JEDDAH – Gourmets have the chance to discover Portuguese cuisine this week at Andalusia, one of the elegant restaurants within the Park Hyatt resort complex in Jeddah. From Saturday (April 20) to Friday (April 26), the family restaurant, typically serving Andalusian and Moorish cuisine, is bringing the soul-comforting and understated rustic cuisine from the heart of Portugal to Jeddah in an open buffet showcased by Chef Carlos Machado. Sponsored by the Royal Jordanian Airlines, the Portuguese chef is especially flown in for the occasion from London, where he works at Hyatt Regency The Churchill. According to Machado, Portuguese cuisine is characterized by its simplicity as well as its culinary influences from other cultures, the latter a direct result of the Portuguese explorations throughout history. Portuguese cuisine, while closely related to Mediterranean cuisine, has blended in ingredients from North Africa, Japan, India, and Brazil to form a unique array of heartening dishes. Within Portugal, dishes also vary from one region to the other. “In the north, it's all about stews, like lamb stew,” said Machado. The country's center and south, on the other hand, are famous for their seafood, such as the delectable stew with white beans and prawns presented at the promotion, as well as the widespread use of cod fish. The use of seasonal herbs and spices, likewise a result from the country's centuries-old trade with exotic countries, is another feature of Portuguese gastronomy and is noticed immediately upon arrival, when guests are served a refreshing sangria consisting of orange, apple, and pineapple juice with a hint of cinnamon. One of Machado's specialties is grilled lamb, which is first marinated for 24 hours in alcohol-free white wine, mirepoix, and seasoned with paprika, salt and pepper, after which it is grilled. Another delicacy prepared by the chef is prawn with white beans stew from the Algarve region. As a starter, Machado recommends the simple though tasty haricots verts tempura, or battered and fried green beans, served with lemon. The chef argues it were the Portuguese who introduced the tempura batter to Japan. That Machado is well versed in Portuguese cuisine, is clear from his passion while talking about the various dishes as well as his CV. Before being employed at the Hyatt Regency The Churchill in London, Machado worked in Porto, Lisbon, Algarve, and the Madeira Islands. The buffet includes a wide assortment of garden-fresh salads including a bell pepper salad, fish and seafood salads, bean salads, and a highly recommendable mushroom salad. In addition, a cabbage soup and velvety pumpkin/carrot soup are served. The hot plate items consist of grilled lamb, roasted duck, and cod fish with spinach, among other dishes, which are served with rice, couscous, or grilled potato. A specialty at Andalusia is the open kitchen concept that gives guests the opportunity to see their food being prepared. Whether one fancies mussels, prawns, salmon, lamb chops or beef steak, the restaurant's sous-chefs are ready to grill it to perfection. Special mention deserves the selection of fruits and sweets at the buffet. Generous slices of mango, melon, and pineapple are available, in addition to a large variety of mouth-watering, more or less Portuguese desserts, such as cheesecake prepared the Portuguese way, rice and pasta pudding topped with cinnamon, custard, and panna cotta in tart shape. To complete the soothing atmosphere of Andalusia, Machado brought his own collection of Fado music, a Portuguese genre of mostly melancholic tunes and lyrics. The Portuguese festival kicks off from 7 p.m. to 12 midnight at Andalusia restaurant in Park Hyatt at a price of SR 229 per person (excluding drinks).
