O Comercial

O Comercial is located in the most visited monument in the north of Portugal, Palácio da Bolsa, in the historical center of Porto, and combines the elegance of the past with new trends. A beautifully spacious and intimate space, full of refinement, with large windows facing the river Douro, from where you can see the pier of Gaia and the ancestral wine cellars of Oporto. It is the perfect frame for the new concept of "Portuguese Progressive Cuisine".The menu is based on traditional Portuguese cuisine adjusted to the new techniques and new products available in the market.

This restaurant was a quick walk from our hotel and our choice for our first dinner in Porto.  We arrived at 8pm and the entire place was empty.  No one else arrived for at least another hour, which created a very private and intimate experience.  We ordered a bottle of 2017 Castello d'Alba from Douro, Portugal.  This red temperanillo blend was dry, smooth, and medium-bodied.  It was very approachable and paired with our meal nicely.

To start, Keith ate the Veal Carpaccio with pesto sauce, capers and parmesan cheese.  It was a nice presentation and the meat had a light gamey flavor.

I ordered the Sardine Bruschetta with goat cheese gratin, pumpkin sauce, and a strange espelette chili ice cream.  Some of the elements were very sweet on their own, but if you got a little of each into each bite it all balanced out.

For his main dish, Keith enjoyed the Lamb Shank cooked in Douro wine, served with corn bread mixed with tomato.   The meat was tender and fell off the bone, but was a smaller piece that expected.

I wasn't too sure what to order but settled on the Mushroom Risotto and wild cepes.  It had lots of mushrooms and was a bit heavy with the wine reduction.  I could not eat it all, but Keith happily ate some.

All in the all, the ambience inside the palace was cool, but it was so empty that at times, I felt forgotten.  We had a very lovely table by the window, but it was far too dark to see any view outside.  In addition to the a la carte menu, they offer very reasonable tasting menus as well.

Total Rating: 3.6
Food: 3, Price: 4.5, Service: 3.5, Ambience: 4.5, Accessibility: 5