Vienna Summer 2018

Otto Wagner's
Die Zeit Telegraph Office facade (1985 reconstruction)

It was more than 30 years since I'd walked the streets of Vienna.  Back then, in the space of a couple of hours we went from a balmy autumn London in October to grau winter in the Viennese capital.
Over three freezing days we layered-up in every stitch of clothing we had.  The streets were eerily quiet, making it very easy to conjure up the feeling that Harry Lime was watching from that shadowy baroque doorway (you must have read, or seen, The Third Man).  Vienna was a city at the intersection of East and West Europe - the Berlin wall had not yet fallen.

Vienna

We walked the, what seemed to us, melancholy streets, ducking into churches, admiring the Baroque beauty along with the Juendstil (Art Nouveau) Modernism.  We took brisk walks in the freezing landscapes of the central Stadtpark and crossed town to Vienna's south eastern reaches to find the Schönbrunn, which was closed!  The roasted chestnut sellers were a godsend.  The hot, blistered  nuts bought to bury deep into our coat pockets to warm frost-nipped fingers until we could dive into a coffee house for Kaffe und Kuchen (Demel was our favourite).  The atmosphere may have exuded an air of mournfulness but the art on the walls of Vienna’s galleries dazzled.  Cash was tight. Anything that was free-to-see was seized upon.  The vibrant eroticism of Gustav Klimt’s portraits and friezes and Egon Schiele’s challenging and, sometimes, disturbing, body of work made a big impression.   Now we were back, this time in high summer, wondering whether that air of Traurigkeit (mournfulness) was real or all down to the weather.  

Vienna Secession

The draw this summer was the art as 2018 is an important anniversary year in the artistic history of Vienna.  It's 100 years since Klimt died of Pneumonia, to be followed 8 months later by Schiele who succumbed to Spanish Flu at the age of 28.  Between those losses, Otto Wagner - architect, urban planner, teacher - who took Vienna's architecture into the Modernist era, died.  All three were members of the revolutionary artist's association, Vienna Secession.  Like other European secessionist group, members sought to separate themselves from the art of the past and it was closely linked with art nouveau or jugendstil.  So, what better place to start than to create their own exhibition space - the Vienna Secession, Association of Visual Arts.  Though, on this visit, the outside was the nearest I was able to get to this decorative beauty close to Karlsplatz.  It was designed by one of the co-founders of Vienna Secession, Josef Olbrich.  Inside, Gustav Klimt's Beethoven Frieze is the big draw but there is a constantly changing programme of modern-day artists' exhibitions.

  

Osterreichische Postparkasse (Austrian Savings Bank)
Vienna

Next the Wien Museum, the venue for the Otto Wagner jubilee exhibition (until 7 October 2018).  Spanning the 19th and 20th centuries, Wagner's visionary designs offered a clear break from the past. For many defenders of the past, his modernist ideas which incorporated new building materials were too radical and many of his projects remained unrealised.

Osterreichische Postparkasse (Austrian Savings Bank)
Vienna

Even if you don't make it to the Wien Museum exhibition, don't skip wandering into the Austrian Postal Savings Bank - Osterreichische Postparkasse - Wagner's most modern and important work.  Every detail bears Otto Wagner's hand, from door handles to counters to stools, lighting and clocks and were designed around his principle "What is impractical can never be beautiful".  Simply stunning.  

Kneeling female in orange dress
1010, Egon Schiele

The Leopold Museum was hosting the Egon Schiele: The Jubilee Show (until 4 November 2018).  Schiele is the central artist of the Leopold's collection so, as I had hoped, this exhibition was the most comprehensive collection of the artist's work I've ever seen.  So hard to choose just one photo to illustrate this visit.

Portrait of an old man
c1896, Gustav Klimt

The Leopold Museum was also the venue for Gustav Klimt: Artist of the Century (until 4 November 2018).  The chance to see a Gustav Klimt exhibition is never something I would pass up, but I think my appreciation of this one suffered from having seen the fantastic Schiele exhibition first.  Damn it, we didn't make it to the Belvedere on this trip, nor the Albertina.  You really should!

Florentina Pakosta
at The Albertina, Vienna

Time for a drink and something to eat.  A cocktail at Loos American Bar, of course.  But before the drink, there's the architect.  Adolf Loos,  designed this small, stylish, fin de siècle bar with his uncompromising commitment to lack of ornamentation.  Everything had to be economic, practical and functional in his work - views that were at odds with the Secessionists.  Mahogany, marble and onyx were used to great effect.  Loos's modernist works would influence Le Corbusier and Mies van de Rohe.  And the cocktails?  A Corpse Reviver No.2 and a Blackthorn English were fine.  As you can imagine, absolutely everyone from Sigmund Freud to Egon Schiele have crossed the threshold of Loosbar.  I wonder what they'd make of it now?  Got to say I was not taken with the invitation to "Lady Drinks" on Sundays!

