Walking through the tight streets of Bairro Alto, Hani a friend of ours who lived here for six months, was showing us around Lisbon's nightlife district. A few beers later, I asked him to take us somewhere where we can eat something unique and different. We then landed at Jurgen's... "Have you tasted the local street food sandwich" he asks?
I knew he was about to introduce me to a one-of-a-kind creation.
Jurgen's, one of the many bars on the street, serves the Tosta. Two kinds of tasty toasted sandwiches filled with great ingredients, a bit fatty yet perfect after a few drinks...
"Tosta Mista is the local kebab," as my Lebanese friend, Hani, who lived here for six months, calls it...
The Tosta Mista: Is simply a ham and cheese sandwich which is toasted for five minutes in this industrial toaster they have then buttered up meticulously and seasoned with oregano. It's simply awesome. The quality of the bread was great and crunches in style under your teeth while the ham and cheese deliver their flavors. The ham tastes amazingly premium in quality, while the white cheese fills the many tiny holes of the bread... I can still taste it now. To add more flavor and interesting aromas, the butter added on top gives the sandwich a shiny mouthwatering look and feel.Simple, yet tasty and mouthwatering...
Hani then suggested we tried the chicken version of it, yet warns me that it is full of garlic. Tosta Frango is the chicken sandwich which has the same shape but more and richer flavors. A chicken purée is prepared in advance with a mix of pepper, salt, onions, mayonnaise and garlic paste. The mix is spread in the sandwich, toasted, buttered, covered with oregano and served. The garlic smell made me stop breathing for a second... I felt like dying! It was an adventure and surely a daring one...
The garlic used is a premiere for me: A strong aromatic garlic sauce that adds a unique taste to the sandwich. The minute I tried it, all my five senses were activated. It was so good, I devoured it in seconds knowing that I was going to have a rough night due to my garlic intolerance... Night came and then then morning... and I can safely tell you I slept like a baby... and felt no aches. Wow, that's a first...
I loved my dinner. What looks like a simple TV dinner prepared at home was so tasty and different that I'm planning on trying to make it here... Ask around, and give it a try.
Categories:
Street Food
