Crunch in the Soup

I had one of those determined interludes last night: this was to do with food, more specifically eating out. After returning from Entroncamento into Lisbon’s Santa Apolónia station, and walking from there back towards the Praça do Comércio, I passed by a number of eateries. None was particularly expensive, which made them all the more interesting. And then I saw a menu outside a little cantinha that advertised both grilled dourada, and Alentejo style soup.

It wasn’t a particularly challenging walk from the residencial, so that was that. Dourada, simply grilled and usually served with salad and proper potatoes (yes, real ones, not reconstituted chip style shapes), is a regular on the daily specials menu all over Lisbon. As it’s “real” fish, with head, tail and of course bones, a little more effort is required – but is worth it. The Alentejo soup was something else.

I remembered from years ago that it would be a little oily, which it was, and that there would be bread on top, and that was present, as was the egg underneath. What I’d forgotten over time was that the little flecks of crunchy grey material were fresh – and in this case good and strong – garlic. It was only a second or two for the memory bank to recharge, and a relief that I wasn’t expecting close contact with anyone later.