Apple Strudel
at Meieiri, Vienna

Our food memories of Vienna were of the traditional rib-sticking Austro-Hungarian variety - nothing wrong with that, especially in winter.  There was Wiener Schnitzel, Tafelspitz, and a glorious Goulash.  Had much changed on the food front? We arrived just in time for a late lunch at Meierei in the centre of Stadtpark and ate Goulash followed by Apfelstrudel for old time's sake. Meltingly tender beef in a sticky, lip-smacking sauce cut by sweet-sour pickled vegetables.  A fresh from the oven slice of Apple Strudel with the lightest vanilla sauce.  Huge windows open out onto the terrace where tables are set in fine weather.  With only the footpath above the Wienfluss between you and views over the park, it's a lovely oasis of calm in the city.  We didn't eat at its ** Michelin sister restaurant Steirereck alongside but I'm assured it's well worth the price.  The restaurants share an impressive cheese cave where 140 varieties of cheese - though mysteriously only one British example - await the dedicated europhile.

Confit fillet of Arctic Char
at MAST, Vienna

For dinner we took the Metro north to Friendensbrucke station to eat at Mast Weinbistro - so good we ate there twice.  This natural wine bar and bistro was perfect when you tire of the hearty traditional.  Though a dish of Smoked Pork and sauerkraut was on offer and happily eaten, as was the Stewed pork belly, chanterelles and green beans - the lightness of touch to both was much appreciated.  A Confit fillet of Arctic Char, bell pepper and zucchini was given zest by a little preserved lemon and a light cream basil emulsion.  The spicy notes of the basil and salt/sour of the lemon bringing just enough flavour and interest to not overpower the delicate fish.    Small plates of Mushrooms, peas, chicken skin and basil and Turnip, lentil humus and sesame were ideal with the excellent bread and raw milk butter to start.  The bread is bought in from Offerl a backerei an hour north of Vienna where the baker George Offerl made the excellent decision to take the family bakery back in time.  It ticks all the right boxes: organic ingredients, rare grains, handmade and most of all the breads taste fantastic.  You won't find this bread in many places in Vienna.  There was a particularly notable bottle of Weingutwerlitsch Ex Vero I but all the natural wines were good.  Here you can also taste roasts from Jonas Reindl's coffee - not supplied to just anyone in Vienna.  We didn't get to Jonas Rendl's own coffee bar but it would be a must for any future visit.

Elsewhere we were reminded of the joys of a simple bowl of beef consommé with shredded pancake and a plate of white asparagus with boiled potatoes and hollandaise but we searched in vain for a slice of Dobos Torte (cake) even in Cafe Central.  And, yes, we did return to Demel for kaffe und kuchen and, inevitably, found it not to be the haven we remembered but don't let that stop you.

Croissants and hot chocolate
at Paremi, Vienna

Parémi on Backerstrasse is a French style Boulangerie, Patisserie which became our favourite breakfast spot on this visit.  The young owners, Patricia and Remi have the baking and the service completely spot-on and it's a lovely, friendly place.  The pastries are outstanding and I can recommend the croissants with hot chocolate.  The patisserie tastes every bit as good as it looks and it was no surprise to learn that Pierre Hermé is a hero.  If you want more ceremony over breakfast, Meierei can provide it.

The Jesuit Church
Vienna

There's St Stephens Cathedral to see, of course, with its fantastically tiled roof but 

Vienna has a copious number of churches, many decorated in elaborate baroque style.  The Jesuit Church at Dr Ignaz Seipel Platz may look plain from the outside but the interior is anything but.  Extravagantly ornate decoration in jade green, pearly pink, blood red and gold awaits.  And church music is still something easily found in Vienna.  

Liechtensteinstrasse
Vienna

Green spaces are always a necessity, for me, in cities.  In Vienna, apart from Stadtpark, which we found ourselves cutting through often, there is Schönbrunn Palace - the Palmenhaus in the park in particular. And the Gartenpalais Liechtenstein - if you remember to book ahead for a guided tour, there is the Palais Liechtenstein there too - the walking route to which was where I found the deliciously decaying stretch of street (on Liechtensteinstrasse) in the photo above.  

