Polvo Grelhado

Last night after showering and feeling human again after the long trip, I went out in search of dinner. The place mentioned in the LP guide, O Sabor do Minas, serving Minas Gerais food was defunct. So I walked towards the city centre. I realised later the probable reason the restaurants and cafes were so quiet was because Chelsea FC was playing FC Porto and everybody was glued to their TV. Anyway I stopped at Café Guarany because the period decor looked fascinating.

The prices on the menu weren't excessive either. So what the heck, I took a table and ordered the dish of the day, which was grilled octopus. I expected a plate of octopus pieces but was quite impressed by what I actually got, a whole tentacle. The specimen it came from must have been big. And it was tender too, I did not get a special knife, nor did I need one. It was very tasty. It was a worthwhile splurge, not more than a good restaurant dinner back home. Though I worried about the big meal for what was "breakfast time" for my jet-lagged stomach.


Incidentally FC Porto lost to Chelsea FC 1-0. There was a big screen in Guarany. Most of the diners were obviously visitors to Porto.