Portugal Dining, Part II: Michelin-Recommended DOC in the Douro Valley

Posted on by Leave a comment
Smoked eel with apple at DOC.
Smoked eel with apple at DOC.

Folgasa, Douro Valley, PORTUGAL — There are few better ways to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon in this UNESCO World Heritage historic wine region than by enjoying a masterful lunch at Michelin-recommended DOC Restaurante.

Apparently, I’m not alone in that thinking, because when I dined there recently, the restaurant was so packed with patrons, most of them Portuguese-speaking, that it was turning away those who didn’t already have a reservation.

Directly perched over the banks of the Douro River, the restaurant beckons with its serene setting. Its polished caramel wood walls and floors, plus floor-to-ceiling windows that open up completely in summer, create a transportive feeling, as if you’re leisurely aboard a sleek super yacht.

The restaurant is on the banks of the Douro River.
The restaurant is on the banks of the Douro River.
Awards displayed at the entrance.
Awards displayed at the entrance.
Michelin-recommended.
Michelin-recommended.

Chef Rui Paula named his restaurant DOC for “Degustar, Ousar, Comunicar,” which is Portuguese for “Taste, Dare, Communicate.” It exemplifies his contemporary approach to cooking that’s marked by dishes full of finesse, beautiful presentations, maximum flavor, and nothing superfluous.

Put it this way: I tried only a handful of dishes. But even now, nearly two weeks later, I still remember each and every one vividly and longingly.

Read more

Portugal Dining, Part I: Michelin-Starred Euskalduna Studio in Porto

Posted on by Leave a comment
Charcoal caramelized pineapple foam with white beans and almonds at Euskalduna Studio.
Charcoal caramelized pineapple foam with white beans and almonds at Euskalduna Studio.

Porto, PORTUGAL — At the end of your dinner at Euskalduna Studio, if you tell the chefs that they deserve two Michelin stars, they will tell you that they are satisfied with just the one.

That’s not them being modest, unambitious or content to rest on their laurels.

It’s them knowing that attaining that higher status would come at a cost. It would mean changing what they do, which is deliver beautiful, on-point food in an unexpectedly relaxed manner with charm, humor, and outright personality.

During a recent two-week trip to Portugal, where I ate at many restaurants, the one at Euskalduna Studio stood out as one of my favorites.

Chef Vasco Coelho Santos opened Euskalduna Studio a decade ago on a narrow, cobblestone street. Having worked at such legendary establishments in Spain as Mugaritz, Arzak, and El Bulli, he named his restaurant after the Basque word for — what else — “Basque.”

Peering in the front window, you get your first inkling that this place may take its food seriously, but not so the rest of the usual fine-dining trappings. Not when figurines of Homer Simpson and Remy from “Ratatouille” are arranged prominently alongside the Michelin Man.

Michelin-starred.
Michelin-starred.
Perched in the front window.
Perched in the front window.
With this.
With this.
And this.
And this.
And, of course, this.
And, of course, this.

Save for two tables in the dining room, the main seating is at a counter that fronts the open kitchen. It is at one of those 10 seats that you want to perch yourself for an up-close look at all the cooking, plus the ability to interact with the chefs who are more than happy to converse.

When I asked one chef whether he minded if I took photos, he deadpanned, “Of course not. But we are not a very good looking bunch.”

Read more

Gilded Fish — Premium Tinned Seafood with A Local Connection

Posted on by Leave a comment
Gilded Fish Wild Alaskan Smoked Sockeye Salmon makes for a fast, easy, and delectable sandwich.
Gilded Fish Wild Alaskan Smoked Sockeye Salmon makes for a fast, easy, and delectable sandwich.

Having just returned from my first trip to Portugal, my love of tinned seafood has grown even more voracious.

There, you’ll find all manner of canned fish and shellfish not only on supermarket shelves but at specialty sardine stores that seem to be on nearly every block, beckoning tourists with their colorful and whimsical packaging.

In this country, the variety may pale in comparison. But I’m always heartened when new ones come to market — especially when they have a local Bay Area connection.

Gilded Fish is one of the newest.

Two varieties are available.
Two varieties are available.

This new line of premium tinned wild sockeye salmon was created by Gil Levy of San Francisco’s Bernal Cutlery, where he’s a buyer for its discerning selection of pantry items.

Read more

Snickerdoodles — But Make Them Pumpkin

Posted on by 2 comments
When everything's coming up pumpkin, reach for a pumpkin snickerdoodle.
When everything’s coming up pumpkin, reach for a pumpkin snickerdoodle.

I haven’t always been a fan of pumpkin cookies.

They’re often too soft for my taste. Even bordering on mushy.

But “Pumpkin Snickerdoodles” may just change my mind.

They’re tender. Not too much. Not too little. But just right.

The key? Blotting the pumpkin puree with paper towels to absorb some of the moisture before adding it to the cookie dough.

This great recipe is from “Fat + Flour” (Alfred A. Knopf, 2025), of which I received a review copy.

It was written by Nicole Rucker, pastry chef and owner of Fat + Flour bakery in Los Angeles.

Read more

The Joy of Peanut Butter-Miso-Caramel Cookies

Posted on by 2 comments
Your search for the best peanut butter cookie is now over.
Your search for the best peanut butter cookie is now over.

There are plenty of peanut butter cookie recipes to be sure. Soft ones. Crispy ones. Ones made with smooth peanut butter; others made with crunchy. And plenty more done up with all sorts of bits and bobs.

Then, there is Joanne Chang’s “Peanut Butter-Miso-Caramel” cookies.

They are in one simple word: perfection.

They not only taste deeply and richly of lush peanut butter, but have the added crunch of chopped roasted peanuts to boot. The piece de resistance is that little bit of white miso that adds a shadow of savoriness. They taste much like Asian peanut noodles, only sweeter and in delightful cookie form.

Best yet, they have a crackly sugar exterior that helps these cookies stay spot-on crispy outside and chewy throughout for days on end.

This fabulous recipe is from her newest and sixth cookbook, “The Joy of Cookies” (Harvest), of which I received a review copy.

Read more
« Older Entries