Dinner with Portugal’s Celebrity Chef

If you’re looking for Portugal’s answer to ….say Neil Perry (for the sake of an Aussie comparison) look no further than Rui Paula.

I’ve just returned from a four course dinner prepared by the master chef of Portugal himself.

His restaurant named DOP Restaurant is a chic venue located in the ancient docklands of Oporto.

For a price of around EUR60 per person, tonight we dined on a divine carpaccio of cod as entree. A second starter of sea bass with wild rice was in my opinion the pick of all dishes for the night. Next came a slow cooked pork neck with mashed beans, sprouts and rye bread which I think lacked that something sweet to compliment the pork.

The meal was finished with a curiously ‘summery’ dish of a crispy crème brulee crepe which was essentially filo pastry filled with brulee cream. I say ‘curious’ because it must be all of 5 degrees outside currently.

Sedinhas Branco 2009, Consensual Reserva Tinto 2008 and Consensual Premium Tinto 2007 were our chosen wines for night, which although interesting and enjoyable wines in their own right probably weren't well matched to the food.

Karen's rating -  7/10.