Portuguese Lunch at Adega in Woburn: First Impressions

On Main Street in Woburn, nestled within a small complex of stores, including a laundromat, cleaner's and hair salon, is an unassuming sign, Adega. Unless you were specifically looking for it, you might drive by without giving it any attention. You might not even realize it was a restaurant. Yet it has existed in that location for 10+ years. 

This is the Adega Restaurant & Bar, a Portuguese restaurant which has existed since 2014, and is owned and operated by Chef Helder Teixeira, who is a native of the Portuguese island of Madeira. The restaurant seems to often fly under the radar, receiving little publicity or mentions on social media,  but is worthy of much more attention. 

Adega is open from Tuesday to Sunday, for both Lunch and Dinner, and it's a homey and clean restaurant, which seats around 50 people.  

There's also a small bar, and in 2022, the restaurant acquired an All Alcohol license, an upgrade from their previous Wine & Malt license.  

The Food Menu offers many traditional Portuguese dishes, and there's always a list of Specials, commonly including 2-4 appetizers and 6-8 entrees. The regular menu includes Appetizers (9 options at $10-$15), with items such as Steamed Mussels and Flame Grilled Linguiça. The Meat & Poultry Entrees (8 options at $20-$30), includes dishes such as Sautéed Pork, Sautéed Chicken, and Black Angus Sirloin Steak. The Fish & Seafood Entrees (12 options at $25-$35) include dishes like Salted Codfish, Portuguese Seafood Stew, and Grilled Octopus.

I've dined at Adega for lunch on two occasions, and the food was consistently delicious. Let me provide some of my initial impressions on my experiences.

One of the Appetizers is Lapas Grelhadas ($15), grilled limpets served with a garlic butter sauce and lemon. Limpets are a type of sea snail with a single shell, a speciality in the Azores and Madeira. I've previously enjoyed them elsewhere, and this dish was quite tasty. The limpets are a little chewy, like escargot, with a briny taste, enhanced by the garlic and butter. It was an ample-sized dish and the sauce was an excellent place to dip your bread. If you've never eaten limpets, they are well worth checking out.

Another appetizer are the Pasteis de Bacalhau ($13), Fried Codfish Cakes with a black-eyed pea salad. The codfish cakes were nicely crisp on the exterior, with a fluffy interior like salty mashed potatoes and cod. Again, a delicious and ample dish, with 6 cakes, for a very reasonable price.

As for the Entrees, the Espetada de Carne e Linguica Caseira com Batata Frita Portuguesa e Vegetal do Dia ($25) is a Beef and Homemade Linguica Kebab with Portuguese Fries and the Vegetable of the Day. A visually impressive dish, the meat was tender and flavorful with a nice spice to the linguica.  

The Portuguese Fries were excellent, a nice combination of crispness and fluffiness. 

Of the Seafood entrees, the Arroz a Valenciana ($35), similar in some respects to a Spanish paella, is composed of sautéed chicken, pork, linguiça, shrimp, mussels, scallops, calamari, clams, and a half lobster. What a combination of meat, poultry and seafood! The broth is made from garlic, olive oil and saffron, and it's all served atop rice. Everything was tender and flavorful, with quite a delectable broth. It's certainly large enough for two people to share, or one very hungry person. 

Overall, Adega earns my hearty recommendation, and I'm eager to try more of their menu items. It's reasonably priced and the dishes are ample and delicious. Service is very good, and the restaurant has a homey vibe. 

Have you dined at Adega before?   

Travel to Portugal In October: Check Out The Webinar For More Info

Would you like to vacation in Portugal this October, exploring the wine and food of this compelling country? I'm collaborating, as a wine tour guide, with Sagres Vacations, a local company which specializes in exciting vacations to Portugal and Spain. We've created an interesting itinerary that will explore the wine and food of northern Portugal. I'm hoping some of my friends and readers will decide to join me on this upcoming trip.

As you're aware, I've long been an ardent lover and promoter of the wines of Portugal, including Port Wine. I’ve written over 100 articles about Portugal, including its wines, spirits, cuisine, history, culture and more. Over 60 Portuguese wines have ended up on my annual Top Ten Wine lists, including 6 in my recent Top 20 Wines of 2023. In addition, I’m a Certified Wine Location Specialist, a collaboration of the Center for Wine Origins and the Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Do Porto,  which includes Port wine and the Douro region. I've also been inducted as a Cavaleiro in the Confraria do Vinho do Porto, a Knight in the Brotherhood of Port Wine, an honor bestowed upon me for my ardent promotion and support of Port wine. 

