Earlier this month, I was invited by Chef Luis Barradas for a special Wine Dinner showcasing Zambujeiro wines from Portugal. In all honesty, I am not familiar at all with Portuguese wine; so this was especially exciting for me.

Tuga is elegantly decked out, in light wood and black furnishings. Their vast variety of wines greet you from wall to wall, when you enter the cozy restaurant. Saying you’d be spoiled for choice on wines would be an understatement! There was a good 30 other like-minded guests at this event. We made friends quickly over talks of wine and food…and then, the much anticipated dinner began.

LOCAL FRESH BARRAMUNDI TAKO ~ We kicked off the evening with a light ceviche style barramundi salad served in butterhead lettuce. The diced fish, marinated in orange juice, lime and lemon, sat among chopped shallots, peppers and chives, with pieces of deep fried fish skin added for crunch. The refreshingly tart flavors magically awakened our appetites!

🍷Monte do Zambujeiro Branco 2021… The accompanying white wine was very light and floral, cleansing the palate between mouthfuls of ceviche.

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PEAS, EGGS, CHOURIÇO, CORN BREAD ~Next up, creamed pea stew served with a delicately runny egg cooked in low temperature, topped with crispy chouriço strips, and homemade corn bread crumble. Simple enough yet so tasty! The sweet pea puree balanced out wonderfully with the velvety egg. The salty chouriço, added an intense smokey savory touch. A mouthful of sweet salty eggy creaminess in every bite! Truly comforting as Chef Luis had promised!

🍷Terra do Zambujeiro Branco 2021… The second wine, also white. This was much sweeter, like vanilla. Did not like this so much.

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OCTOPUS, SWEET POTATO, ROASTED GARLIC AIOLI, BLACK GARLIC ~ We entered our first main with grilled octopus over sweet potato mash. The octopus was cooked just right with no evidence of the chewiness that comes with an overdone one. The meat cuts effortlessly; its natural sweetness and moisture retained in every bite. Loved how it went with the black garlic, which provided a little warm spicy finish to the meat. The sweet potato, infused with miso, was mashed to a soft silky texture so good I could eat it on its own and be happy!

🍷 Monte do Zambujeiro Tinto 2018… The Monte do Zambujeiro red had an intense fruity aftertaste without being too sweet.

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OXTAIL, ROASTED CELERIAC PURE, GLAZED CARROTS AND GREENS ~ My favorite of the evening, the outrageously delicious oxtail! Fully de-boned, and cooked soooo tender, a feather could split the meat! The flavor was deep, beefy and richly savory. The celeriac purée was perfectly paired to balance out the heaviness of the meat. Definitely the highlight of the evening!

🍷 Terra do Zambujeiro Tinto 2017… The Terra do Zambujeiro red was a little more acidic. Not something I enjoy but it did work well with the heavy meaty oxtail.

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DRUNKEN PEAR WITH BLUE CHEESE ICE CREAM ~ Finally.. the dessert which I enjoyed tremendously! Chef Luis had poached sweet crunchy pears in the Monte do Zambujeiro wine til it’s passionately intoxicated. He then pairs them with funky blue cheese ice cream! Frankly, blue cheese isn’t everyone’s go-to cheese; so blending it with everyone’s favorite dessert ice cream, was a bold move. But truth be told…the soft bittersweet pears and cold cheesy ice cream’s strong contrast of flavors was extraordinary! I loved it!

🍷 Zambujeiro Tinto 2017… And saving the best for last, was a dry plummy red that glided down my throat like syrup.

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By the end of dinner, everyone was bowled over by the food, the immaculately paired wines and the new knowledge bestowed on us about Portuguese’s winery industry. I was personally impressed with Chef Luis’ interpretation of his homeland’s cuisine, which was more modern than I had assumed. Would definitely look out for an opportunity to return for more!

Disclaimer – This was an invited tasting and opinions are entirely Fatsochef’s own.