The Michelin star that sits atop Fortaleza do Guincho does not seem to faze Gil Fernandes, not even when it comes to creating a Christmas menu inspired by the variety of Portuguese seasonal traditions. Even so, it was quite a challenge: “It’s about taking the humblest produce and making a dish that reaches the heights of fine dining,” the chef explains. “[The menu] couldn’t just taste Christmassy. We have to think beyond that,” he adds. And so, two months after the challenge was set and research done, here it is – a seasonal tasting menu with 11 moments inspired from north to south.
The menu starts with a welcome cocktail which can be savoured on the terrace overlooking the ocean, as well as surprise titbits to snack on that are an homage to the chef’s own memories and the surrounding landscape, in keeping with the philosophy of the house. “Each dish tells a story and comes with an associated memory. That’s one rule not to be broken,” he guarantees. Only then do the seasonal dishes begin. The octopus soup canja, one of the north’s star proteins, is served first of all in a dish that you’d swear is a filigree objet d’art.
Then follows steamed wild sea bream, served with codfish bladders and chickpeas, one way to include the famed bacalhau - Gil Fernandes’ Christmas mealtime family favourite. Next, the turkey, which is another of the menu’s stars. “Not just any old turkey, the menu called for an organic-farmed, quality bird that did it justice,” the chef explains. It comes from Quinta da Coitena in the Serra da Estrela, accompanied by roast chestnuts and caramelised shallots.
The lamb, from the Herdade de São Luís estate in the Alentejo, is served last and is perhaps the most surprising dish on the menu, with a presentation that is sustainably-minded. It is served with couscous from the Trás-os-Montes region and wild mushrooms.
The desserts are also seasonally-inspired, of course, and so it couldn’t not serve sonhos, doughnuts, in this case filled with vanilla cream, and pear in a Madeira-wine confit, with a spiced ice cream and chocolate sauce.
The Christmas menu of Fortaleza do Guincho is being served for dinner from December 20th to 24th, and on the 25th for lunch. “Each year we’ve had a Christmas menu, but it wasn’t in the same league. This year we decided to make the menu more of a statement, not just on the 24th and 25th, but all week long,” Gil Fernandes reveals. The tasting menu is €165 per person, and those who want to pair the dishes with wine should add another €80.
Estrada do Guincho 2750-642 (Cascais). December 20-25. €165€/ €245 with pairing