US seafood boil trend arrives in Lisbon

A restaurant in Lisbon has introduced one of social media’s biggest food trends, inviting diners to roll up their sleeves and eat seafood straight from a bag with their hands.

According to NiT, Taverna do Pescador began serving its new seafood boil experience earlier this month, bringing the popular US dining trend to Lisbon. The concept has amassed millions of views on TikTok and Instagram.

The idea originated in the coastal states of the southern United States, particularly Louisiana and South Carolina, where large quantities of shellfish are cooked together with spices before being served communally. More recently, the trend has spread internationally, gaining popularity in Brazil before making its way to Portugal.

“We saw it was very popular in the United States and had already arrived in Brazil. There wasn’t any restaurant doing this in Lisbon, so we decided to give it a try. It worked very well,” restaurant manager João Vítor told NiT.

Customers can choose from three set menus or create their own seafood combination, selecting from lobster, spiny lobster, crab, clams, mussels, razor clams, squid, scallops and several varieties of prawns.

The seafood is cooked in one of three sauces – butter, spicy or lemon pepper – before being sealed inside a special bag, which helps intensify the flavours.

“It’s served like that at the table and creates the experience of eating without cutlery. You eat it with your hands,” João Vítor explained.

The restaurant says the concept has proved especially popular with tourists and foreign residents, including customers from Angola, Cape Verde and China, while Portuguese diners have so far been more curious than adventurous, although younger customers have shown growing enthusiasm.

The seafood boil is available daily from 11am until 1am, with set menus priced at €39.90, €69.90 and €149.90. According to NiT, diners also have the option of building their own customised seafood bag.

Source: NiT

Inês Lopes

Newspaper editor at The Portugal Resident