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Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/654717
A s a true melting pot of world flavors, Portuguese cuisine has recently started making its mark on the U.S. restaurant scene thanks to burgeoning tourism opportunities and several industrious chefs. Portugal has a rich history as a bastion of global cuisine dating back to the Age of Exploration in the 15th and 16th centuries. "The Portuguese had navigators traveling all over the world and bring- ing back new ingredients when they returned," explains Manuel Azevedo, who, along with his sister, owns Cafe Lucia, LaSalette, and Tasca Tasca in California's Sonoma Valley. Those navigators and explorers had outposts around the globe, helping to create a Portuguese pantry that differs vastly from other European countries. "The combination of spices and ingredients that are indigenous to Brazil, Southern Africa, India, China, and Southeast Asia, coupled with the f lavor profiles and techniques of Western Europe, is what sets Portuguese cuisine apart from the others," Azevedo says. Breaking Out Portugal is still considered a bargain destination for travelers in Europe and, as of late, has become more accessible to those outside of Europe. "The Portuguese have always kept a bit to themselves, and are not traditionally good at self promotion," Azevedo says, "so it has taken longer than some other countries in that region." Furthermore, Portuguese cuisine has never been thoroughly documented, explains George Mendes, chef and owner of Aldea and Lupulo in New York City, and author of My Portugal: Recipes and Stories. "It's a cuisine with recipes passed down from genera- tion to generation," he says. "It's a very conservative, very personal cuisine that relies on word of mouth from families. There aren't a lot of Portuguese cookbooks for reference point." As American diners have become more adventurous and savvier with their food choices, a market for Portuguese food has begun to f lourish. "People are attracted to trying new cui- sines," Mendes says. "In particular, Portuguese food is becoming more popular because of its similarities with Spanish and Italian cuisine." Rui Correia, owner and chef of Douro Restaurant Bar and Gaia Restaurant in Greenwich, Connecticut, also believes recent press attention to the Douro Valley wine region in Portugal has helped fuel interest in the country and its cuisine. "This has brought more attention to the last undiscovered Mediterranean country of Portugal and its cuisine and culture," Correia says. PORTUGAL'S MELTING POT CUISINE STANDS ON ITS OWN This country's traditional fare manages to be a fusion of multicultural flavors and distinctly personal, all at the same time. And U.S. diners are taking notice. says Simpson Wong, the Singaporean chef behind New York res- taurants Cafe Asean, Wong, and his newest operation, the hawker- centric Chomp Chomp. Since its opening last May, Chomp Chomp has received a swarm of press coverage, accolades, and a discerning clientele—many of Singaporean and Southeast Asian origin or descent. "It's a new cuisine," Wong says. Despite its familiar quali- ties, he says, "nobody knows about it." Though it's a sit-down restaurant, Chomp Chomp (named for a famous hawker center in Singapore) retains its hawker vibe with a casual atmosphere and reasonable prices for dishes, earning high praise from the city's top critics. "That's one thing about street food—it has to be affordable," Wong says. Specialty Imports With a comprehensive list of Southeast Asian ingredients making up this cuisine, the availability of ingredients stateside can pose a chal- lenge, although it's improved in recent years, Seetoh notes. Wong says many favored ingredients, such as fresh pandan leaves, blood cockles, and Sri Lankan crabs, are still tough to come by or prohibi- tively expensive to import. The specialty food industry is growing its share of products that embody the spirit of Singapore. Importer Roland Foods has ramped up its selection of Southeast Asian foods—now at 120 SKUs, including curry pastes, sauces, coconut milks and oils, and dry noodles; the company's newest product, Sambal Matah, a chile-based relish, hits the market in April. Newcomer Little Red Dot Kitchen channels hawker fare with its Bak Kwa meat snacks, employing on-trend f lavors like chipotle and hickory smoke. Nona Lim, a native of Singapore, launched her eponymous line of health-forward soups, broths, and noodles inspired by her child- hood visiting hawker centers with her father. "It wasn't until I moved away that I understood how healthy it was to eat that way and how special it was to have such high-quality meals ready at hand," she ref lects. Lim says her best seller is her most Singaporean product, Laksa Rice Noodles. Though dedicated menus and packaged products that tout signature Singaporean style remain limited, the opportunity for explosive growth is palpable. Bourdain Market's impending 2017 debut may be the launchpad, with Seetoh on board to curate a Singaporean hawker center with some 50 vendors. It's a task he takes seriously. "It's going to be authentic as hell, as far as I'm concerned," he says. "Otherwise, I'll be cheating."—E.M. global eats 94 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE specialtyfood.com