- starter: puff pastry stuffed with brie and tapenade; rucola and apple salad.
- main: short ribs slowly braised in red wine; mash made out of sweet potatoe, carrots, turnip, regular potatoes and finished with leeks thinly sliced and sauteed in olive oil. There was a very interesting contrast between the sweetness of the mash and the saltiness of the sauce of the meat.
- dessert: pear poached in red wine and spices. The sauce was reduced and served warm; the pears were served at room temperature. Vanilla ice cream rounded off a very interesting dessert.
All in all, a very nice dinner. The dessert was very good, the starter was not that interesting.
Wines: Morgado de Santa Catherina Reserva 2006 with the starter - full bodied white wine made out of the Arinto grape. The nose was reminescent of peaches, a touch of white flowers; the mouth was very round but very well-balanced by a crisp acidity. Very nice oak, never imposing.
Ma Partilha 2001 with the main - smooth Merlot, already with some signs of aging. Perhaps too elegant for the boldness of the dish, but a stellar wine that drinks beautifully.
No dessert wine, just because.
