I was really happy with the chicken and Piri Piri shrimp at Piri Piri Grill on Dupont a few weeks ago.
Today, I picked up some cod pasteis, shrimp pasteis, tuna pasteis, pasteis se Nata and milk tart at Gaspar Café south of Dupont not far from Dundas W .
Haven’t had much chance to eat Portuguese in a while. I used to live near Venezia decades ago and would get the bread and custard tarts regularly. We also like the chicken sandwiches at Churrasco of St. Lawrence in the St. Lawrence Market, and obviously the regular chicken itself is also good. For higher end seafood, we had good meals at Chiado, but the last time was pre-pandemic. Adega was good when it opened but seemed to become more ho-hum over time.
Chiado is clearly the class of Toronto for Portuguese, but it’s not an everyday joint. For mid-level Portuguese, within the past couple of years, I’ve liked Bairrada Churrasqueira, especially the back patio in summer. Tasty, easy to take prices (at least, as easy to take as you can get nowadays). And Piri Piri Grill, on Dupont St., with a front patio somewhat shielded from annoying traffic. Strong on fish. Both have been around forever, and continue to deliver the goods with a certain flair.
I got hives the last time I ate at Chiado, so I haven’t been back in quite a while! It’s a nice place and I should revisit at some point but I think I will avoid their seafood next visit.
(For upscale seafood, I have been happier at Croatian Joso’s)
I liked my recent chicken and Piri Piri shrimp at Piri Piri Grill more than a less recent chicken dinner at Bairrada, but I will give Bairrada another try.
