Casa de Pasto

Casa de Pasto is a neighbourhood tasca on Rua de São Paulo in Lisbon, in the Madragoa and Santos area between the Cais do Sodré and the river. A casa de pasto is a traditional Portuguese eating house that serves a short menu of home-style dishes at fair prices, and this one follows that model, drawing mainly local diners rather than tour groups. The cuisine is Portuguese comfort food, built on hearty, slow-cooked plates and grilled fish. The menu names cozido à portuguesa, the boiled stew of meats, sausages and vegetables that is one of the country's national dishes, grilled sardines, which are the signature fish of Lisbon in summer, and açorda de marisco, a bread-based seafood porridge with garlic, coriander and egg. Portions are generous and are designed to be filling, and daily specials are written on a board or recited by the staff. The room is simple and unpretentious, with plain tables, a short bar and a lively, talkative mood at lunch; the noise level is moderate to high at peak times. The drinks are in keeping with the style: house wine in jugs or by the bottle, beer, and a coffee or aguardente after the meal. Service is friendly and direct, and Portuguese is the main language, although staff typically help foreign diners with translation of the menu. The restaurant takes walk-ins and is open Monday to Saturday for lunch from noon to 3pm and dinner from 7pm to 10pm, and it is closed on Sundays. Lunch is the busiest service, with workers from nearby offices, so arriving early or late gives a better chance of a table. Prices are low for central Lisbon, and a full meal is considerably cheaper than at the tourist restaurants of the Baixa. It suits travellers who want an unfussy local meal and a break from the busier districts.