Our tour, Wine Vibes in Portugal, will take place from October 8-17, 2024 and includes luxury accommodations for eight nights. We'll visit the Vinho Verde, Douro and Dão wine regions, as well as the cities of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. Some of the wineries we'll visit include Quinta da Lixa, Quinta do Vallado, Quinta da Pacheca, Kopke, Caminho Cruzados, and Quinta dos Roques. This list includes three wineries whose wines have ended up on my annual Top Ten wine lists. There will also be a walking tour of Porto, seeing many of its historic and interesting sites. Numerous meals are included, including lunch at DOC, a superb restaurant in the Douro. Check out the full itinerary for all of the details, including the cost and how to register for the trip.

This small trip will consist of just 15 people, and the only prerequisite is that you should enjoy wine. You don't have to possess any specific level of wine knowledge, but be willing to learn about the wines of Portugal. So eager beginners are just as welcome as those who already know Portuguese wines well. 

Got questions about this vacation trip? Check out our Webinar, which will be held on Wednesday, March 20, at 7pm EST. This Webinar will last only about half an hour, and is your opportunity to learn more about the itinerary and ask any questions you might have. Pre-register for the Webinar HERE. And if you have specific questions, please let me know before the Webinar so I can assure we get you the answers you seek. 

And as I've said multiple times before: "I have heard the clarion call for the wines of Portugal, those intriguing wines which seduce with their tantalizing aromas and flavors. It is my desire that many others feel the urge of that clarion call too. To that end, I have become an ardent advocate for Portuguese wines, to share all the excellence I have found in their wines." I hope you can hear that clarion call as well, and will join me in Portugal in October. 

Travel to Portugal With Me In October!

"All wine would be Port if it could."
--Portuguese Proverb

Would you like to join me on a vacation in Portugal this October, exploring the wine and food of this compelling country? I'm collaborating, as a wine tour guide, with Sagres Vacations, a local company which specializes in exciting vacations to Portugal and Spain. We've created an interesting itinerary that will explore the wine and food of northern Portugal. I'm hoping some of my friends and readers will decide to join me on this upcoming trip.       

Portugal is becoming a hugely popular destination for American tourists. 2019 was a record year for tourism in Portugal, which was then brought down by the pandemic. Yet, tourism has since rebounded, and has even been breaking new records. For example, between January and July of 2023, a record number of bout 16.8 million people traveled to Portugal. The largest group of these tourists were from Britain, with Spain in second place, and the U.S. in third place. The number of U.S. tourists increased 27% in 2022, and increased by 26%, over 2019 figures, in the first couple months of 2023. More and more Americans are discovering the wonders of Portugal.

As you're aware, I've long been an ardent lover and promoter of the wines of Portugal, including Port Wine. I’ve written over 100 articles about Portugal, including its wines, spirits, cuisine, history, culture and more. Over 60 Portuguese wines have ended up on my annual Top Ten Wine lists, including 6 in my recent Top 20 Wines of 2023. In addition, I’m a Certified Wine Location Specialist, a collaboration of the Center for Wine Origins and the Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Do Porto,  which includes Port wine and the Douro region. I've also been inducted as a Cavaleiro in the Confraria do Vinho do Porto, a Knight in the Brotherhood of Port Wine, an honor bestowed upon me for my ardent promotion and support of Port wine. 

I was last in Portugal this past October 2023, spending my time in northern Portugal, and I've written a number of articles about my experiences, with more articles coming in the near future. On this new trip, in October 2024, we will visit some of my favorite places, as well as plenty of new places. There's so much to explore in Portugal that no single trip can cover everything you might want to see. However, you can sample some of the best northern Portugal has to offer, enjoying excellent wines and cuisine. I'm very excited to return to Portugal and hope you can join me there.

Our tour, Wine Vibes in Portugal, will take place from October 8-17, 2024 and includes luxury accommodations for eight nights. We'll visit the Vinho Verde, Douro and Dão wine regions, as well as the cities of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. Some of the wineries we'll visit include Quinta da Lixa, Quinta do Vallado, Quinta da Pacheca, Kopke, Caminho Cruzados, and Quinta dos Roques. This list includes three wineries whose wines have ended up on my annual Top Ten wine lists. There will also be a walking tour of Porto, seeing many of its historic and interesting sites. Numerous meals are included, including lunch at DOC, a superb restaurant in the Douro. Check out the full itinerary for all of the details, including the cost and how to register for the trip.

The itinerary also provides you plenty of free time so you can explore Portugal on your own. You might want to visit other wineries, especially other Port Houses in Vila Nova de Gaia. In Porto, you can eat the iconic Francesinha sandwich, a hearty meal with French fries, and I know I'll be seeking one or two when I return to Porto. You can see a fascinating and moving Fado performance, a unique Portuguese music genre, with a delicious dinner, at Fado Português. In Porto, walk down Santa Catarina street and shop at the many intriguing shops there. There is so much you can do in Portugal! 

