SOLAR DO EMBAIXADOR RESTAURANT - LISBON, PORTUGAL

SOLAR DO EMBAIXADOR 

LISBON, PORTUGAL

Sometimes you get lucky and literally stumble upon a good restaurant.  We had no idea where we were in Lisbon or where to eat.  We walked for miles looking for some place that was not a tourist trap serving American versions of the food of Portugal.  Not far from the Presidential Palace we hung a left up a small cobblestone street.  We saw two red tables fronting a small place with hand written menus on boards in front.  I could not read Portuguese so we just looked inside and saw that it was clean.  The waiter smiled and greeted us so I said lets go for it.  The place was empty and here was three Americans who could not speak the local language.  To make it really cool, the waiter spoke almost no English.  Somehow we ordered a steak plate, cheese and meat platter and a local dish of seafood and vegetables.  I started with a glass of local red wine.  When the food came out in just minutes we were amazed at the portions.  There was an entire block of cheese and enough sausage to feed a party of 10.  The sausage had a rich flavor unlike what we eat at home.  I think we finished the plate before the meal was over.  If there was one dish on the entire trip that was the best, it was the steak plate here.  When the plate of steak was served with beautiful grill marks glistening in the light I thought there is no way we can eat this.  I would only have one slice I said.  Then I tasted the steak mixed with this incredible salsa and rice.  WOW!!!!!! The most amazing flavor combination ever.  The steak was delicious, but when you add the salsa it elevated the dish to the stratosphere.  Oh my gosh.....the bomb!  Could not stop eating the steak and salsa until it was all gone.  The waiter probably thought we were nuts.  Nothing else mattered after this dish.  The local rice/soup with prawns, egg and other stuff could not hold a candle to the steak so I just had a few bites and threw in the towel.  As we devoured this meal the restaurant filled up with locals quickly and became a hot spot in the afternoon.  We lucked out on this one.

LOCAL DISH THAT LOOKED GOOD BUT
TASTED SO SO.  

STUMBLED UPON A GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD
RESTAURANT IN LISBON, PORTUGAL

MENU LOOKED INTERESTING

HAD NO IDEA WHAT TO ORDER

HAPPY TO BE THE FIRST CUSTOMERS OF THE DAY

FRESH BAKED PORTUGUESE BREAD

OLIVES THAT TASTED SO FRESH

CHEESE AND SAUSAGE PLATE

SMALL AND CLEAN LOCAL RESTAURANT

HAPPY TO BE IN LISBON!

STEAK, RICE, BLACK BEANS AND SALSA.
ONE OF THE BEST DISHES OF MY LIFE!

COULD NOT BELIEVE THE PORTION OF STEAK.
WE FINISHED IT ALL.  IT WAS THAT GOOD.