), which is part of the restaurant’s hunting options.
Rua Coronel Marques Leitão, 12, Lisbon, Portugal / Tel.: +351 21 841 0990 / Opening hours: lunch from Monday to Saturday from 12:30 to 15:00; dinner from Monday to Saturday from 19:00 to 00:00 (orders until 22:30) / Reservations by phone.
GoJuu
I go to the GoJuu to enjoy good traditional sushi. The architecture of the house is bold and the menu has delicious Japanese cuisine. The restaurant even has a club, and dinner from Thursday to Saturday is dedicated to its members.
From the menu, there are options for sushi and sashimi combinations (30 pieces for €39 and 40 pieces for €55), in addition to house specialties and also simple and tasty options for lunch on weekdays, such as teishoku, ranging from €17.50 to €24.
Rua Marquês Sá da Bandeira, 46A, Praça de Espanha, Lisbon, Portugal / Tel.: +351 21 828 07 04 / Opening hours: lunch from Tuesday to Saturday from 12:30 to 14:30; dinner from Tuesday to Saturday from 7:30 pm to 10:30 pm / Reservations by phone.
Gambrinus Lisbon
O Gambrinus has more than 70 years of tradition and has three environments that mix traditional Portuguese details with antiques, porcelain and period furniture.
Every day there are specialties from the kitchen, such as cod à Chico Lage (€28) on Fridays and grilled grouper with flavored olive oil (€32) on Saturdays. My tip is to also try the croquettes, which are delicious.
Rua das Portas de Stº Antão 23, Lisbon, Portugal / Tel.: +351 213 421 466 / Opening hours: every day from 12 noon to midnight / Reservations by phone.
Tuscan restaurant
O Tuscan it is in front of Parede beach, in the village of the same name in Cascais, and thus has a privileged view of the sea. Here, the country’s traditional flavors stand out, and the special dishes, which change with each day, are advertised on social media.
My choice at the restaurant is always the fish in warm bread (sea bass or sea bream), which costs €55 a kilo.
Praceta Barbosa de Magalhães, 2, Parede, Portugal / Tel.: +351 21 458 2020 / Opening hours: open every day from 12:30 pm to midnight / Reservations via site
Source: CNN Brasil
