A nice experience but in some areas not on Michelin star level yet: Restaurant DOP (5. November 2021)

I was super curious to experience the DOP since it has been recommended on the Guide Michelin app and I thought giving it a try wouldn’t be so wrong. Not so sure though. Some of us picked the tasting menu called “Menu Memória” (EUR 100.00) which started with two small amuse bouches which were lovely …

… and just got your palate started perfectly.

The first course of the evening was a “Steak Tartare Sandwich” which was a bit weird and looked like it was going to be super messy eating. However, it turned not only out to be relatively easy to eat and also not very messy to eat but it also turned out to be rather tasty.

The next course was “scarlet shrimp, linguini and wild mushrooms” which looked super promising but personally, the broth in which the shrimp was served was definitely way too intense. However, when you combined the mushroom reduction with the seafood broth, it turned out to be a decent mix. Definitely not my favorite though.

The “codfish and chick peas” was my favorite course. The combination of the dryness of the codfish which wasn’t all that dry in combination with the smoothness of the hummus and the olive tepanade on top really made a great combination in terms of flavor.

After that, a little intermezzo followed. I’m not quite sure what it was but since I was on the loo they had served it anyways and it was enjoyable.

The main course was “black pork neck, celery and cider sauce” and it looked absolutely promising but it turned out to be not as great as it had looked. Looks can definitely be deceiving, I’d say. However, the meat was tender but it was also way too fatty for my personal gusto. The sauce was delicious but it was somewhat missing a hint of saltiness. Even in combination, it wasn’t really what I had hoped for in terms of intensity of the dish.

Finally, it was time for dessert and it all started with a pre-dessert which was refreshing and generally nice.

The final dessert was “a kind of biscuit cake” which was a nice combination of different flavors, consistencies and tastes. So, all in all, it was enjoyable and definitely worth having.

Finally, the “friandises” were the sweet end to the evening. So, to recap, the food was decent, yes, but it was nothing extraordinary and some dishes really didn’t do much to my palate.

However, the wine we were recommended, a bottle of “Quinta Nueva, 2015, 1.5L” (EUR 175.00) turned out to be absolutely amazing. And luckily we had taken a magnum so there would be enough wine to prolong this great wine tasting experience.

The place is appealing already when you get in and promises you perfection …

… but it turns out there is no perfection. Half of the group had sparkling water, half still. And obviously they had a system on how they would be able to distinguish who was drinking what. However, they royally failed at it since apparently for some waiters, it meant to pour sparkling water when the glass was standing on a tab. For others, it meant, pouring still water. So, obviously, the whole thing was a mess.

And while the view is nice and you have a nice seating there, it is somewhat annoying when you always have to make sure that they serve you the right kind of water you actually wanted and not the other one. On top of that, they are somewhat uncoordinated – as sometimes there are like four waitresses there, and then there is none. Not really how you would want it to be.

In any case though, the interior is super nice since the restaurant is located on two floors whereas the second floor is on a kind of balcony which has the effect that there is noise from below but it’s also designed in a way that the noise isn’t overwhelming on the upper level.

All in all, the DOP is decent but for what it charges, it doesn’t deliver enough IMHO. If you want to score a table though, in any case, you have to book in advance as the place was completely packed on a Friday evening.

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Contact Details:

Restaurant DOP

Palácio das Artes

Largo de S. Domingos 18

4050-545 Porto (PT)

Tel. +351 22 20 14 313

E-Mail: dop@ruipaula.com

Homepage: http://www.doprestaurante.pt

About the Author: Sven

I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org. Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City.