Vienna

So, was there still a cloak of Traurigkeit hanging over Vienna?  Maybe, after all, long summer days was all it took to lift the mantle.  The atmosphere was positively heiter. 

The book to take: Vienna, A Traveller's Literary Companion edited by Donald G. Daviau
A book that encourages a slow stroll.

Barcelona January 2017

Silver Birch in January
Barcelona

We have "polar air" insists every swaddled Barcelonian we speak to.  It's mid-January and we were promised 15C but now the daytime temperature is hovering around 5C and it is shocking the locals. The skies are blue, there are oranges on the trees, few tourists, and it's warmer than London so we have no complaints.  We are regular visitors to Barcelona, so I've put links to previous posts at the bottom of this piece.  Let's dive in.

Croissant de mazapán
from Pasteleria Hofmann, Barcelona

First stop is Nomad Coffee to fuel-up on their Rwandan Muyongwe, a Bourbon varietal offering flavours of peach, caramel and lime.  I'm mentioning Nomad not for the first time but this remains, for me, the best coffee roaster in Barcelona. There are now three locations, two open Monday-Friday and the latest, in Raval, Every Day.  The original, Coffee lab & Shop in El Born, has the not insignificant added attraction of Pasteleria Hofmann being only a 5 minute walk away, close to Basilica de Santa Maria del Mar and Parc Ciutadella.  Happily you are welcome to eat your croissant de mazapán (my choice) with your coffee at Nomad.  The Roasters' Home is in Poblenou where you can pick up a take-away.  Satan's Coffee Corner  in the Barri Gotic still retains my affection, and they serve good, freshly made light lunch dishes with an Asian influence too.

Bunyols de Bacalla
at Perello, Mercat de Ninot, Barcelona

What to do when you arrive too late for lunch?  Head for a food market, of which there are more than 40 in Barcelona.  There is the Boqueria, of course, but there is also the recently renovated Mercat del Ninot, on Carrer del Mallorca in Eixample Esquerra.  If you appreciate bacalla, Perello is an excellent stall to head for.  Have the Bunyols de Bacalla (little fried fritters) for sure.  We followed with a good Bacalla Omelette and a dish of Ou amb Moixama (egg, dried tuna and potatoes)  and finished with a Feran Adria style featherlight aerated Crema Catalana. There is plenty of choice in Mercat del Ninot, including Morales Xarcuteria, Carnisseria i Aviram for steaks and Catalan meat dishes.  Mercat Santa Caterina in El Born and Mercat de la Llibertat in Gracia are the other markets I would head to.

Bar Zim
Barcelona

It's surprisingly easy to go wrong when it comes to wine and tapas in Barcelona.  While we did try a couple of new (to us) bars, I still find the best place to start your night is in Barri Gotic at Bar Zim.  The link I've given, whilst a few years old, still applies well to this simple, perfect little bar.  It's bursting at the seams with 12 people in it, so don't tell too many people about it.

Torta del Casar with chestnuts and honey
at Quimet y Quimet, Barcelona

Everyone will tell you to go to El Poble Sec for drinks and tapas at Quimet y Quimet, and I completely agree.  The  various montaditos are exquisite and, much as I enjoy the wines, the house beer is like amber nectar.

Pescaditos

And still there is Pa amb tomàquet with Anxova and fried Pescaditos at Bar La Plata in the Barri Gotic.  And Bar Brutal/Can Cisa in Born - La Ribera for natural wines (and food) of course.  I did, this time, make it to El Vaso de Oro in Barceloneta  It's a good place for a beer, I guess, but I don't really get it. Yes, I have failed to mention lots of places you might expect, but the ones I have here are what I needed on this visit.

Fish of the day (Corvina family)
at Monocrom, Barcelona

I probably can live on tapas but I must mention a restaurant or two and on this visit we found Monocrom, a restaurant which opened 6 months ago in the residential neighbourhood of Sant Gervasi-Galvany.  It's friendly and relaxed, they source their ingredients with a lot of care and 80% of the wines are natural.  A platter of out-of-the-ordinary sliced meats and sausage and Pa am Tomaquet started us off.  Fish of the day, when we visited, was a member of the Corvina family, filleted and simply cooked with tomatoes, fennel and saffron.  A dish of Costella de Porc came as a melting roast belly pork with an Agrodolce sauce, carrots and glazed onions.  The selection of Spanish cheeses were all new to me and included Lazana, Gamoneu and Casin from the Asturias, Extramuros from Castellón and Luna Rosa from Ávila served with a basket of the finest Carta de Musica bread.  There is a lot to admire here in food, wine and service.  Expect to pay around Euros 40 per head including drinks.  It's early days but definitely one to return to.  Cal Pep in el Born continues to please but eating at the bar, rather than the back room, will always deliver the best experience here.

