Restaurante Tasca do Assa — Restaurant in Nazaré

On my first trip to Portugal, I really wanted to eat at a tasca, a traditional restaurant that serves up hearty, no-frills food prepared simply (often grilled outdoors) with fresh local ingredients. Although tascas used to be ubiquitous throughout Portugal, they are getting harder to find, particularly in larger cities like Lisbon, due to increasing rents/gentrification and pressure from tourism and changing tastes. Fortunately, I stumbled upon Restaurante Tasca do Assa in Nazaré (a coastal town famous for big wave surfing) on an evening when I had worked up an appetite! For my couvert (appetizer), I ordered crusty bread and a semi-hard bright yellow cheese that was most likely Queijo São Jorge from the Azores, and for my entrée, bacalhao assada (grilled salt cod) served with little boiled potatoes but you can also order the house style bacalhao, which is served battered and fried with french fries. Unsurpisingly, with the Atlantic ocean only a few blocks away, seafood is the main attraction on the menu, with grilled sardines and grilled whole sea bream (dourado), clams, shrimp, and octopus featuring prominently. Tasca do Assa did not disappoint. The portions were hefty - my meal was large enough for two adults or one teenage boy – and when I ordered the large sized wine, I thought I was just ordering a larger pour, but I received an entire bottle! The service was quick and attentive, not unlike a Greek diner in the U.S. But what I loved most about Tasca do Assa was the atmosphere – not just the old school fisherman-themed nautical décor, but also the convivial crowd. Maybe it’s because we were seated so close together, my fellow diners acted like neighbors (well, less judgmental and critical than most real-life neighbors, maybe more like the neighbors you wish you had). For example, we all got up and moved our chairs to let a young mom pushing a stroller get out the door and the couple sitting next to me advised me to try a little bit of white wine vinegar and olive oil (provided on each table) on my fish. Don’t get me wrong, I like innovative cuisine, gastropubs, and craft cocktails with infused spirits and exotic spices as much as the next person, but I sincerely hope that authentic Portuguese family restaurants like Tasca do Assa continue to thrive because they’ve got a precious warmth and intimacy that a Michelin-starred restaurant just can’t match. Be sure to check it out next time you’re in Nazaré - you’ll be...

4 people ordered four different meals and all equally bad. Sardines dry and tasteless. The squid house style drowned in an awful sauce. The bife da casa tough and tasteless and the clams appetizer was a little dry but the better of all dishes. Don’t waste...

A escasos metros de la playa de Nazaré, en una calle estrecha se encuentra esta Tasca. Es un local pequeño, con algo de encanto, aunque apariencia “descuidada”. Entramos por casualidad, pero nos gusto mucho la comida. Todo lo que pedimos estaba realmente bueno y a unos precios más que ajustados para la cantidad y calidad. Sugerencias a pedir: Camarones fritos con una salsa muy sabrosa, sardinas por 2,50€ la ración, ricas con un buen rebozado. Lulas de la casa muy ricas. Casi todos los platos servidos con patatas fritas caseras. Postre casero, rico y generosa la ración por 2€. Todo un descubrimiento! Servicio algo disperso y “olvidadizo”, pero el chico que nos sirvió era muy simpático y hacía todo lo posible para entendernos y que le...