In the heart of Alfama’s historic flea market is a surprise: Lisbon has a small restaurant dedicated entirely to mushrooms. Located inside the charming old market building from where there is an excellent view over the Tagus river, Santa Clara dos Cogumelos (Saint Clara of Mushrooms) is a very peculiar eatery: from starter to finish, including desserts, are unexpected combinations of shiitake, oyster, porcini, black trumpets or truffles, all cooked using a variety of techniques.
At the restaurant, named after the saint that also lends its name to the local square, we tried ceviche de cogumelos – raw mushrooms with red onion and fresh chilies, whose strong taste is simplified by the lime juice marinade, accompanied by manioc chips. Homemade potato gnocchi is another enjoyable dish, seasoned with an unusually creamy sauce made by wild mushrooms cooked in soy sauce and parmesan. For dessert, the most intense option is probably Paixão de Santa Clara (St. Clara’s passion), a fluffy white chocolate mousse with caramelized black trumpets and dried fruit, garnished with fresh mint.
Three years ago, opening a restaurant entirely dedicated to mushrooms was an ambitious idea for the Portuguese capital. “In retrospect, it seems like a miracle,” said Italian owner Luigi Pintarelli, as we sat in the elegant trattoria, decorated with old photos of mycologists and paintings of the saint herself. “It was a very eccentric idea, especially in a city which seemed to me almost mycophobic.” Finding mushroom dishes in Lisbon is almost impossible in traditional restaurants, but interest in Portuguese-grown varieties has been slowly sprouting. Aside from several farming initiatives promoting the internal consumption of wild mushrooms, as well as introducing little-known species into Portuguese food culture such as shiitake, the export of fresh and dried mushrooms is increasing – in particular to France, Spain, Germany and Italy.
Even though Pintarelli’s previous experience is unrelated – he worked at the Cinemateca Portuguesa for 15 years before opening his restaurant – his passion and knowledge about mushrooms was already well formed when he moved here from the wooded region of Veneto, at the foot of the Italian Alps. There, mushrooms have always been a gastronomic fixture, and scouring the mountain forest for fungal secrets is a popular pastime. “When I was a kid we often went to a rifugio [Alpine hut], and I was taught how to collect mushrooms along the way,” he told us. “In Portugal I go collecting in Alentejo, which is full of porcini in the rainy season. It is my autumn treat.”
Among the standout specialties are the “salmon tataki from the forest,” a slightly smoked salmon fillet with Portobello mushrooms, dried tomato and fennel, and “the perfect egg,” cooked at a low temperature with truffle and cream cheese. If by that point you are a bit mushroomed out, you can choose the “anti-fundamentalist” dessert: the only mushroom-free recipe of the menu, and a surprise from the chef. It’s a good end to an atypical dinner, with a view over the river and the National Pantheon in the moonlight. Saint Clara would approve.
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