Lisbon: André – Taberna da Rua das Flores and now Taberna Fina (Hotel le Consulat)

 Ceviche of oysters to get us started

Friday night was a real treat – dinner at Taberna da Rua das Flores. No surprise, of course, the food by is always wonderfully inventive as well as being very tasty. 

André Magalhães owner and chef of Taberna da Flores

This Friday (1st December) André Magalhães opens his Taberna Fina at the nearby Hotel Le Consulat.The concept will be very similar to Taberna da Rua das Flores but more fine dining based on a tasting menu with the additional option of enjoying wines by the glass selected by André Ribeirinho to match the dishes.  

Is it a spoon or perhaps a fork or both – which end do you use?

After a rum cocktail we broached this 2014 Beira Int from Anselmo Mendes – venturing away from his customary area – the Minho. This white is made from 100% of the rare grape – Síria from old vines. It has a very particular, quite pungent aroma while the palate is more conventional with attractive texture and length. Just under 20€ from the Garrafeira Campo d'Ourique.  

Some of our dishes:   

 Corvina

 

 Scallops wrapped in bacon 

 Art on a plate: still life 

Soft shelled crab burgers 

Once we had seen off Anselmo's fine Beira we moved onto the lovely, complex 2006 Casa Figueira Branco made from Roussanne. 

Desserts:  

A light egg dessert rather like an Ile Flottante

 

 Passion fruit cheescake

 Rich, opulent chocolate cake 

With our desserts we had the mellow 1994 Colheita, Pocas.