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It must be a thing here in Lisbon’s fine dining circuit because this is the second time I’ve had mushroom ice cream. Served on a bed of chocolate soil alongside a trio of very cute faux button mushrooms and caramel sauce, the flavour was overwhelmingly fungi-forward and perhaps an acquired taste.
Taste: 3/5
I’ll never say no to a well-cooked steak, but it’s usually never my first choice, especially in a culinarily rich country such as Portugal with much more interesting options. I found the sweet potato mash in a crispy ring of sweet potato skin a little mundane as well, but by no means was this a bad dish.
Taste: 3/5
What a nice surprise to see the humble "bao" at a fine dining establishment in Portugal of all places. These buns - soft and fluffy - were laced with coriander sauce and filled with a moreish mixture of pork mince and clams. Tasty, but I still prefer mine with char siew.
Taste: 3.5/5
Most definitely order the 5 course tasting menu for €45 here. At this price point, Sala delivers a very affordable fine dining experience that’s respectably good but falls shy of being brilliant. With a focus on local and seasonal produce, many of the dishes are vegetable-forward, such as our very first course. Crunchy cones of celery root, sauteed mushrooms and pine nuts provide a highly earthy flavour profile, and while the starter was well-executed, it didn't quite draw me in.
Taste: 3/5
The purity of the local ingredients shone through under the skilled hands of Sala's chefs. Immaculately poached, the rudderfish was tender and succulent, as were the mussels. Both the standout coriander and onion sauce and pickled onions really complemented the star of the show as well.
Taste: 3.5/5
My earnestness for the carabineiro variety of shrimp has not abated and has probably only grown since holidaying in Portugal. Great flavours from this dish, especially so in the intensely prawny sauce, and that creamy prosciutto custard stabbed with crisp prosciutto shards on a bed of chestnut crumble. That this pricy crustacean is part of Sala’s €45 5-course tasting menu is mind boggling value for money.
Taste: 4/5
