FoodNet

The gourmet's guide to Europe

1903

Page 168

Presented as published in 1903. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
The Rendezvous des Gourmets in the Rua Aurea is beloved of certain English residents ; but it is more a confeitaria than a regular restaurant. Marques Marques in the Chiado (re-named the Rua Garrett Rua Garrett) is another confeitaria , which is the princi- pal resort for afternoon tea. Strangely enough, it is at Marques that one gets the most satisfactory whisky- and-soda in all Lisbon. The Clubs of Lisbon The Royal British Club of Lisbon is a most success- ful institution. It has its club-house in the Rua de S. Francisco de Paula, and there is a British Club splendid view over the Tagus from its Rua de s. Fran- windows. The British Minister is its cisco de Paula President, the British Consul its Vice-President. It has billiard and reading rooms and a library. The u 306 The Gourmet s Guide to Europe club gives dances and holds a reception on the night of King George’s birthday. The club is most hospitable to visitors. A travelling visitor can be introduced by a member and made free of the club for a fortnight. Should such a member wish t to make use of the club for a longer period, the committee may elect him as a visiting member on payment of a small monthly subscription. The Gremio Litterario and the Jockey Club are the Portuguese clubs of the city. ClNTRA There is little scope for gourmandise of any kind at Cintra, the life there being of the simplest. No one ever thinks of asking a friend out to dinner, for the food at all the hotels is very plain, and the amusement of the little town in the evening consists in bridge and poker parties formed after dinner. Estoril At Estoril, which is the Brighton of Portugal, a bright little place just outside the mouth of the river, Grand Hotel, there are three good hotels — the Grand, Estoril owned and managed by Mons. Estrade, where the cuisine is French and is to be recommended ; the Italie, owned by an Italian, which is never without English guests ; and the more Portuguese Royal. A Hotel d’ltalie, casino is attached to the first-mentioned Estoril hotel, and the little wheel is generally spinning there. In Portugal, however, no one knows a month in advance whether gambling will be permitted or will not be permitted in the various casinos. Ministries in Portugal have fits of the Nonconformist conscience, like Ministries in Great Britain, but sometimes officials are kindly blind to what is going on under their noses even though it be against the strict letter of the law. Portugal 307 Cascaes Cascaes is the twin town of Estoril. Estoril con- tains the villas which used to belong to the royal family and to the rich merchants of Lisbon. Cascaes chiefly consists of the old fort which served as the king’s palace, a little fishing village, the palatial Casa O’Neil, and various clubs for outdoor sports. There are acres of lawn-tennis grounds round the Cascaes The Cascaes Sports Club, and the pigeon-shooting Clul) ground on a rocky promontory jutting out into the sea is probably the most picturesque in the world. Oporto Oporto, so far as the resident British are concerned, is a town of clubs and not of restaurants. I was warned not to essay the cookery of the hotels, and the hospitality of my hosts left me no opportunity of doing so even had I been so minded. The Oporto Clubs The Factory is a relic, a very pleasant and very hospitable relic, of the days when Englishmen going