Door in El Born
Barcelona

Next up, food shops.  Casa Vives at Rambla de Catalunya 58 in Eixample (and at Carrer de Sants 74) is a traditional style pasteleria.  Good for cakes, chocolates, delicious Empanadas and light as air Bunyols (Lenten doughnuts).  Forn Baluard, sits across the road from Mercat Barceloneta. You can pick up decent breads and bakery here.  They also have the bakery at Praktik Hotel at Calle Provenca 279.  Formatgeria la Seu in the Barri Gotic is the place to go if you want to choose from a carefully curated range of Spanish cheeses.  For Torrons of all kinds go to La Campana on Calle Princessa in El Born.  I ought to mention, again, Pasteleria Hofmann here as I'd hate you to miss it. 

Hivernacle (Winter Garden)
Parc Ciutadella, Barcelona

It's hard to tell someone else what to see but here goes.  All the Gaudi architecture you can possibly take in.  Museu Picasso in El Born.  The Museu Maritim in the former shipyard of the Drasannes at the lower end of the Rambla. The Mies van der Rohe Pavilion in Parc de Montjuic (Metro: Espanya).  Parc Ciutadella including the wonderfully neglected Hivernacle (Winer Garden) and the Umbracle (unglazed wooden greenhouse for shade loving tropical plants).

Barcelona

One place I didn't get to visit that sounds interesting was Vila Viniteca - Gastronomia in el Born for cured meats, cheese and wines to eat in or take home.  Next time for me but you might want to take a look.  

Now, go before the tourists beat you to it.  Take a scarf just in case the "polar air" comes too.

Links to earlier posts:

Barcelona January 2016

Barcelona Spring 2015

Return to Rome

The Tiber River from Trastevere, Rome

It was the children's voices drifting up from the courtyard that roused us from sleep that first morning.  A surprisingly gentle awakening.  As the days passed, I came to think their restraint was borne out of a respectful neighbourliness on the part of the parents.  Or maybe we just got lucky.
All front doors, which led straight into the kitchens, faced the courtyard.  Delicious smells of cooking wafted in from those kitchens and the ground floor restaurant at various times of the day. Tiers of washing lines, linked to a pulley system, strung around the yard.  Always, somewhere, washing was hanging out to dry.  Back home in London, I couldn't help thinking, the view of other people's washing would have been regarded by many as an affront.

Lying in bed, the sweet smell of just-baked pastries filtered in through the gaps in the wooden shutters.  The sounds and smells of a community stirring.  I was in Rome.  Not the Rome I had seen two decades ago - the architecture and monuments of Centro Storico, though we did brave the crowds to feast our eyes for a few hours - but living, breathing Rome.  This was Testaccio, a good 30 minute walk from the Piazza Navonne.

Bread Roman style in a Testaccio kitchen

I'm not going to go into detail about this beguiling part of Rome because my friend who lives in Testaccio, Rachel Roddy, wrote a whole book - Five Quarters: Recipes and Notes from a Kitchen in Rome - centred around la vita del quartiere (the life of the quarter).  Take that as your travel book  and you'll learn more about the area and Roman food than any guidebook will impart.  Here's a taster.

Where to go and what to do?  Let's start at Piazza Testaccio, described by Spotted by Locals as "As Roman as Rome gets".  There is nothing grand about this Piazza, though they do have their newly installed fountain of amphorae finally returned to its original home after being removed some years back.  I love this square because it truly is a meeting place for local people - and for us while we were there - and is at the heart of the community.  Yes, there are signs of gentrification, and also of the recent refugee arrivals, in Testaccio.  All life is here, as they say.

Filippo at his Fruttivendolo stall
on Mercato Testaccio

Just a 5 minute walk away from the Piazza is Mercato di Testaccio   On our visit, every day started with coffee and a little something here.  It's a functional market of neat, self-contained stalls well worth getting to know.  We were lucky to have Rachel as our guide each day but you might find this short video guide useful from the website of knowledgeable Rome-based writer Katie Parla.

Pizzette at Da Artenio
at Mercato Testaccio

As a visitor I particularly liked the stall Da Artenio for Roman 'Lariano' breads and addictive Pizzette con le Patate; Mordi e Vai for traditional Roman dishes like meatballs and oxtail served up in bread rolls; and the fruttivendolo where Filippo's stall is piled high with super-fresh fruit and vegetables, much of it grown on his own land.  Beautiful fine green beans, freshly pulled bulbous fennel, whopping bunches of sweet, juicy grapes and small, fragrant pale green pears were stars of his show last week.

