The Arrebita street food festival is returning to Portimão next weekend (August 21-22) following the “huge success” of last year’s edition.
The event will bring over 30 chefs to Portimão, including six from Michelin-starred restaurants: João Oliveira (Vista, Portimão); Rui Silvestre (Vistas, Vila Nova de Cacela); José Lopes (Bon Bon, Carvoeiro); João Alves (sous chef at LOCO, Lisbon); and Américo dos Santos and Miguel Gomes (pastry chefs at Belcanto, Lisbon).
Also taking part are “some of Portugal’s most promising young chefs” such as João Narigueta and Filipe Rebocho (Híbrido, Évora); Pedro Sousa (Sr. Lisboa, Lisbon); Tomás Rocha and Rita Gama (Bicho Mau, Lisbon); and pastry chef Carlos Fernandes.
Leandro Araújo and Rui Sequeira, who head two of the Algarve’s “most popular restaurants” (Cafézique, Loulé and Alameda, Faro) will also be cooking together.
According to organisers, participating chefs were challenged to take inspiration from the “sea and the serra to create unique dishes” which will be served directly from some of the town’s stores, including even barber shops! Each dish will cost €6.
The festival is again taking place in the town’s centre, more specifically the town’s Praça da República square (also known as Alameda) and adjacent streets.
On both days, at least one dish will feature the “mighty sardine” as a tribute to Portimão’s Sardine Festival which again did not take place due to the pandemic.
The “Arrebita” street food festival will take place between 6.30pm and 10.30pm, and admission is free.
The event is organised by Portimão Council and event promoter Amuse Bouche, which last year were awarded the Grand Prize of the Portuguese Gastronomy Academy for creating the festival.
Ana Músico and Paulo Barata from Amuse Bouche were singled out for creating an “original and creative event” that featured some of Portugal’s “best chefs”, said the academy.
Here’s the full list of participating chefs for this year’s “Arrebita” and the dishes they will be serving:
August 21:
• João Viegas (Checkin, Faro) – Cured mackerel, smoked brioche, plankton, spicy roots and potato soufflé.
• Pedro Sousa (Sr. Lisboa, Lisboa) – Toastie with oyster and barnacles, named “the toastie that your mother never made you”
• Hugo Candeias (The Art Gate/Ofício, Lisboa) – Boiled beef sandwich on a brioche bun
• Tomás Rocha and Rita Gama (Bicho Mau, Lisboa) – “Santoquetes” (croquettes made with fried European spider crab, algae mayonnaise and green leaves)
• Miguel Peres (Pigmeu, Lisboa) – A Porcalhona (bifana pork sandwich)
• Marco Morais (F, Portimão) – Corvina ceviche
• Carlos Fernandes (Pasteleiro) – “This is not an almond and fig tart”
• Leandro Araújo (Cafezique, Loulé) + Rui Sequeira (Alameda, Faro) – Wild boar ‘tostada’ with shrimp mayonnaise and pickles
• André Magalhães (Taberna das Flores, Lisboa) – Horse mackerel “Picadinho”
• Miguel Diniz + Cristiano Barata (Vifanas) – Sardine, pepper and bacon toastie (vegetarian option available)
• Hugo Brito (Boi Cavalo, Lisboa) + Artur Gomes – ‘Caldeirada’ stew meatballs with ‘Xó’ sauce
• Maurício Vale (SOI, Lisboa) – Korean Bao Bun Burguer (Steam Bao, brisket burguer, kimchi, crispy kale and Gochujang mayo)
August 22:
• João Oliveira (Vista, 1*Michelin, Portimão) – Taco with “coração de boi” tomato and grilled sardine
• Américo dos Santos + Miguel Gomes (Belcanto, 2*Michelin, Lisboa) – Alcagoitas (peanuts)
• Louis Anjos + Ricardo Luz (Al Sud, Lagos) – Cuttlefish focaccia with fried cuttlefish and lime mayonnaise
• Marlene Vieira (Zunzum Gastrobar, Lisboa) + João Sá (Sála, Lisboa) – ‘Filhós’ with bivalves, coriander and garlic/Bao bun with Alentejo pork and clams
• Rui Silvestre (Vistas, 1* Michelin, V.N. Cacela) – Crustacean curry, puffed rice and lemon caviar
• João Marreiros (Loki, Portimão) – Watermelon, Arrifana algae, fig tree leaves, citrus fruits and sweet corn miso
• Lucas Azevedo (Praia no Parque, Lisboa) – Fried chicken wings with vinegary and aromatic Japanese sauce
• José Lopes (Bon Bon, 1*Michelin, Carvoeiro) – Grilled pork knuckle, Ria Formosa cockles “à Bulhão Pato’, chilli pickles and chives
• Pedro Almeida (Midori, 1* Michelin, Sintra) – Tuna Katsu Sando with mustard, yuzu and leeks
• Filipe Rebocho + João Narigueta (Híbrido, Évora) – Brioche bun with ‘cabeça de xara’ terrine, cucumber and marjoram
• João Alves (LOCO, 1* Michelin, Lisboa) – Cured blue jack mackerel in a homemade chickpea miso, Algarvian carrots and ceviche sauce
• Luís Barradas – Smoked mackerel with ‘Hortelão’ vegetable pickles
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