Las dos Manos de Kiko Martins — Restaurant in Lisbon

Starters: The non-menu nachos with cottage cheese, salsa, and guacamole were a solid start. The nachos were served cold, but the cheese was good, and the homemade guacamole stood out. The salsa had a sharp, hot spike that was balanced with a pleasant aftertaste.

The flatbread with tuna was a delightful surprise. The chewy tuna, with its Japanese influence, was a unique and unexpected pairing that worked well. A refreshing and bold dish to begin the meal.

Main Course:

The salmon had a distinct fishiness that made the dish feel overpowered by its saltiness and acidic spice. While the sweet spots were present, the overwhelming fishiness overshadowed the balance of flavors. The dish was daring, combining nuts and soft fish, but the overall effect felt too much. The concept is impressive, but refining the focus and reducing the ingredient quantity would elevate the dish.

The wasabi tostada was more of a gimmick than a dish to enjoy. The crispy bread in place of rice made it feel like a cheap knock-off of nigiri. The combination of flavors, especially with the tartar, didn’t align well, and the absence of rice made the flavors feel disjointed.

The tempura taco was an awkward combination. The tortilla was cold and thick, which clashed with the warm tempura and cold vegetables. The contrast was uncomfortable, and it raised the question of whether using a cold tortilla was a mistake. It lacked the harmony expected from a taco.

The al pastor taco was a better experience. The tortilla was cold, but the warm meat helped balance the flavors, and the crispy elements added a pleasant texture. While there’s room for improvement, it was my favorite dish.

Quesadillas: The quesadillas with mushrooms and shrimp were both disappointing. The flavors felt too similar, making them indistinguishable from one another. The dish was unnecessarily repetitive and took up space without adding much to the overall meal. The mushrooms on top of the quesadilla didn’t enhance the dish, and the use of shiitake mushrooms didn’t bring any Japanese influence. This dish lacked complexity and didn’t entice me to revisit it.

General Impressions: Throughout the meal, the warmth of the dishes remained consistent, but the fusion concept of blending Japanese and Mexican flavors felt underdeveloped. While the idea is exciting, it wasn’t executed in a way that fully captured the potential of such bold combinations. The Japanese and Mexican influences seemed minimal, with elements like tempura or chili used without fully integrating the flavors or concepts.

The restaurant seems to be playing it safe with its fusion, which might attract first-time visitors but doesn’t encourage repeat visits. I would love to see a more adventurous approach, with bolder and riskier combinations that push the boundaries of cultural fusion. As the restaurant evolves and takes more risks, it could potentially reach higher levels of culinary excellence.

Overall, the experience felt like a missed opportunity to explore the true potential of blending Japanese and Mexican cuisines. While some dishes were enjoyable, most lacked the depth and excitement that such a fusion could bring. With more experimentation and confidence in the combination of these two distinct cultures, this place could evolve into something truly special.

Thank you...

There is a fine line between fusion and confusion, and unfortunately, this “Mexican-Japanese” concept in Lisbon stumbles so far across it that one wonders if it ever had a map to begin with.

From the outset, my experience raised questions. Arriving solo without a reservation, I was told the restaurant was “fully booked” — fair enough. I was offered the only available seat: a counter stool facing the kitchen. I accepted. But over the next 45 minutes, not a single new guest entered. Fully booked or fully bluffing?

I started with a drink — or at least, I tried to. I asked for a mezcal margarita. A reasonable order in a Mexican restaurant, one would think. I was told they were low on mezcal — not entirely out, but down to just one option. I went with the only mezcal they had and ordered a simplified margarita — no triple sec, please. It still arrived with triple sec, served overdiluted in a chipped glass. A small but telling detail.

Then came the food.

Two oysters, served for a steep €13, were unmistakably frozen — rubbery, dull, and devoid of the briny sparkle that defines the fresh variety. The flavors were as flat as the plating. But the true low point was the quesadilla — a culinary car crash. Fifteen euros for what could only be described as a soggy, lifeless mass of old tortillas and stringy filling. In Mexico, even the humblest taquería presses its masa fresh. Here, in a restaurant backed by a Michelin Guide, I needed a chainsaw to get through it. I nearly lost to the tortilla in combat.

But as a professional in the industry, what alarmed me most wasn’t the poor service, broken glassware, or underwhelming food — it was the kitchen itself. Positioned directly in front of it, I witnessed an astonishing series of hygiene violations that would make even the most lenient HACCP auditor blanch.

Meat was handled on a white board. But it was the second board — visibly dirty from the moment I arrived — that saw the most action. Cooked quesadillas, shrimp, and other ingredients were all cut on this same surface, with the same knife, without a single wipe or rinse between. The metal „garnish“ racks stood open, spoons submerged inside, sticky and exposed, while fruit flies floated lazily around them. And as for cleaning? Crumbs and debris that had accumulated on the cutting board were finally wiped away — 45 minutes later — with nothing but a dry paper towel, smeared across the surface as if that somehow passed for sanitation.

And then — the pièce de résistance: a kitchen assistant, clearly unwell, repeatedly sniffled while rolling tortilla dough by hand. No gloves, no handwashing, no attempt to step away or maintain basic hygiene. I watched, horrified, as the most basic standards of food safety unraveled before my eyes.

Lisbon’s dining scene is rich, bold, and increasingly international. But no amount of clever branding or Michelin-backed marketing can compensate for careless cooking, lack of respect for product, or the abandonment of basic food safety. This establishment, for all its promise, needs a complete reset — starting with its standards.

Until then, I won’t be returning — and I advise others...

An Experience Marred By Service With An Attitude

The ambiance and design were pleasant, and we were greeted by a friendly waitress who was quite attentive. We decided to try the tasting menu which consisted of 5 courses, a selection from their regular menu.

The first course, a ceviche from Amberfish and prawns paired with sweet potato puree, was absolutely delicious. However, the second course seemed eerily similar, save for the absence of Amberfish. It felt strange to serve two almost identical dishes consecutively in a 5-course menu.

As the courses progressed, we noticed a decline in quality. The tuna belly Tostado was ok, but just ok. The El Pastor Taco lacked moisture and flavor. The Tonkatsu pork belly with rice, our final dish, was served almost cold with dry pork (that was left out too long) and cold rice. For a dish costing 32EUR on the menu, this was quite disappointing.

The speed at which the dishes were served was also concerning. The replacements were immediate, giving us barely any time to savor the flavor or take a breather between courses.

As the restaurant got busier, the service staff seemed to struggle with the limited space, resulting in constant bumping into customers. This led to visibly distressed staff, which did not add to the dining experience.

Finally, the dessert debacle. I'm not a fan of sweets, so we requested only one serving and asked if we could swap out my partner's dessert for a different one. Our request was met with an aggravated response, stating that no items could be replaced. Given the fact that we were not asking for an expensive substitution, and were spending close to 230EUR, the refusal seemed unreasonable.

The waiter’s unprofessionalism escalated and he became extremly confrontational, it also didn’t help that moments later we found him and the chef starring and laughing at us from the kitchen. Despite my clear refusal of a dessert, a second one was brought to our table, seemingly just to prove a point. The dessert consisted of two small churo balls and some ice cream and was definitely not prepared as soon as we ordered the menu.

Overall, the experience was tainted by the attitude of one staff member, and a seeming unwillingness to accommodate a simple request. Despite the promising start and delightful first course, there is certainly much room for...