Roman hospitality at Latteria Studio, Rome

Mercato Testaccio is one of the markets used by Latteria Studio for their Market to Table workshops.  Based just across the Tiber river from Testaccio, in Trastevere, this photography studio and kitchen is a beautiful relaxed creative space for artists, cooks, writers and food lovers.  The workshops are a collaboration between food stylist/owner Alice Kiandra Adams, chef Carla Tomasi and writer Rachel Roddy.  They run seasonally and strike me as the perfect introduction to the life of Rome - meet, chat, shop with locals, walk over to the studio/kitchen, cook and eat - what could be better.  I just had time to join in with the 'Market' side of last week's gathering over coffee in the Market before leaving the group to their shopping while I, reluctantly, headed for the airport.

Carla Tomasi's fabulous pasta
at Latteria Studio, Rome

I knew just what a 'Table' the participants were to experience. Having visited Latteria Studio earlier in the week I was given such a warm welcome, along with an exceptional lunch cooked by Carla using produce from her own garden. The Studio has the most wonderful light and props, if that's your thing.  It's an informal space and spending time there feels like being in the kitchen of a good friend.

Peering in - The old Testaccio Slaughterhouse, Rome

Just alongside Mercato di Testaccio, is the old, and to my eye, architecturally impressive, 19th century Testaccio Slaughterhouse.  It covers a huge area and you can still see the sturdy outdoor holding pens, winching gear and cathedral-like slaughter areas.  Some of the buildings have been put to new uses by MACRO Testaccio for cultural and artistic events.  There are plans to do more in this unique historic space which abuts Monte Testaccio (or Monte dei Cocci) - Mount of Shards), the extraordinary hill of broken amphorae which dates back to the Roman Empire.  There is one gate accessing the area but sadly it's currently closed to the public.

Statue at Musei Capitolini: Centrale Montemartini

South of Testaccio on Via Ostiense (106) stands Musei Capitolini: Centrale Montemartini, a former thermal power station which now houses ancient sculpture and artefacts from some of Rome's archaeological excavations.

Mosaic fragment at Musei Capitolini: Centrale Montemartini

Much of the power station's equipment in still in situ and is interesting in its own right as well as providing a dramatic backdrop to the art - Tate Modern eat your heart out!

Beside the Tiber River, Leaving Testaccio

Our walk into the Centro Storic took us through Piazza Navone to the Chiesa San Luigi dei Francesi  and especially for the three stunning Caravaggio paintings in the Contarelli Chapel.  Away from the crowds, we would have loved to visit the Museo della Civiltà Romana (Museum of Roman Culture) but be aware, it is currently closed for renovation.

What and where to eat lunch and dinner? Pasticceria Barberini, on Testaccio's Via Marmorata, became our regular place for second caffè and cornetto after market.  The bar is constantly busy and they make exquisite cakes to eat in or take away.  Right next door is Salumeria Volpetti packed to the rafters with great cheeses, cured meats, breads, olive oils etc.  I can vouch for the Porchetta which you can buy by the slice.  For lunch, dinner or just an aperativo, offshoot Volpetti Piu is just around the corner.  I understand the style here has recently changed and we happened to go in on the first night when the menu was still limited so I suggest you check reviews as they come out. We did have good natural wines here, excellent Pizza Bianca together with ham and cheeses from Volpetti but I believe they have more ambitious plans.

Salt Cod and potatoes at Litro Monteverde, Rome

Our best meal, other than at Latteria, was at Litro in Monteverde, a climb up from Trastevere (there is another, more central, branch).  We went for both lunch and dinner on our visit to Rome but the quieter lunch service was particularly good.  Delicious bruschette, a dish of salt cod and potatoes brought together with good olive oil, a lasagne of zucchini flowers and anchovies, a plate of Bieta cooked Roman style, a few glasses of Kata- Cantine Olivella and a lovely shot of Amaro were all memorable.  Litro is a staunch supporter of natural wine producers so were a natural choice for me and I wasn't disappointed.  My chef friend, Sam, pointed me in the direction of Litro and I'm so glad he did.  Coincidentally, Hande Leimer walked into Litro while we were having lunch.  As a certified sommelier, a member of the Associazione Italiana Sommelier (AIS) and founder of Vino Roma wine studio, she is a good judge of Italian wines and Litro, it turned out, is a firm favourite with her.

