Another Café in Porto? You Bet! Café a Brasileira

Another Café in Porto?  You Bet!  Café a Brasileira

Porto is full of the quaint, the old and the wonderful. Architectural wonders abound.  Walk down any street and feast your eyes on what a city should look like. Many of those stone marvels are hotels and cafés, left over from the gilded age when the upper crust did not eat, they dined.  One of the best is the Café a Brasileira, dating from 1903, but recently refurbished with all attention to every historic detail, with the columns, the fixtures, the walls and colors, all matching the originals.

You might say, even the coffee is original, coming from a farm in Brazil, only 150 kilometers (about 90 miles) from where the pharmacist, Adriano Telles, first served coffee by the cup, although these days, every café in Europe and America and even Japan survives by being a slave to lattes and such.  Café a Brasileira is no exception. So never fear, you faint of hearts who don’t really like coffee, but love the idea of having your java doctored to match your beach tan, nothing to fear at this café.

 But, for those brave souls who are no slave to the latest trend in coffee-juice, and I proudly count myself in that number, forgo the silly frills and tell the very attentive waiter you’d like a snifter of Jameson Irish to go with your morning cup of rich brew.  Sure, you may have to suffer the mild rebuke of your significant other, or you may be surprised to see her lightly lick her lips, wink, and whisper, “I’d like a sip….if you know what I mean.”  Be sure to hold the snifter in both your shaking hands as her perfect lips daintily touch the rim.  Stand ready to applaud if she turns to the waiter and demurely asks him to bring one for herself. Oh, be still my pants heart!

But, more than just a place to sip a cup, the café is a great place to watch the world go by, sample the justly famous Pastel de Nata (custard Tart), and make yourself feel like the masterly traveler that you are.

Porto is a place that makes you feel like dressing for breakfast and taking a leisurely stroll into a bygone era.  Café a Brasileira.  Don’t forget the name. I guarantee you won’t forget the experience.

University Student in her black robe

One of the very attentive waiters

A chair back

Port Wine in Porto

Port Wine in Porto

The first question from my careful and VERY discriminating readers:  Wass up wit like you know, Sherry and Port?  They’re like the same, right?

Before I answer that penetrating question from those addicted to the word “Like,” I offer one comment and some recommendations.  First, the comment:  You may not be old enough to drink and I’m going to have to see at least four forms of ID and a note from your like-mother.

Recommendations:  Such as, Almost, Possibly, Maybe and a blank space as reasonable alternatives.  Remaining deathly silent will be like a crowd pleaser.

But, for those brave souls who marched stoutly through puberty, I offer a thumbnail sketch of Sherry vs Port.  Feel free to ‘like’ like it or not. 

Port and Sherry are both fortified wines.

What is a ‘fortified wine?  Another question already?  Ok, I know it’s impolite to like-ask a question with a like-question.

The answer is quite simple.  Fortified means additional alcohol is added, which stops fermentation, leaving some residual sugar and a sweeter wine.  The further along the fermentation process is, the drier the fortified wine.  The additional alcohol is referred to as aquardente and may come in any form, from brandy to other distilled spirits.  The result is an alcohol content of 18 to 20%, as opposed to unfortified wine’s 11-13%.

Differences between sherry and port:  Sherry comes from Jerez in the extreme southern part of Spain.  Port comes from the Douro Valley in the north of Portugal.  Sherry is usually a blend of various vintages (the Solera Method), while Port is normally a single vintage.  Yes, there are more differences, but instead let’s concentrate on Port.

Port comes in these three varieties:  White, Ruby, and Tawny.   Vintage Ports are mostly of the Tawny variety, although I did acquire a 20 year old white Port.

As a rule, taste-wise, White tastes a bit lighter, Ruby is a bit heavier and sweeter, and Vintage Tawny is as smooth as the unexpected caress of the woman your wife warned you about.

BUT, if you’re eating dark chocolate, skip the caress and pair your indulgence with Ruby Port.  The blend of the two flavors will astonish you.

If you’re in Porto, Portugal and want to sample a variety, do what we did and drop in at Kopke, one of the oldest Port merchants in the city.  Cross the Douro River and  don't forget to read about the famous bridge.  Once you cross, look back for a beautiful view of the port. 

At Kopke, you’ll be seated at an elegant table and introduced to the wonders of Port, presented by an attractive and knowledgeable assistant, who will not only explain everything you’re tasting but supply breads, crackers, and chocolates to allow you to pair all your possible choices with food.

Yes, I could go into the glorious flavors of every variety, but you wouldn’t remember and taste is so personal.  I love a 40 year old Port (yes, we sold our car and gave right of first refusal on our first born), you may very well prefer a more modest vintage.  The pairing with dark chocolate and the applause of our taste buds also ‘forced’ us to a purchase a delightful Ruby Port as well.  The Kopke selections are nearly impossible to say no to.

So now it’s time for the quiz.  But, first… need a refill on that Port?  And another bit of luscious dark chocolate? 

Screw the quiz, you’re already an A student.

Guarany Café, Porto

Guarany Café, is yet another of Porto’s wonderful cafes.  Opened on 20 January 1933, Guarany is much different from the Belle Epoch style of Majestic Café.  To use only two words, more casual.  But in using casual, I’m not referring to dress or shabbiness.  Quite the contrary.  The waiters here adhere to the black pants and white jacket attire.  The tables and chairs have such an old yet new flare, and the coffee is delicious, as are the Pastéis do Nata, or Custard tarts for which Porto is famous.

http://www.cafeguarany.com/en/Guarany-Cafe-Restaurante/History/The-Guarany-History.aspx

The first things you notice, after you review the menu and notice the Guarany has a full bar, are the mural sized painting in brilliant acrylics and pasels, Os Senhores da Amazónia,  the Lords of the Amazon, done by Crarça Morais in 2003.  The painting depicts the full lives of the Guaraí Indians, who live in many parts of South America, but mostly in Paraguay.  Funny that the painting should be titled Lords of the Amazon, since the Amazon runs mostly well north of Paraguay, but the Paraná River runs along the Paraguay border.  Ah well.  Artistic license.

As an aside, more people in Paraguay speak the Guaraí language (Tupian) than Spanish!

But, let’s get back to getting a good cup of coffee!  Although, there is no need to restrict yourself to coffee.  I had a Pastéis do Nata and it was so good I want the aftershave, shampoo, and Pastéis toothpaste.

Reading the reviews, one and all rave about lunch and dinner as well, and judging by its size and reserved tables, I’d say the kitchen is superb.  But, in Porto, if you’re more than a mom and pop operation and want to say in business, you’d better be superb.  Walking past the place in the evening, it was packed with young and old, who came for the cuisine and music.

Want to know why Guarany is also called The Musical Café?  Check out this list of events:

http://www.cafeguarany.com/en/Guarany-Cafe-Restaurante/Events/Agenda.aspx

The café was refurbished down to the tiniest detail in 1994, to up date it, but also to insure the café was in tune with the changes in the city, while still remaining true to itself.  To my eyes, the refurbishers managed both impeccably.  

Guarany Café! Drop in for a coffee or to read a book or to write a novel, or in the evening to listen to music.  Whatever your bent, it’s a place you’ll come back to every time you visit Porto.