Terroir Travel

In Porto, you’re probably advised 

to get at franscesina from Bufete Fase. Don’t do it, not either one. Ignore this “sandwich” altogether. Save your calories for something better, and less artery clogging, like all the fishes!

We took one for the team, and here it is in all in (un)glory

Bufete Fase serves 2 things. This monstrosity and fries. Just to be clear, this is layers of meats and cheese, in between bread, covered in more cheese, then tomato sauce, then maybe meat garnish. 

Our Porto splurge was Ze Bota.  We tried for 2 days, and it was closed (sun and mon, but now looks like it’s open on monday, so…) but we scored for lunch on the last day (Tuesday!), and it was wonderful. They have a businessman’s prix fixe lunch that was really great, in a charming room decorated with wine box sides. You’ll find some menus online, but they are not always the menu that you will get, but you will get an english version.

Wandering the tiny winding streets near the river is the best, but they are steep, so be ready for a lot of steps. The riverside, as always, has the mediocre food, high prices and beautiful views. We didn’t do any Port tours, but cross the river and there are many to choose from.

There’s a bookstore that all the guidebooks tell you to go to, and that it’s the model for Harry Potter, or some such bullshit, but it’s stupid and clogged with idiots. I was one. Apparently the owner of the store is super pissed because these idiots never buy anything, and people looking to, you know, buy books at a bookstore, won’t deal with the assholes that stream in. I at least got a coffee in the corner that sells it. Which sucked, but I bought a sense of superiority, so that’s something.