Lasagne of Zucchini flowers and anchovies
at Litro Monteverde, Rome

There were so many places to eat we didn't get to, including Roscioli in Centro Storico, and La Torricella in Testaccio.  It's good to have reasons to return.  Roman dishes to look out for are Moscardini (floured and fried tiny octopuses); Alici Fritti (fried anchovies); Gnocchi or spaghetti all Vongole (with clams); Polpette al Sugo (meatballs in tomato sauce); Lingua con Salsa Verde (tongue in green sauce); Pomodori al Riso (tomatoes stuffed with rice); Pasta e Ceci (pasta with chickpeas); and Affogato al Caffe (gelato drowned in coffee).  Also Torta di Ricotta (ricotta cake, though I doubt you'll find one as fine as this Carla Tomasi version which greeted us at Latteria Studio.

Ricotta Cake by Carla Tomasi

But what about the gelato you ask?  OK, go to Fata Morgana in Trastevere.  It was pretty good but then I can get very good ice cream back home so I confess I wasn't wowed by it.

The old Testaccio Slaughterhouse, Rome

Climbing the stairs on the last evening in our little Testaccio flat we took our time, enjoying the aroma of roasted sweet peppers drifting up from the courtyard and the chatter of neighbours.  We unpegged our now dry towels and pondered how to approach our London neighbours with the idea for a communal clothes line!

Useful guides to Rome:
Katie Parla
Rustica Retro
Spotted by Locals - Rome

Oh, Porto

Pont de D. Luis I
across the Douro at Porto

We've been to Portugal enough times to know we're unlikely to bust our budget on this visit.  So, instead of searching out the airport bus, for a change, we take a taxi.  This time we'll arrive at our destination without any missed stops or wrong turnings, upside down maps or curses.  It's twenty minutes to our destination, the sun is shining and the driver is chatty and friendly.  Almost there, then she takes a wrong turn.  Here is our lesson in negotiating the narrow ruas of Porto.  Just when that knot in the pit of the stomach would be tightening if we were flying solo, a local comes to the rescue and sets us back on the right estrada.  We're headed for Foz, but more of that later.

Igreja de Santo Idelfonso
Porto

Porto's history has been influenced by Celts, Romans, the Moors, the Spanish, the Portuguese and the English.  Added to this mix are the effects of Portuguese colonisations.  All are documented in its architecture which is as varied as anywhere I have ever visited.  An awful lot of it also looks neglected or entirely abandoned.

Porto Architecture

There's the modern too, in the shape of Rem Koolhaas' Casa da Música - more interesting on the inside than out, I think - and Fundação de Serralves by architect Alvares Silva Vieira.  I wish I could say I enjoyed the collection at the Serralves but a change of exhibition was going on which denied us access to most of the rooms.  They did have a lovely Agnes Martin though.  Porto also has Complexo da Bouça, a 1970's social housing project by architect Siza Vieira. This one appealed to me.

Complexo da Bouça
Portugal

For food, let's start in central Porto, rising up the hill from the Douro River.  At Mercado do Bolhão  I expect to see Sardinhas and so, of course, I do.  Only mostly they aren't.  The fish I mis-identify are actually small Carapaux (Horse Mackerel), nicknamed Jaquinzinhos.  The clearly outlined backbone of the Carapau suggested a difference but it's not a fish that's popular in the UK and, hence, not one we tend to see.  They are not a mackerel at all but a member of the Carangidae family which the Portuguese value highly, as do the Spanish.  The Japanese use it for sushi, so it clearly has merit.

Polvo
at Mercado Bolhao Market, Porto, Portugal

Seemingly held together by paper and string, Mercado do Bolhão looks as though it hasn't had a penny spent on its fabric for decades.  Markets draw tourists like a magnet - I can't complain, I'm one of them.  It's disappointing when the first thing you see is gift stalls, but push on.  On my visit, a stall smothered in freshly pulled garlic was the show-stopping sight.  Fruit and veg traders busied themselves podding peas and broad beans for those customers who didn't want to do it themselves, and each stall had a little shredding machine yielding a tumble of finely cut greens for the making of Caldo Verde.  And, of course, fish.  What the fresh fish on offer lacked in variety at the end of a stormy May, it made up for in quality.  Silver/pink/blue Carapaux and irridescent Sardinhas  - a choice of large and small in both; tiddly but mighty-flavoured anchovas; pink/grey fleshy Polvo; leather-jacketed Pedunculata (Goose Barnacle); Linguade (sole); black as night Peixe Espada (Scabbard fish); and easily identifiable true mackerel.  We were too late for the autumn/winter catches of Salmonete (a locally-caught mullet).

