A Casinha Velha
Marrazes, Leiria
When you enter this restaurant we can not fail to notice, the typical character of the space, cozy with its wood oven and flames to crackle, the wines in sight that make a connoisseur like me, happy, and the sympathy with a lot of professionalism that they received us.
Already at the table we are enlightened with sympathy and with an undeniable hotel formation of a young employee, about the menu of this space, highlighting the specialties of the house, the kid roasted in the wood oven, the “galo capão” roasted in the wood oven, this on available only on Fridays, the cod with cream, the “posta mirandesa”, etc.
Seated at the table, a tray of clay is placed, with numerous sausages of black pork and cheeses, which immediately makes us pass the choice of the entrances, but rather pass over to the wines.
I ask the wine list, a wine list that is really wine-loving, quality wines from all regions of the country and also foreigners, to which the young official tells me that it is the 2nd best wine list in the country. Instinctively I ask the 1st one with a rascal smile on my face, since he responds to me that he does not know but would clarify it with the Sommelier. I tell him that I thought that the best one would be the one at YEATMAN restaurant, although I did not really have the privilege of checking it out.
They bring me the wine list then leaving the young man at ease to clarify doubts or suggestions with the Sommelier of the house.
One of the things that I most appreciate are wine lists from the various regions with countless quality wines and you can consult them calmly, however it becomes impossible to see the whole list as I wanted, since the guests are already happily at the entrances and crave for harmonization. Having said that one of the things I learned in the wine world is that we have to choose
wines that may be consensual for most of the people in the group where we may be inserted, however I always like to taste new wines, so sometimes combining the two is not possible due to the lack of knowledge of certain wines. I decide for a Douro wine since most people prefer soft and balanced wines, however without knowing if the “Oboé” 2011 would indeed meet those characteristics. I say my choice to the Sommelier and ask him if it would be one of his options. The sommelier Ricardo Costa, a friendly, playful person, writes his nose amicably and says that he would choose for example in the same price range the “Aluzé” 2012 from the “Quinta do Pessegueiro”, by the smallest degree, 13 degrees in contrast to the upper Oboe of 14 degrees and giving the example that being female guests at the table, would choose a softer wine, with body but with less acidity.
I accept the suggestion for first wine and the “Aluze” of “Quinta do Pessegueiro” 2012 reveals a wine that pleases most people, pleasant aroma, quality fruit, a little floral with some body and balanced end that perfectly accompanied the tasting of the sausages and cheeses.
The time of the main dishes arrives, I choose the kid roasted in the wood oven, and comes the “Oboé superior”. I had already confided to Ricardo Costa that although the “Aluzé” had become a success, it would have been better harmonized with more seasoned dishes, one of which was the roasted kid. This reveals a wine of deep color, complex, full-bodied aroma, strong but balanced tannins and long end, again I say to Ricardo that is more to my liking, however as would be expected, most of the people prefers the former.
I enter into conversation with Ricardo Costa and he is aware of my preference for gastronomic wines, not preferred by most people so he decides to surprise me with a glass of wine to harmonize with the rest of the roasted kid and asks me for the evaluation in blind test.
Immediately I tell you, by the body, characteristic and final acidity, which would be a “Bairrada” berry. Set in the caste but flawed in the region, I am pleasantly surprised when I see that it is a wine that had liked quite a few days ago in the wine market, the “Comendador Costa” special reserve 2013 from the Setubal area.
Time to choose the desserts, we accept the suggestion of the “pijaminha” and a Madeira wine to accompany, wines that I am really yielded to its quality now even more than the port wine.
Ricardo Costa brings a “Madeira 10 year Boal” from “Barbeito” with a slight honey aroma, fine, smooth and sweet but balanced with a good acidity, to the liking of most, and for me alluding to that I like more difficult wines, brings me a wine with more body, drier and notes of nuts, a “Borges Sercial 15 years” really more to my liking and then a glass of extraordinary “Madeira”, beautiful aroma with notes of honey wrapping with dry, full-bodied, sweet but well-balanced fruit , with wood and acidity in harmony, a superb wine, a “Borges Malmsey 30 years“.
Lunch came to an end, we returned to be happy at “Casinha Velha”, thank you for the cozy place, the quality service of all the staff in particular the Sommelier Ricardo Costa by his degree of professionalism, friendliness and availability to the customer.
M.B. (OUT 2017)