Decent Asian cuisine with too many new staff members: Restaurant Spices @ Penha Longa Resort Ritz-Carlton (25. December 2024)

Given it was the first evening in the Penha Longa, I hadn’t booked anything in advance, so, I was just picking pretty much what had availability and the Spices sounded nice. So, I decided to pick a few different plates like the “black pork ribs bao with hoisin sauce, roasted tomato leek and Chinese cabbage” (EUR 18.00), which were honestly good, but not breathtaking.

So, when the “pork belly with miso and apple purée” (EUR 14.00) was served, I was a bit unexcited when I saw it, especially because it didn’t really look like much of an exciting dish, but it turned out to be actually absolutely delicious. Loved the pork belly cubes! And with the sweetness of the miso and the apple purée, it really worked amazingly together.

The “fried soft shell crab ‘Gang Gai’ with yellow curry, Kaffir lime, and chilli sauce” (EUR 22.00) was nice as well. Probably not the best soft shell crab I’ve had, but definitely a very enjoyable and rich one, so, definitely something one can enjoy when dining here.

Personally, though, the “Pho Bo (rice noodles, with beef terrine and broth)” (EUR 22.00), which I had picked as a main course, was a little disappointing. I mean, the broth was good, the noodles were good, and the meat was good and tender, but, somehow, something was missing. I am not sure how to describe it, but when you ate it, even after adding the herbs, the lemon juice, and the chilli, it was somewhat bland.

The place is nice in terms of interior design, and you can watch the chefs at work, which is always something I enjoy doing. The staff is absolutely friendly, however, a lot of them seem to be ‘new’ to the profession, which was easy to experience various times when ordering or getting the Pho Bo served (i.e., only part of the soup was poured in, until the main waiter showed up and took over).

So, to sum it up, some average dishes, some absolutely tasting dishes like the pork belly, nice atmosphere, and decent prices for a Ritz. The place was rather empty that evening, but I would still suggest to book your table in advance when you’re staying at the Ritz-Carlton.

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Contact Details:

Restaurant Spices @ Penha Longa Resort Ritz-Carlton

Estrada da Lagoa Azul Linhó

2714-511 Lisboa (PT)

Tel.: +351 21 924 90 11 26 18

E-Mail: restaurants@penhalonga.com

Homepage: https://www.morecravings.com/en/venues/spices

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.