A decent French-style bistro, but nothing memorable: Restaurant Brilhante (3. November 2023)
The Restaurant Brilhante is a place, which is more of a traditional French bistro with the attitude you expect, than a Portuguese place. Sure, it’s rather lovely, and they play it to be super exclusive, but still, when you walk in by like 8.30pm, you still get a space. Immediately, you’re served “bread and smoked butter” and I do admit, although lately I have had a lot of ‘smoked stuff’, this actually turned out to be quite tasty.
I went for the “steak tartare” (EUR 25.00) as a starter and I must say it was generally speaking nice. Definitely not the best steak tartare I have ever had, but absolutely an enjoyable version of a steak tartare.
The crackers with which the steak tartare was served were nice and complemented the texture of the steak tartare skilfully.
The “veal croquettes with a selection of mustards” (EUR 6.00) were nice. Sure, EUR 6.00 for two croquettes is rather at the pricey end of things, however, given you get three different mustards, ranging from mild to quite spicy, it is a nice addition to the regular meal.
As a main, I decided to go for the “codfish brandade au gratin” (EUR 20.00) with “creamed spinach with Parmigiano Reggiano” (EUR 8.00) on the side. Personally, I liked the brandade, but it’s a rather simple dish. So, if you are looking for an explosion of flavours, then the brandade is probably not the right dish. However, if you’re looking just for a tasty and intense dish, then the brandade is a good choice. The creamed spinach was nice too – and went surprisingly well with the cheese.
What I absolutely loved about the place was the interior. You were able to watch the chefs prepare your meal in front of you, which is always a sign of good quality, and there is literally nothing negative to be said about the food in this place.
What wasn’t so great, though, was the service. They are super non-attentive, and I had to re-order my second bottle of sparkling water three times before they finally brought it. Other than that, they are friendly and do a good job with that regard, but if I have to ask three times for a bottle of water to be re-stocked, then I’m definitely semi-amused.
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Contact Details:
Restaurant Brilhante
R. Moeda 1H
1200-275 Lisbon (PT)
Tel.: +351 210 54 79 81
E-Mail: brilhante@restaurantebrilhante.pt
Homepage: http://www.restaurantebrilhante.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. 