This small trip will consist of just 15 people, and the only prerequisite is that you should enjoy wine. You don't have to possess any specific level of wine knowledge, but be willing to learn about the wines of Portugal. So eager beginners are just as welcome as those who already know Portuguese wines well. If you have any questions about the trip, feel free to contact me or you can also contact Sagres Vacations. 

And as I've said multiple times before: "I have heard the clarion call for the wines of Portugal, those intriguing wines which seduce with their tantalizing aromas and flavors. It is my desire that many others feel the urge of that clarion call too. To that end, I have become an ardent advocate for Portuguese wines, to share all the excellence I have found in their wines." I hope you can hear that clarion call as well, and will join me in Portugal in October.

"Sip your spirits and cure your cold, but I will take Port that will cure all things, even a bad character. For thee was never a Port drinker who lacked friends to speak for him.”
--William Makepeace Thackery 

Fado Português: Passion & Emotion Overcoming Language Barriers

"Fado cannot be explained, it is felt, you won't be able to explain it, but you will want to hear it again."

--Fado Português website

Fado is a type of Portuguese music which extends back at least to the 1820s in Lisbon, although it might be even older. It's often said that the music is sad, and deals with themes of fate, loss, and heartache. Others state it be deal with happy topics, and can be about overcoming adversity. Whatever the topic, it's intended to be emotive, and the singer may also use hand and body gestures, as well as facial expressions, to enhance the emotive experience. The singer is commonly accompanied by a guitar (10 or 12 string) and a viola (also known as a Portuguese guitar), a six-string guitar. 

When I was planning my visit to Portugal, I wasn't going to Lisbon, but I knew there were Fado establishments in the Porto area. I had never attended a Fado performance before, and I wanted to remedy that. After doing some research on Fado venues, I finally decided to make reservations at Fado Português, which is located in Vila Nova de Gaia. That proved to be an excellent choice, and I was thoroughly impressed with the experience. If you've never experienced Fado, you definitely need to do so, and in the Porto area, I highly recommend Fado Português. 

Fado Português, which opened in 2021, is a showcase for Sandra Correia, a professional Fado singer for over 30 years. Over the years, Sandra has performed in many concerts and shows throughout the world, and has released three albums, bringing Fado to millions of people. Besides Sandra, Fado Português also presents a variety of other Fado singers such as Sandra Cristina and Jorge César.

Fado Português has two main dining areas, and performances can occur in both rooms. We sat in the small, back room, which makes for an intimate venue, and which also has a view of the Douro River. The restaurant opens at 8pm, with the first performance starting around 9pm. You can make a reservation, until 10:30pm, for the Fado performance and there's a 30 Euro minimum per person. After 10:30pm, there's a straight 10 Euro charge per person. You can order off the menu, or for 45 Euros per person, you can order a multi-course dinner. We opted for the multi-course dinner, and it was delicious and a good value. I highly recommend that you make reservations as it's a small and popular venue. 

An inspirational decoration in the back dining room.

A picture of Sandra Correia. 

Our multi-course dinner included two Starters (chosen from a list), a Main Course (chosen from a list), a bottle of wine for a couple, a Dessert Tasting, coffee, and a glass of a 10 Year Old Port.  

A pleasant and easy drinking Portuguese red wine.

Tender and flavorful Clams. 

Succulent Prawns with garlic.

Our main course was the Steak Fado Português, with a tender steak, fried potatoes, rice and some veggies. For dessert, we had a sampler of three different tasty treats and a lovely glass of aged Port. Overall, I was very pleased with the tasty food and drink, and recommend you opt for the multi-course dinner. 

During the course of the evening, there were three Fado performances. The first occurred after the Starters and the second occurred after the Main Course. The final performance took place after dessert. During each performance, service stopped, the lights were dimmed and Fado etiquette indicates you should remain silent during the performance. The two guitarists were very talented, complementing well the Fado performers. 

All of the songs were sung in Portuguese, a language I don't speak, except for a small number of words and phrases. Despite that language barrier, I still greatly appreciated Fado, although granted I would probably appreciate it even more if I understand all of the words. What's most impressive though is that each singer is so emotive, and you deeply feel the song and the emotions it evoked. Their performances touched my heart and soul, even though I couldn't understand the words. 

The best music in the world touches your soul, and the lyrics are secondary to the emotional impact of the singer. Instrumental music is another excellent example where the emotions evoked by the music is primary. The quote with which I started this post is true, that "Fado cannot be explained, it is felt,.." And the talented Fado singers made you feel their heart-felt emotions.  

Sandra Cristina was the first Fado performer. She possessed a powerful and moving voice, mesmerizing you with the passion within her tone and movements. 

Jorge César was the second Fado performer, offering a different and deeper tone, yet also so expressive and emotional. 

During the final performance, the wondrous Sandra Correia sang, and the other two performers would join in later during the performance as well. Sandra possessed a powerful and soulful voice, and I felt it deep within my core. You would have to be a stone statue not to have been deeply touched by her passion. What an awesome finale, and it made me want to learn much more about Fado. You don't have to know how to speak Portuguese to enjoy Fado, all you have to do is open yourself up to the passion and emotions of the singers. 

