O’Porto was the twelfth stop on my fourteen-day Taste of Hartford tour. The pretty Asian lady in the foreground is, of course, my wife.
Another Emma Marianetti mural greeted us, this one in the entry.
Normally very busy on a Friday night, the special promotion ensured that O’Porto was a virtual sellout, as this view of the main dining room
and the patio show.
Even all of the bar tables were occupied, leaving a few solo seats at the bar.
Our attentive server, Thais, who had waited on me before, took great care of us throughout the evening. Here you see her bringing a couple of big bowled goblets
for our red 2004 Dom Fradique, Dão, Portugal ($22), a Jaen and Touriga Nacional blend rated 90 points by Wine Spectator. I could just make out Cesaria Evora’s magnificent voice over the din (but let me also recommend her fellow Cape Verdean singer, Mayra Andrade, to fellow music lovers).
After eleven days on the trail of the Taste of Hartford, it was a relief to dine on somewhat lighter fare. I wouldn’t describe the Portuguese rolls
served with extra virgin olive oil and ground pepper
as light, but crêpes stuffed with crab and shrimp in a tomato broth
and sautéed Brazilian shrimp in a garlic butter cream sauce
were not only light but sparklingly fresh.
For our entrées, my wife selected the house mariscada, which consisted of clams and mussels in their shells, shrimp and whole deep sea scallops sautéed in a white wine cilantro sauce and accompanied by a side of saffron rice (not pictured).
I elected baked fillet of sole in a lemon vinaigrette sauce with a shrimp and crab stuffing, sautéed spinach and mashed potatoes.
The house paelha also looked and smelled great, but we didn’t get to try it.
For dessert, my wife finished off a chewy rice pudding,
while I enjoyed a nice flan.
Two couples at the table next to us typified the enjoyment that O’Porto guests seemed to be taking in their evening.
If not Connecticut’s most adventurous Portuguese fare, O’Porto employs premium ingredients and brings a fine-dining atmosphere to this Iberian cuisine. On behalf of the people of Hartford, let me say—obrigado!
O’Porto, 2074 Park Street, Hartford, 860-233-3184