Assinatura, Lisbon, 9/25/14

Entrrance to Assinatura
Entrrance to Assinatura

A very lovely space for dining which was only half full the night we were there, probably due to the Metro strike that kept people home. The dining room is all red and cream and the stairway down to the kitchen’s ceiling is hung with an upside down table service-complete with flatware. The back wall is covered entirely with a mural that hides the service doors well.

Looking through entrance
Looking through entrance
Dining room
Dining room

The menu is a 4 or 6 course tasting and wine pairings are offered. The pairings were good and all from Portugal. The staff was very helpful and friendly.

Cornbread is offered in the bread selection and it happens to be customary in Lisbon. The complimentary table spreads are yummy, especially the jelly covered pate. Starting then with a delicious fig sorbet really set the meal on a good course. The razor clams and egg were outstanding with the egg foam blending in to make a velvety sauce. The black pudding (sausage) was the best I’ve ever had! It was slightly smoked which eliminated any of the often irony taste of blood sausage. The fish was a little under seasoned but when we mixed a little of the table’s fruity olive oil with the dish it came alive. The pork and pear dish really showcased the Iberica pork’s deliciousness. For dessert the minty sorbet contrasted nicely with the very sweet watermelon. My peach was ripe but Charles’ was not and without that the dish suffered. Luckily the dessert lover got the ripe one!  Overall I’d call this one a winner!

white port to start the meal
white port to start the meal
Passed bread basket - corn, sour dough, rye
Passed bread basket – corn, sour dough, rye
olive oil, sheep’s butter and pork pate with port jelly for the bread
olive oil, sheep’s butter and pork pate with port jelly for the bread
fig sorbet with cured cheese and salty praline
fig sorbet with cured cheese and salty praline
wine
wine
Oysters with black pork ham and seaweed from Aveiro
Oysters with black pork ham and seaweed from Aveiro
wine
wine
salt
salt
“Bulhao pato” razor clams with creamy biological egg and garlic foam
“Bulhao pato” razor clams with creamy biological egg and garlic foam
egg open!
egg open!

IMG_2923

wine
wine
Black pudding with quinces, onions and aniseed broth
Black pudding with quinces, onions and aniseed broth
mural in back hides doors to the kitchen
mural in back hides doors to the kitchen
wine
wine
John Dory, sea flavours mini zucchini and smoked liver
John Dory, sea flavours mini zucchini and smoked liver
Wine
Wine
Grilled black pork boston butt with pear glazed with honey, leek puree and rosemary
Grilled black pork boston butt with pear glazed with honey, leek puree and rosemary
ceiling on stairway - a full table set upside down
ceiling on stairway – a full table set upside down
downstairs kitchen and private table
downstairs kitchen and private table
Pennyroyal sorbet with watermelon cubes with sugar and citric touch
Pennyroyal sorbet with watermelon cubes with sugar and citric touch
dining room to show the upside down table
dining room to show the upside down table
port
port
Poached peach and peach sorbet with verbena and almond milk ganache
Poached peach and peach sorbet with verbena and almond milk ganache
Exhausted Frankie!
Exhausted Frankie!

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