Every year on March 17th, Ireland’s most important holiday is celebrated in honour of Saint Patrick, the country’s patron saint. Portugal has embraced the celebration, with green, orange, and white parties and street festivals popping up across the country – and Cascais is no exception. The gastronomic Saint Patrick’s Day experience at Mercado da Vila returns once again, offering a themed dinner featuring dishes from Dublin, Cork, Limerick, and Galway, along with a literary moment and Irish coffee to toast the occasion.
The exclusive dinner, limited to just 30 people, will take place at Cascais Foodlab and begins with leek potato soup with cream and herbs and scallops with black pudding and crispy Parma ham – both traditional festive dishes. The main course is chargrilled spring lamb, served with soda bread, a unique bread that includes baking soda among its ingredients. To round off the meal, a rhubarb crumble with vanilla cream will be served. Typical beverages include Guinness beer and Irish coffee.
During the dinner, which costs €50 per person and runs from 7pm to 9pm, The Cascais Burns Club will provide a literary interlude.
Meanwhile, the Town Hall and the Museu Condes de Castro Guimarães will be lit up in the colours of Saint Patrick’s Day. The building housing the museum (the Torre de São Sebastião) was commissioned in 1897 by Jorge O'Neill, who had Irish roots. It even has a room with a ceiling decorated with three-leaf clovers, the iconic symbol of Ireland.