Antiqvvm was located on the basement level of a large building that housed a museum on the floors above. There was a terrace off the back that had amazing views of the water and city but weather was not with us that day however the table we had was next to floor to ceiling windows which felt about the same. The white cloth covered tables were well spaced and music was in the background. The room we sat in looked like it was an enclosed porch but now had carpets on the concrete floor however the stone details of the walls and windows were still intact. A timber ceiling had been painted over and some the the seating was in a bench format. They had been open for 5 years last October and received their one Michelin star in the first year they were open. They offered 3 tastings, one of which was vegetarian and one was entirely seafood. They also had an a la carte menu and a special lunch menu of 3 or 4 courses (for 3 you chose between fish or meat and with 4 you get both). They had a number of wines by the glass and we ordered some of them to go with the lunch menu. Service was efficient, super friendly and our server spoke great English.
We started with a glass of Portuguese sparkler and they brought an expanding cloth covered with warm water for us to wipe our hands.
A basket of breads include white bread which was dense and crusty, Bolo Levedo which was a soft slightly sweet Portuguese muffin, some olive bread that was crisp with tons of layers and a brown bread typical of Portugal that was made with corn and honey and dense and thick. It was a nice selection with good diversity and fun flavors and textures. Alongside was a dish of olive oil.
An amuse bouche was cuttlefish carpaccio with beetroot and covered with a beurre blanc sauce. Alongside was beetroot cream with cuttlefish in a caviar dish. Both plates had the same ingredients but wildly different textures and tastes. A success from both variations.
The second amuse bouche was a foie gras parfait with Muscatel gelatin and mushrooms topped with a black truffle slice and rectangles of smoked eel. The foie gras was a lovely smooth layer on the bottom with the gelatin being dots on the top. The tasty smoked eel was well flavored and a good pairing with the rich foie gras and gel. Very good.
The first course of the tasting was burrata with basil, beetroot, honey and nuts. The beetroot was in cubes under the burrata which was more an emulsion as there was no ‘tougher’ exterior. A bit of olive and basil was on the bottom and then it was topped with crisp chips. All blended well and it was really refreshing.
Next was John Dory with Jerusalem artichoke purée, caviar, citrus, small artichokes and rose shrimp. On each end were crisp chips made from Jerusalem artichoke. The shrimp were raw and the sauce was a lemongrass. It was an excellent dish with lots of flavors. The fish could have been cooked a tad less but was fine. It all worked together nicely with good textures and flavors.
Pigeon with black corn, beetroot, foie gras, chocolate and balsamic made up the next course. The tasty, tender pigeon was cooked a nice rare and balsamic and chocolate went perfectly with the seared piece of foie gras. A small piece of mini corn cob was stuffed and something else was on the plate looked like corn kernels from a regular size ear. It was a wonderful plate of food.
Dessert was pine nuts, strawberry, elder and pine. The pine ice cream was in the shape of a pinecone and the green strawberries blended into the color scheme with the bits of green sponge cake. The elder was a liquor that added to the mix. It was a lot of textures but not an overly sweet dessert. It was good.
