I knew I was going to love this restaurant as soon as I heard that they ferment their own kombucha, tempeh, kimchi, and pickles. Not only did it live up to my expectations, but it ended up being so good that I came for dinner two nights in a row (out of my 3-night stay in Lisbon).
I started with a bottle of the kombucha; the current flavor was apple mint cucumber (made with black tea). Really enjoyed it. It has a homebrew vibe.
Pleasantly cloudy. Well-flavored. Mild natural fizz. Not particularly sour. Served with a little strainer if you care to avoid any stray pieces of goo (although there weren't really any that I noticed).
After that came the sourdough focaccia (served with olives, miso butter, and Algarvian style pickled carrots - super fun) and the hummus. All extremely fresh and good.
The appetizers: the kimchi krupuk (rice crackers with kimchi) is a must-try. They come topped with crunchy diced cucumber and bell pepper, but the kimchi is the star of the show. Spicy, sour, and delicious. The pani puri gaspacho was super fun. They had created a new menu item, homemade seitan with fermented onion, but they were sadly out of it when I visited.
Next onto the entrees. The gado gado (homemade black bean and peanut tempeh with chard, sweet potato, and charred orange) was one of the best dishes I've ever eaten. I'm still daydreaming about it, and already planning my next trip to Lisbon just so I can get more of this tempeh. If you've never had fresh, unpasteurized tempeh before, it's mind-blowing. Not even in the same category as the generic tempeh found in American supermarkets. So funky and fermenty it almost tastes chocolatey. The veggie accompaniments including the succulent sweet potatoes fill it out into the perfect meal that was bursting with so much flavor that I barely used any of the satay sauce that comes on the side.
The xerem do mar (confit celeriac fillet) entree is innovative, delicious, unforgettable. How brilliant to use the naturally layered celeriac to mimic the layers of fish flesh. The bed of polenta with delicious mushrooms and herby cornmeal croutons elevate it into a crowd-pleasing and comforting dish.
The popular tofu bibimbap entree is excellent, hearty, and beautiful - a true rainbow of vegetables. It comes with some of their signature kimchi as well as super fun pickled red cabbage (both of which pack a lot more flavor than the red pepper sauce). I was hoping to add some tempeh to this dish, but the server told me that was impossible. Disappointing, but I get it. Their tempeh deserves to be the star of its own dish, not an adjunct.
Onto dessert. The staff were really kind about clarifying which desserts contained coconut, which I was looking to avoid. I got the banoffee, which was a banana tart made with almond crust and topped with chantilly and a caramel-y crunchy cracker. Really refined and delicious.
As an additional endorsement, very non-vegan best friend said it was the best vegan food she's ever had, and that everything she tried was incredible (especially the celeriac fillet and the banoffee dessert).
They are quite busy starting around 7 or 8, so do try to make a reservation! They are also extremely responsive and helpful over Instagram if you have any questions before you go.
In summary - life-changing vegan food! If you're into high-quality fermented products, O Gambuzino is worth planning a whole trip around. Make a reservation and go ASAP! read more