Bica do Sapato

This hip restaurant has a retro-minimalist decor that's calculated to attract what a local commentator described as "the scene-savvy, design-obsessed jet set." Actor John Malkovich, along with four other partners (the most visible of whom is restaurant pro Fernando Fernandes), transformed what had once functioned as a boat factory into a three-part restaurant that packs in enthusiastic scene-setters virtually every night. A sushi bar is set one floor above ground level, and a "cafeteria" shares its space on street level with the establishment's gastronomic citadel, the restaurant, which is the place we heartily recommend above the other two. Its decor evokes the waiting lounge at a 1960s international airport, but the food takes brilliant liberties with traditional Portuguese cuisine. Stellar examples include seafood broth with grilled red prawns and Asian vegetables; codfish salad in olive oil, served with chickpea ice cream; and veal knuckle browned in olive oil, with garlic, sautéed potatoes, and bay leaves.

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