Mercado Bolhao Market, Porto, Portugal

There are good chefs in Portugal but Quentin Crewe's decades old advice to look for "simply cooked, plain food" is still good counsel unless you are being guided.  A bowl of the Portuguese Caldo Verde is a wonderful thing and you'll find it at the cheap lunch spots in and around the markets and throughout Porto.  Bread is an important element of the cuisine and it can get a bit repetitive but you would be foolish not to take the steep walk up to Praça dos Poveiros for Casa Guedes.  Recommended by a Portuguese chef friend working in London, it's all about the Pernil de Porco (roasted pork) sandwich.  And what a pork sandwich it is.  Good meat, beautifully cooked, expertly sliced and moistened with its juices, pepped-up with a little chilli heat, it's served up in a robust bun.  Personally I'd pass on the offer of the addition of Serra cheese.  The house wines are good and there's Super Bock on draught.  The room is tiny and basic but there are a few tables outside. These overlook a small park where a leper hospital stood in the Middle Ages.  Go early in your visit to Porto because I guarantee you'll want to go back to Casa Guedes.

Pork Sandwiches (Pernil)
at Casa Guedes, Porto

Porto's food is certainly not fancy.  Though the city does boast a Michelin starred chef, Pedro Lemos who's Restaurant in Foz offers a menu priced to match his status.  But even he has embraced the love of the Portuenses (Porto residents), or Tripeiros (eaters of tripe - look it up), for the humble sandwich.  Here, at his new place, Stash on Praça Guilherme Gomes Fernandes, he has taken it upmarket.  The bread is the best we found in Porto and the quality of the ingredients top notch.  Try the Crab - fried soft shell crab between brioche-like eggy bread - or the Azores Tuna steak in a traditional Porto-style bun with Avocado.  The room is small but comfortable, the service spot on - we may have only wanted a glass of Vinho Verde but it was standard practice to pour a sample of two for us to choose from.  Lunch for two with a shared salad and a generous glass of wine each came to less than Euros 30.

Typical Rua in Central Porto

Praça Guilherme Gomes Fernandes is a useful address to know.  It's a pretty square with a number of good places to stop for a coffee or more.  Opposite Stash is Leitaria da Quinta do Paço. This has its roots in the dairy business and sells cheeses and very good butter.  It is where the Portuenses indulge their love of sweet things with good, crisp Chantilly cream-stuffed Eclairs or opt for a Nata. On the subject of Nata, we didn't find a really good one but the unassuming Confiteria Sao Domingos on Rua Sao Domingos, at the bottom of Rua das Flores, was a good pit-stop for coffee and very fresh Bola Arroz and Nata. 

Dulce de Leche and Noz (walnut)
scoops at Sincelo, Porto

Just around the corner from Praça Guilherme Gomes Fernandes, on Rua de Ceuta, is Gelateria Sincelo serving scoops of delicious, seasonal ice creams and sorbets.  The difficulty here is in choosing from the range.  Their Dulce de Leche is very fine, and always in season!

Miss'Opo
Porto

And then, just as we were feeling the need for something different, we found Miss'Opo on atmospheric Rua dos Caldeireiros.  Guest House/art gallery/cultural exchange/coffee shop/bar/cafe and more.  Definitely the most vibrant place we found in Porto with interesting and interested staff.  And there's a young chef in the kitchen serving really good, simple food.  Brunch was on offer when we arrived.  Ovnis (eggs) were served as a kind of frittata with mushrooms and a peppery radish and landcress salad with sweetly-spiced nuts.  Tomato Cake was intriguing and delicious, and sparked one of those conversations with the staff about our perceptions of sweet/savoury, and me trying to describe the delights of pea-pod ice cream.  This food was not at all typical of what we'd encountered.  If we'd found Miss'Opo earlier on our visit we'd have returned several times.

Rua dos Caldeireiros
Porto

We came across a number of good small food shops in central Porto for cheese, charcuterie, dried fruits, tinned fish and various kinds of Bacalhau, including Casa Natal, Casa Laurenço and Feira do Bacalhau.  There is also a very good-looking butcher's shop, Talho do Bonjardim (486) which does sell the tripe the residents love.  The shops are within a couple of minutes walk of each other on Rua Formosa and Rua do Bonjardim, between Mercado do Bolhão and Trinidade Metro station.