There's an excellent interview with Sandra HERE, which is well worth reading, to learn more about Sandra and her ideas and philosophy on Fado.  

While in Porto, seek out the passion you'll find at Fado Português! 

Cálem Port Cellar Tour & Lunch at Uva

During my trip to Portugal last fall, we stayed for a few nights at the Yeatman Hotel in Vila Nova de Gaia, which is across the Douro River from Porto. Gaia is the location of numerous Port Houses, the places where they age their wines, and you can visit and tour many of these Houses. You can learn much about Port wine here, and experience Ports of which you aren't familiar, such as aged White Ports. During our stay in Gaia, we made a stop at Cálem for a brief tour. 

Cálem was founded in 1859 by António Alves Cálem, who desired to export wines to Brazil, which was not the typical market at that time for such wines. Britain and other European countries were the primary markets, but there was a significant Portuguese population in Brazil, so Cálem's idea had merit. 

In 1998, the Spanish-owned company Sogevinus was established and its first purchase was Cálem. It would later purchase other Port producers, including Burmester, Kopke, and Barros. Sogevinus concentrates on Port Wine, and in 2020, about 7.8 Million bottles of their annual production of 8.8 Million were Port. In addition, their Cálem Velhotes brand is the top seller in Portugal, accounting for about 25% of all Port sales. That's a huge portion of the market!

Cálem owns about 33,000 acres of land in the Douro, including 3 high-quality, A-1 vineyards. As they need more grapes than they grow, they also purchase grapes from other growers. Cálem annually exports about 12 Million bottles to around 50 countries. Their symbol is a caravel, a small sailing ship which was popular from the 15th-17th centuries.  

At Cálem, you can first visit their small museum, which deals with the Douro region and Port production, a good way to learn some basic information about this fascinating region.  The official tour then begins with a 4 minute movie and you're given special glasses to wear so you can see some special effects during the film. In addition, the seats vibrate at times, creating more of an immersive experience. 

After the short movie, the tour moves into the cellars, and I'll note that the Cálem cellars are even older than the winery's founding in 1859. I'll also note that most Cálem wines are not made in lagares, except for some special still wines, and Cálem doesn't produce aged White Ports. The winery uses about 14 white grapes and 15 red grapes for their wines. And their last Vintage Port was in 2020.  

One of your first stops in the cellar was in front of one of their great vats, which can hold 74,000 liters of wine. These huge barrels take 8 coopers about two weeks to construct, and we saw a vat that had been made in 1917. It was very cool that the winery showed a number of lighted displays on the great vat. I thought this was a fascinating and memorable way to educate people about the winery and Port wine. The addition of this visual display enhanced the tour, making it better than simply a dry recitation of the facts.

The tour comes from a wine tasting, but we skipped the tasting as we were headed to a Port tasting at the nearby Kopke store.

At the end of your tour at Cálem, you can stop at their store, where you can purchase Port and Still wines to bring home. The Cálem 1961 Colheita Port is the oldest wine they have available for sale. I would definitely recommend a tour of Cálem if you visit Vila Nova de Gaia. 

After our tasting at Kopke, we were invited by the winery to have lunch at Uva By Cálem, which is located on the banks of the Douro River (providing some great views). The restaurant opened in 2019 and is headed by Chef António Vieira. It has a casual elegance and the menu is diverse, with dishes to appeal to any preferences.

We started off lunch with the 2022 São Luiz Rosé, made from the Tinta Coa grape sourced from the São Luiz vineyard in the Douro, which is owned by Kopke. With an appealing aroma, this Rosé was delicious, elegant and subtle, dry and crisp. Tasty flavors of red fruits, some floral hints, and a backbone of minerality. Easy drinking but not overly simple, and an excellent way to begin our lunch.

Our first course was slices of Seared Tuna, which were tender and flavorful, and the dish looked beautiful as well. The sesame seeds added a nice textural component, and the roe added a taste of the sea.

Our second wine was the 2020 São Luiz Reserva Tinto, made from a blend of red grapes, and it too was delicious. Fruity, with flavors of red and black fruits, a hint of spice and a touch of smoke. Good acidity, a pleasant finish, and smooth tannins. Neither of the two São Luiz wines are yet available in the U.S., but the Tinto may be in the near future.  

Our second course were tender and tasty Slices of Beef, accompanied by a vegetable mix and crisp French fries. The dish went well with the red wine. 

Dessert was a rich and decadent Chocolate Brownie with berries and a raspberry sorbet. We enjoyed a 2008 Kopke Colheita Port with dessert, which was nicely sweet, with delicious flavors of caramel, nuts, vanilla and baking spices.