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This Emotivo Porto Restaurant Review is from our recent visit to Porto, Portugal. While these days Porto is quite cosmopolitan, with many cuisines on offer, Emotivo offers the chance to taste dishes from a choice between two different Portuguese regions. Every two months Emotivo changes the regions. During our visit, the regions were the Algarve and Estremadura, where Lisbon is located.
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Emotivo Location and Hours
Emotivo is located at Rua do Rosario 124, a short walk from the Crystal Palace Gardens. The restaurant is open for dinner only Tuesdays-Saturdays, with the first seating at 7pm, and the second about 9:30pm. Definitely make an advance reservation, as it's a small space.
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Emotivo Food and Experience
There's no menu at Emotivo; instead, using the souvenirs to signify regions, you pick your region from the two that the restaurant is focusing on, such that you'll have three appetizers, two main courses, and two desserts.
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I had Chef Sara Verde choose my region, the Algarve. All diners started with fresh bread, olives, olive oil and butter.
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The first appetizer was a tasty salad topped with lightly cured tuna, fresh orange, and almond slivers. It was the perfect light dish to whet the appetite.
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The next appetizer was bacalhau (Portuguese salted cod), prepared with olive oil and onion.
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Next were green beans prepared tempura style, with a creamy vegetable dip. Light, crispy, and delicious!
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One of the coastal towns in the Algarve region is Aljezur, which is known for excellent sweet potatoes. These were used to prepare one of the main dishes, this seared tuna with sweet potato dish. Unusual, but excellent.
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The second main course was this Cataplana, a Portuguese seafood and pork stew that takes its name from the distinctive metal pan it's cooked in. Also very tasty, although I had to take some of this home with me as by this point I was getting full.
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The feast concluded with two desserts, a dark chocolate mousse and a delightful orange cake, moist from being soaked in orange syrup.
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The Verdict
Emotivo is for diners who enjoy trying new dishes from a given region of Portugal, and want a leisurely meal. All of the dishes were tasty, but particular highlights were the green bean tempura, tuna with sweet potato, clam and pork stew, and moist orange cake dessert. Definitely make an advance reservation, as multiple couples were turned away during my visit.
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