Atlantic Coast
by Av. do Brasil

Moving West to the Atlantic coast, returns us to Foz, where we started.  Here the wide Douro river meets the Atlantic Ocean.  Foz, we were told, is the bourgeoise area of Porto, about 5 km west of the city centre.  Up on the hill sit smart apartments, but tumbling down to the waterside are former fishermens' cottages.  The occupied ones are all painted walls and wooden shutters.  Senhoras brush steps, shake mats and swap gossip on their doorsteps, while making sure the area's cats don't go hungry.

Fisherman's Cottage
Foz, Porto

The more picturesque and architecturally-proper looking the cottage on the outside, the more likely it is to have been transformed behind the frontage by one of Porto's most celebrated architects.  But there are plenty of abandoned-looking properties too, even here.  Foz is a small area, bordered to the south by the river Douro, just before it meets the sea, and to its west by a stretch of sandy but rocky coastline.   When you've had your fill of walking beside the gentle, wide Douro, you can turn your face to the, sometimes stormy, west where Atlantic breakers crash onto the rocks and lighthouse of Foz. It was a contrast we relished on our six day stay in Porto.

River Douro
Heading for Foz, Porto

Buy a 72 hour Andante card for unlimited journeys on bus, metro and train.  The Metro is good but limited - it doesn't go very far west.  The buses are great, though the timetables posted seem to be purely advisory.  The No 500 starts at the lower end of Praça da Liberdade and follows the Douro river to where it meets the ocean and on north up the coast to the fishing port of Matosinhos.  There are plenty of bus stops en-route.  You can walk, jog or bike the whole route too.  It's a good stretch.   Soon the Atlantic coast becomes less rocky, the beaches wider, and the waves provide a surfers' paradise.

Carapaux (Horse Mackerel)
at Mercado Bolhao Market, Porto, Portugal

Stop off at Confeitaria Doce Mar Av. do Brasil 519.  A neighbourhood cafe with just out of the oven 'croissants' (more doughy than you might be expecting, but good all the same), freshly squeezed orange juice and decent coffee for breakfast.  Carry on up to Matosinhos for the freshest, simply-cooked fish at Salta o Muro (translates as 'Jump the Wall'), a family-owned restaurant at Rua Heróis de França 386.  What were described as Sardinhas turned out to be fried Carapaux/Jaquinzinhos (Horse Mackerel), but were very good.  A large Piexe Galo (John Dory) was beautifully cooked but, pitifully, its fillets were badly lifted from the bone at the table before we noticed what was happening- best to do it yourself as the locals were doing.  Garlicky roasted potatoes and boiled vegetables came unbidden.  With a bottle of house Vinho Verde the bill came to under Euros 45 for two.  No photos that do the fish justice here as the room is typically windowless and badly lit but it's a good place for simply-cooked fish.  Don't worry if you can't get into Salta o Muro, as this is the area for fish restaurants and there are plenty of places on and around Rua Heróis de França.  You'll find a number of them firing up barbecues in the street.

Gaia
Porto

Back in the centre of Porto, we ambled through the Ribeira riverside district and crossed the river to the Port Lodges of Gaia because we felt we should take a look.  The Ribeira is a tourist area with everything that entails.  The Port Lodges of Gaia were no attraction for us (not being port fans) but there are some good views and photo opportunities if you cross the river.  The Douro wines we drank in Porto, by the way, were excellent and reasonably priced.

Poor Box
in the Dispatch House
Musei da Ordem de Sao Francisco, Porto

Thanks to a pretty dramatic, and unseasonal, storm on our last day in Porto we missed out on a visit to Sé Cathedral, so I can't tell you anything about its merits.  Igreja Sao Francisco, though, I can recommend.  As ever, go early before the tour buses arrive.  What you read may lead you to don sunglasses before entering.  Certainly the 17/18th century oak panels applied to the Gothic interior are covered in gold leaf but the effect is much more muted than you might expect. That said, it's quite a sight.  The Dispatch House alongside is worth a look too for the unusual catacombs and religious artefacts.  Photographs are allowed here but not in the Igreja.
  

Vendo in
Porto (Masserelos District)

We were glad we went to Porto.  Portugal has been through a tough time but there are signs of optimism here.  The varied architecture is fascinating - old and new - and I'm glad to see Porto taking part in Open House Porto which runs 18-19 June this year.  Undeniably photogenic as those decaying properties are, it would be good to see more of them sympathetically restored.  We left feeling there was plenty more to see, and it's always good to leave something undone.  Porto has a lot of genuine charm, as do the Tripeiros.

Casa da Música, Porto
Architect: Rem Koolhaas