When we started writing this blog post, we were laughing at the fact that last week's post was all about fitness and cycling - this week, it's more like man versus food! We are taking you back to last September, when on a trip to Porto, we finally sampled one of Portugal's most famous dishes...the francesinha!
If you've never heard of it; read the description below, and you will understand why we have always viewed it as a food challenge! It is a Portuguese sandwich originally from Porto. It is made with cured ham, linguiça (a Portuguese sausage), and steak, all packed between two slices of thick bread. It is then covered with melted cheese; an egg on top; drizzled in a special tomato and beer sauce, and served with fries. Feeling full yet?!
We hadn't tasted it before - in truth....we'd been terrified of this beast of a dish! When we told a friend we were going to Porto for a few days, they told us that we had to try it. So we went in search of the best place to sample it, and everything pointed us to Café Santiago.
There is almost always a queue, and we think the best place to sit is at the bar. From there, you can see the detailed preparation that goes into making the beast, as the staff hand prepare the sandwiches on a very efficient production line. it truly is like a floor show!
The photo above shows just how big the francesinha is - almost too big for even a professional grill to take! As we wanted to be able to walk after lunch to sightsee our way around Porto, we opted to share one between two, and that was MORE than enough for us.
Having finally tested a dish we didn't like the sound of, but felt we had to try it what was our verdict? We loved it! It is surprisingly delicious, and perfect when washed down with a cold beer...or two. We lived to tell the tale, and would actually highly recommend you try it if you're in Porto. Café Santiago is an experience in itself - so go on, be brave and give it a go!
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