L’Égoïste Bar & Restaurant unveils new menu: a Mediterranean fusion that dares the senses

Source: Forever Young

Set within the stylish Renaissance Porto Lapa Hotel, L’Égoïste Bar & Restaurant introduces a refreshed menu inspired by Mediterranean flavors and driven by creativity and technique. Here, every dish and cocktail is crafted to provoke the senses, with unexpected combinations and refined presentations that promise a memorable dining experience.

From Spain to Morocco, France to Italy, Executive Chef Miguel Pinto draws on the richness of Mediterranean cuisine to design a bold and elegant fusion menu. Ingredients are noble, techniques are contemporary, and each plate is a journey of flavor and flair.

A Visual and Palate-Driven Journey

The experience begins with starters that delight the eye and the palate. The “Rosa” (€20) is a visually stunning creation of salmon cured for 45 minutes, accompanied by pickled turnip, sudachi sauce, lemon purée, and salmon roe. The “Shredded Rib” (€18), slow-cooked for 48 hours, is served with a low-temperature egg and a variety of wild mushrooms—tender, rich, and deeply satisfying.

Despite the name, L’Égoïste is meant to be shared. The menu includes dishes designed for convivial moments, like the beef croquette with Trás-os-Montes sausage, saffron, and barbecue sauce (€18); fried octopus with romesco sauce, cherry potatoes, and Iberian chorizo (€24); or the vibrant vegetarian “Earth Mix”, with quinoa, edamame, chives, asparagus, and sliced almonds (€20).

Elevated Main Courses

The sea bass from Matosinhos (€26) is served with roasted celery root purée, sautéed bimi, crispy kale, and a delicate champagne sauce. In tribute to the sea and Chef Pinto’s mentorship under Gilad Peled, the lobster ravioli with oscietra caviar and ice flower (€36) stands out as one of the menu’s most sophisticated highlights.

The crispy-skin suckling pig (€28), slow-cooked for 24 hours, is a nod to Portuguese tradition, served with grilled romaine, pepper mayonnaise, orange sauce, and classic fries. For a plant-based option, the “A Thousand Leaves and a Barley” (€18) layers eggplant, barley, nori seaweed, and oyster mushroom into a textural and savory delight.

Desserts That Intrigue and Delight

Pastry Chef Ricardo Tiago continues to push boundaries with his inventive desserts. The L’Égoïste tiramisu (€13) is reimagined as a faux caviar, with chocolate namelaka, creamy mascarpone, and crème fraîche served in a tin alongside brioche toasts.

The iconic Tarte Tatin (€10) is deconstructed into a dessert called “They Say It’s a Kind of Tatin!”: a vanilla and Sichuan pepper apple terrine, caramelized to order, served with puff pastry, a luscious burnt butter ice cream, crumble, and finished tableside with thyme-infused custard.

A Bar Program That Awakens Curiosity

At the bar, the “Alchemy of the Earth” cocktail menu curated by Fábio Miranda, the hotel’s Bar Manager, introduces signature drinks that explore a spectrum of earthy, fruity, citrus, floral, and herbal profiles. Each cocktail is designed around the idea of evoking flavors without using the actual ingredients, inviting guests to guess, rediscover, and reinterpret.

The Tomato (€16) blends mushrooms, apricot, tamarillo, celery, paprika, and chlorophyll to mimic the essence of tomato without using it. The Beetroot (€15) features gin, pinot noir, cocoa, cassis, potato, vanilla, and umeboshi for a complex, earthy profile.

On the brighter side, the Calamansi (€18) offers a citrus-forward mix of tequila, yuzu, green tea, ginger, lemongrass, and malvasia wine, while the Hibiscus (€19) pairs mezcal with coconut, rose, cranberry, tangerine, and orange blossom for a light and aromatic experience.

Non-alcoholic options like the Dill (€12), made with cucumber, green apple, honey, parsley, and coriander, offer the same depth and complexity. The bar menu also includes small bites such as lobster brioche with red onion and spicy mayo (€16), beef tartare with truffle and cured yolk (€14), and duck spring rolls with rose water (€12).

L’Égoïste Bar & Restaurant is open daily from 12:30 PM to 11:00 PM.
Reservations can be made via email at legoiste@legoisteporto.com or by phone at +351 916 876 093.

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