If you don't have the time or money to cross the Atlantic to visit Portugal, then you can just traverse over another body of water (the Hudson) and find some great authentic food in New Jersey.
With the recent opening of George Mendes's Lupulo, there has been a spark of interest in Portuguese cuisine in the city, but the truth is we're still short on options within the five boroughs. That's where New Jersey comes in. If you take the PATH or NJ Transit into Newark—just a 30 minute ride when the trains operate as scheduled—you can explore Portuguese food and get a genuine sense of the culture.
Chef David Santos is one person who'd like to see Portuguese food get the credit it deserves. Most recently of the now-closed favorite Louro and currently heading up a series of pop-ups, the New Jersey-born chef grew up in the town of Perth Amboy, where many Portuguese immigrants have settled. He spent his youth surrounded by Portuguese food, from baking bread at home to butchering rabbits and pigs. He seemed the perfect companion to give us a tour of Newark's historic Ironbound neighborhood, home to many Portuguese residents since the 1960's.
Most of the Portuguese restaurants and shops are clustered around Ferry Street, which is an easy, direct walk from Newark-Penn Station.
IBERIA PENINSULA RESTAURANT Our first stop was an iconic and super kitschy food hall, one of two massive Iberia locations on this street. The other (Iberia Tavern) looks like a European castle. Both have identical menus, but one claims to be the King of Shellfish, while the other declares itself the King of Rodizo.
Each has an overwhelming selection of traditional Portuguese dishes, like a bubbling appetizer of camarão (shrimp) doused in garlic and white wine or a plate of thinly sliced fatty, crisp chouriço.
We came here specifically on a Saturday to try one of their weekend specials. According to Chef Santos, this restaurant alternates between two very traditional rural Portuguese stews. One is known as cozido, a poor man's stew of different vegetables and meats, most notably three different types of sausages: morcela, chouriço, and a unique variation called farinheira, made with pork fat and seasoned bread.
On this particular afternoon, they offered a similar peasant dish. This is the original version of feijoada (the more famous Brazilian iteration was influenced by this one) featuring all the leftover parts of the cow and pig. Along with white beans, sausage, and vegetables, this was an offal fanatic's dream. Pig ears, tripe, and hocks provided a smoky, rich experience and ensured no part of the animal was wasted.
Another must-try dish (assuming you have come here with a group of hungry friends) is Carne de Porco á Alentejana, which Santos calls "the benchmark of a Portuguese restaurant." The dish is the ultimate showcase of the region's love of the land and sea. Fried potatoes provide the base for a wealth of steamed clams and pork loin chunks cooked with spices, olives, and white wine.
63-69 Ferry Street, (973) 344-5611, website
A&J SEABRA'S SUPERMARKET From here, Santos introduced us to a treasure trove of Portuguese products at the giant Seabra's Market. At first glance, this looked like any other suburban grocery store. It soon became apparent that we had hit jackpot when Santos led us to the fish department.
Most striking was their entire section dedicated to bacalao, Portugal's most famous export. Salted and dried cod is available here in many forms: whole, in chunks, with bones, without, sliced open heads, etc. After telling us that these salted pieces are more heavily preserved than the saltiest of prosciutto, Chef Santos picked up a few pounds for some upcoming meals.
And we hadn't even gotten to the selection of beautiful, fresh fish and crustaceans. Not to mention the prices here are ridiculously affordable. You can get garden snails, Dungeness crabs, and plenty of more obscure fresh fish like pouting and red sea bream at "outside New York City prices."
Elsewhere in the store, there are plenty of housemade and imported sausages, Portuguese cheeses, and a selection of tinned fish.
260 Lafayette Street, (973) 589-8606, website
SEABRA'S MARISQUEIRA Around the corner from the grocery store sits the Seabra family's palace of seafood. It's been a center of the community since 1989, doling out huge portions of fresh seafood dishes. Families huddle together at both a bar and in the dining room, surrounded by displays of lobsters and prawns. The classy, but casual eatery is decorated with Portugal's signature azulejo tiles.
Since we were still dealing with the giant, hearty meat dishes at Iberia, we stuck to some of their more modest appetizers. The cold marinated octopus salad was refreshing and hearty with a nice, meaty texture and a bright combination of vinegar and herbs.
A classic dish called Sopa da Marisco is always available with a rotating bounty of seafood. On this visit, the very thick puréed fisherman's stew shone with mussels, crab legs, and macaroni (which Chef Santos says is an interesting replacement to the more common rice or potatoes).
And to showcase the simplicity of this food, we couldn't resist a steaming bowl of garlicky cockles. With a hint of lemon and white wine, these were just too irresistible.
87 Madison Street, (973) 465-1250, website
TEIXIERA'S BAKERY In Portugal, a pastry and an espresso are appropriate at all times—for breakfast, a mid-afternoon snack, or to end the night. Chef Santos took us to his favorite childhood bakery, Teixiera's, which provides many of the nearby restaurants and markets with breads and sweets.
You can pick up a loaf of Portuguese staples like broa (a rustic, yeasty corn bread) or you can indulge in one of the sweet offerings from the seductive display counter.
By far the most obvious choice here (and the most famous of Portugal's pastry repertoire) are the pastel de nata. The little egg custard cups are held up by a buttery, flaky shell and are absolutely to-die-for. These are the best I've tasted outside of Portugal. But don't discount some of the more obscure pastry options, like conch-shaped Caramujos or a walnut-studded pastry ring called Rosca Minhota. Anything you choose will pair perfectly with a galão, Portugal's answer to a latté.
186 Ferry Street, (973) 344-0103
Brian Hoffman searches for iconic New York dishes and makes comedy food videos on his site Eat This NY. He also writes for Midtown Lunch and gives food and drink walking tours around NY.
