I plan to finally visit Portugal — Lisbon, Porto (and likely Coimbra & Evora as well) — within the next 2-3 years and Pastéis de Belém is high on my list of places to visit. But, until then, I’ll have to pay a visit to Joey Bats, on my next trip to New York this spring. I also want to go to the nearby Dua Cafe, for Albanian food.
All pasteis are not alike. In Lisbon, the recipes vary from one pasteleria to the next. Some are overly sweet l, others are less so.
The crust can vary, too. You have to try them to see which one is the best flavor fit for you.
Three years ago traveled to Lisbon ,for one week,and got to enjoy the food scene.It was a fantastic experience.In Belem tried their famous pasteis .Back in NYC tried them at the defunct Lúpulo.Now the quest is over with Joey’s Bates.Yesterday visited the place and it was a very pleasant experience.Can’t wait to go back!
I hope that he gets past the naming problem and gets the sausage and onion in wine with bread onto the menu ASAP--I really want to eat it, and don't give a hoot what he calls it!
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One correction: the egg/custard tarts sold in China town aren’t just similar, they’re really Pastel de Nata. Macau was a Portuguese colony and many of Portuguese culture remains there. There’re many types of custard tarts in Hong Kong as well, but if wanna a Pastel de Nata you have to be more specific and order a Portuguese egg tart (the English name of paste de Nata). There’s a good report on Blumberg about the success of pastel de Nata (or portuguese egg tart) in Asia, where they are sold even by KFC.
Now that I married a Portuguese woman, I have become well versed in Portuguese cuisine (and she is now a huge fan of my family's filipino food).
I'm just happy to see that Portugal, it's culture and it's food is starting to become known to the general public. I agree with a lot of the comments here that say it's the European cuisine most Americans are not familiar with. This is very true since I was one of them. Even more embarassing is that I didn't live far from one of the largest Portuguese communities in the US in Newark, NJ.
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A good number of Americans know little about Portugal.
Fortunately in recent years more and more Americans have visited and discovered one of the most beautiful and safe countries in the world.
Everything I read about the pastéis de nata is true.
However I want to tell you that Portugal also has one of the best cuisines in the world.
It's like the kitchen of the gods ...
Any American who is reading these words of mine and who has visited Portugal knows that I am telling the truth.
God Bless America and Portugal too.
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@Sergio My wife is Portuguese and before I met her, I knew nothing about the people and it's culture. I live in Jersey too so I'm embarrassed I didn't even know about Newark's Ironbound section. You are right, Americans know little about Portugal and I'm with you when you say their food is amazing. As for the Pasteis de nata, I will be traveling to Portugal next year to meet in-laws and will drop by the bakery that has the original recipe. Can't wait.
@Sergio My wife is Portuguese and before I met her, I knew nothing about the people and it's culture. I live in Jersey too so I'm embarrassed I didn't even know about Newark's Ironbound section. You are right, Americans know little about Portugal and I'm with you when you say their food is amazing. And I can't think of a better food than the Pasteis de nata to introduce Americans to the culture.
I will be traveling to Portugal next year to meet in-laws and will drop by the bakery that has the original recipe. Can't wait.
Sergio, I’m looking forward to finally visiting your country within the next few years.
Joey Bats is/was/will be forever loved in Toronto for his baseball skills and his much ballyhooed ‘bat toss’ after a GREAT HR in the playoffs ... I love ‘Portuguese Tarts’ and I’m sure to drop in very soon to his bakery ... my son lives close by ...
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The Cantonese version most definitely descended from Pastel de nata. After all the Portuguese were in Macau for 442 years.
There is a "Portuguese style" one which they brulee the custard.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_tart
Definitely going to try this.
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@Glee No doubt. The burnt version is called "poh taht" in Cantonese, in what's probably the phonetic translation of "Portuguese tart".
Guangzhou was a major international trading port before Hong Kong, and with it came European influences, including this tart recipe that made its way to Hong Kong.
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If you squint your eyes, the interior could almost be mistaken for the little Manteigaria shop near the Chiado.
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If you try REALLY hard! But it is still a good spot with good pastéis de nata, delta café and sumol!
There might not be any European cuisine less well known than Portuguese and I'm far from overly familiar with it myself. Having said this, I DO know how amazing "pastel de nata" are when they're done right, and boy those pictures sure do like like they're done right! The fact that it's within easy walking distance of my apartment means that it might be just the thing for me to try this week, when I find myself solo thanks to my spouse being uncharacteristically out-of-town. I think one of those pastels will have to try to give me the sweetness that he usually does. No, not exactly the same but hey, it'll just have to do.
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Such humble people I grew up playing hockey with Joey him and his family are the most hospitable people I’ve known and there natas are out of this world 🌎 everything Isabela makes is delicious and brings the taste of Portugal 🇵🇹 To us all,brings you back to 🇵🇹 a must if in ludlow mass or NYC absolutely delicious
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We call these tarts - wrongly - "pastéis de Belém" in Brazil. As my Portuguese friends always like to correct me, Bethlem tarts are those made in Bethlem - Belém - in Portugal. All the others are "pastéis de nata". Anyway, they are extremely popular in Brazil, too. I would love to go back to New York someday and taste this US version. I think they are going to be a kind of international Portuguese food like Italian pizza is today.
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@ Ademario Niteroi, Brazil
My sincere wishes for your hope becoming true. But I thought there were other savory foods in Portugal worthy of international attention.
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I first discovered Pasteis in Lisbon in 2010. They are seriously addicting. I found reasonable versions in Newark. Then a friend told me about Joey Bats at a street fair.
I finally had one at his original place on the far west side and it was a trip back to Lisbon and Cascais.
I've been to his Lower East Side place now too and all I can say is, "GO!!!"
Get a Pastel, some espresso and enjoy!!
(And then get a dozen to take home!)
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@Oxfdblue
Hahahaha
You are absolutely right
While my diet precludes me from eating any of this, it all looks incredibly delicious. I wish them the best of success. Another great source for casual Portuguese food is City Sandwich in Hell's Kitchen; really unique ingredients and terrific, crusty bread.
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