By Jeannie D
My passport may have seen more stamps than a post office but my recent culinary adventure to the gastronomic bliss that is Cascais, Portugal, is my new favourite foodie destination. Let’s just say that if I were writing a love letter to Cascais, it would be in the form of a menu because although I went there for the sun, sea, and cultural delights, what I got was a full-blown food romance. Luckily for me (but not for my waistline), my Shyft card was already topped up with muitos euros, and I arrived hungry…
### Try These Traditional Meets “Wait, What?” Dishes
- Bacalhau à Brás: I dove headfirst into this classic dish of shredded salted cod, onions, and crispy potatoes that comes cozied up in scrambled eggs. It tastes like a hug from a Portuguese grandmother, and took me back to warm comfort of my own ava’s
- Octopus Rice: I also ate a few things that made me stop mid-bite and ask, Is this… right? One of Portugal’s signature seafood dishes is octopus rice, which I thought tasted like the sea threw a party in my mouth and invited every kind of fish! But hey, it works in Cascais, where the ocean practically slaps you in the face with its freshness. And honestly there wasn’t a single restaurant where the octopus wasn’t splendid.
- Pastel de nata (or as I like to call it, the Portuguese protein bar!): This eggy treasure made me question why I had not eaten these every day of my life? They also triggered a #jeannieous memory of visiting the cathedral in Belem as a child and hearing the story of how the nuns first invented these cinnamon-dusted pastries by using the egg yellows left over after they’d starched the priests’ robes with egg whites.
### But Why Cascais?
Cascais is like that effortlessly cool friend who never tries too hard but always shows up looking fabulous. It’s not as busy as Lisbon, which is great because although I don’t mind a crowd, I prefer mine with fewer elbows in my ribs.
The town manages to blend a laid-back vibe with a deep-rooted sense of tradition, which means you’re likely to find old fishermen chatting by their boats, but also sleek restaurants serving fusion dishes you didn’t know you needed. And let’s not forget the sunsets. Cascais sunsets should come with a warning label: “May cause spontaneous declarations of love for Portugal.”
### Where Pants Go to Die
As I reluctantly packed my bags to leave (and trust me, my waistline was more than ready for the break), I realised I learned something important this holiday: Cascais is dangerous. Not because of the cliffs or the strong ocean currents, but because my pants couldn’t keep up with the bifanas (pork sandwiches), seafood rice, or that second (okay, third) serving of amêijoas à Bulhão Pato (garlicky clams swimming in buttery goodness). Would I do it all again? Absolutely. Next time, though, I’m packing a pair of stretchy pants.
If you also want to enjoy your travels without stressing about forex, then I can highly recommend downloading the Shyft app, and registering for a physical or virtual card. Then you can shop, dine, or sip bubbles at sunset without ever having to worry about not having the correct currency close at hand. Even better, Shyft offers Euros, dollars, pounds and Aussie dollars at the cheapest foreign exchange rates, guaranteed, so you’re saving while you’re spending. Is that #jeannieous, or what?
