Pimientos Padron at Meson Andaluz in Lisbon - one in every two is a 'B*stardo'!

Last year, we went to the other side of Tagus River (Lisbon) to visit Cristo Rei (Please see my earlier blog, Clams in Lisbon - Cacilhas, south of the Tagus River http://mwhe.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/clams-in-lisbon-cacilhas-south-of-tagus.html). That day, we got the boat back to Lisbon, walking back from the ferry terminal up the hill toward Bairro Alto area, I suggested to my husband that we should find a wee nice wine bar or something in the area before heading back to our hotel.

To tell you the truth, I just wanted to sit down somewhere so that I did not have to walk up the hill, which seemed to me so much a great effort at that time.  And here it was, miraclously, this tapas restaurant came into our view.

It is called Meson Andaluz and it's at Travessa do Alecrim 4, just off Rue do Alecrim. We sat at tables outside and ordered a couple of small dishes to go with nicely chilled white wine.

One of the dishes we ordered at that time was a plateful of grilled green chilli peppers; the menu did carry some warning - "one in every two is a b*stardo!"  Yes, you never knew which pepper would be so hot and spicy to the point of wanting to swear and which one would be harmless kind....

They were really good but also challenging in a way as you never know which ones were really spicy hot peppers and if you got the hot one, you could not really taste the pepper... however it was interesting dish to try.
We also ordered Tuna Two-ways with red onion compote. This was really tasty.

Anyway, we really enjoyed that afternoon last year, we decided to go back again this time for a light lunch.  And yes, the restaurant is still there, with the same menu and yes, they did still have the grilled peppers!

We did not order the peppers this time but we ordered some bread, garlic prawns and tuna again.

Just a light lunch with a lovely chilled bottle of sauvignon blanc under a shade created by a big parasol while enjoying a warm sunshine with lovely sea breeze.

Then have a strong uma bica to finish off the lunch.  Lovely!

I used their facilities - there were two doors for toilets but I could not figure out which one is male and which one is female toilet. I asked the owner, with hand gesture, pointing at doors (as I can't speak Portuguese, shame on me!) indicating which one for me to go in. For some reason he thought I was telling him that the light switch was not working. He checked the light box and turned on and off the mains to check if toilet lighting worked, which did perfectly.  I said no and pointing to doors again and asked which (in English... I should have studied some Portuguese...).  He figured out and pointed out the door on the left. I was thinking, how am I supposed to know which door to go in.
Later on my husband told me that there were signs on the doors - one has a plug with a cord (for male) and the other with a socket (for female) on each door....

Anyway, we were pleased that this place was still there. We had a very relaxing afternoon, with light lunch, with a great but reasonably priced bottle of wine, with just a bird singing as background and under a lovely weather.  We just found a wee oasis in a heart of Lisbon.

At Travessa do Alecrim 4, just off Rue do Alecrim

That's all forks!