Spider crab at Cervejaria Ramiro, Lisbon

The delightful Mr and Mrs Polaroid Blips took Tamara and me to a fabulous restaurant for dinner. We arrived after 8, early enough to get a table. Before long, the restaurant was packed and there was a queue of people in the street. Apparently, it's like this all the time - a sure sign that Cervejaria Ramiro, in business since 1956, is doing everything right. The dining room became a heaving scrum of waiters and diners. The waiters had an almost balletic ability to navigate tight spaces without crashing into each other or spilling a drop. They were marvelous to watch! Service was quick, solicitous and cheerful. Our waiter didn't write a single order down, but never forgot a thing. It was the kind of service I long for but seldom find.

This feisty spider crab was part of dinner. Our lovely waiter brought it, still squirming, to the table for our approval before it went in the pot. Apart from the crab, we had clams in garlic and shrimp 3 different ways - boiled and steamed, as well as Ramiro's signature gambas à la aguilho. All this was mopped up with the restaurant's wondrous crusty pão, which arrived at the table warm and slathered in butter. We ate a small mountain of it. With seafood this fresh, I was in heaven. My dessert was Baba di Camelo, or camel's drool, a naughty concoction of caramel, eggs, sugar and cinnamon (I think). Dinner, wine and tip came to a reasonable 25 Euros each. It was an outstanding meal, easily the best we had during our week there. I'll be dreaming of it for a long time to come.

Thanks again, P and R, for a super evening!


Cervejaria Ramiro
Av. Almirante Reis, nº1 - H
1150-007 Lisboa

T: (+351) 21 885 10 24 - closed on Mondays


~ a backblip