As I still try to catch up from all the places I stopped at on vacation in January... this random tiny, hole in the wall bar was definitely *not* a planned stop. Indeed, after climbing up to the top of the hill to go on a tour of the university (definitely worth it), I was just looking for some water so we could continue wandering around the city, and realized it'd be more ecologically friendly, and likely just as cheap to buy something cheap from a bar and ask for water there, vs buying a plastic bottle, and this was the first tiny bar I saw, and I do mean tiny - they have two tables for 2, one table that'd fit 4, and the single bar stool I ended up sitting at, after having the original inexpensive white sangria and a glass of water, once I noticed all the cool local liqueurs they had, and how *cheap* everything was, for *way* longer than I'd originally planned, while my wife went back to the hotel and took a nap.
Things I tried while I was here, as it turned out, for an hour and a half chatting with the bartender about what all their bottles were and what to do with them:
The white sangria I came in for - a surprisingly *refined* drink for such an ordinary-looking, tiny bar. Actually really quite good, especially given the price.
A cheap Portuguese absinthe! Apparently Portugal is the best place to get cheap, great absinthe, who knew?
A few different Portuguese liqueurs *other* than ginja, all great - though yes, they obviously do also have ginja, and yes, they do have the excellent chocolate shotglasses... and yes, that did mean I tried a couple of the other liqueurs in chocolate shotglasses, obviously.
An aguardiente... that they distilled themselves!! Was quite strong, but great, if you like craft overproof spirits. Two more things I loved about Portugal: they know their aguardiente and you can get it for cheap almost anywhere, and very much unlike the US, a random tiny bar can just decide to distill their own and sell it in their bar, without having to pay the government a bajillion dollars first...
An off-menu simple cocktail the bartender recommended that he'd been playing around with, when I asked what you'd do with the amarguinha (almond) liqueur they had, other than putting it in a chocolate shotglass and shooting it (the typical way), with vodka, muddled lime, sugar, sparkling water and amarguinha. Then immediately a second one I recommended back to him after trying the amora (oak-aged blackberry) liqueur. (His, but with blackberry liqueur also. Super good.)
Definitely one of the more unexpected fun ways I spent a couple hours that trip. (Also one of the *cheapest*. I forget how much I spent on all that, but it was... not a lot, compared to any bar anywhere in the US.) read more