Being a Vegetarian Tastes Better at Boteco Veggie da Mafalda

A restaurant that will delight those who have a vegetable-based diet is now open in Bairro Alto

 

There are more vegetarians in the world nowadays. Over the past three years, vegans in the United States have grown six-fold, which is reflected in vegetable milk consumption, for example, which has increased by 61% since 2012. In the United Kingdom there has also been an increase in the number of vegetarians, in 2016 corresponded to 1% of the population and nowadays they correspond to 8%.

 

With this pronounced increase in the number of people who choose to follow a vegetable-based diet, one would expect the restaurants to follow this trend. However, this took time to happen. Mafalda Almeida, the owner of the recently opened Boteco Veggie da Mafalda, has been a vegetarian for five years, having a hard time finding vegetarian restaurants at the outset.

 

"Four years ago, when I was going out for dinner, there were not many options and I often ended up eating fish. When we go to a restaurant we are not supposed to eat just one salad. And this still happens a lot. This was the reason behind the transformation of this space - which was already mine, comes from my family - in a vegetarian restaurant, "says Mafalda.

 

 

 

The interior of the restaurant

 

 

At Boteco Veggie you will find several vegan and raw options

 

 

The owner of Boteco Veggie says she is now adopting a way of "vegan and raw food", which can be seen in the menu of the restaurant, which mainly contains vegan and "raw" food (not cooked over 50 degrees) . "It's concept little explored in Portugal," says Mafalda. "Here they find a lot of raw food, very nutritional and tasty. The concern I have with my food is transposed here. "

 

So what about the dishes, you ask? The team of Lisbonne Idée tried several dishes and did not leave there vegetarian narrowly. We started the meal with some  amazing Spring Rolls, which carry fruits and vegetables wrapped in rice leaf with a peanut, ginger and tamari emulsion. The freshness of the vegetables is enhanced by the mild spicy of the ginger and the peanut gives a greedy touch to the entrance. We started on the right foot.

 

 

 

Pink Bowl

 

 

The second dish that came to table was the Pink Bowl, which contains beet spaghetti with coconut sauce, pineapple, papaya, parmesan and pea shoots. This is a great alternative to a simple salad, being much tastier and containing much more nutrients. We then proceeded to one of the star dishes of the house, the Lasagna Raw, which instead of having pasta takes courgette, accompanied by tomato and almond sauce with vegan cheese, spinach and basil. A dish so delicious it's hard to believe it's healthy too!

 

The dish that generated greater unanimity in the team was as follows. The Burger & Portobello can be described as an incredible junction of flavors on a plate. This consists of a bean burger in portobello mushroom bed, with sweet potato fries, kimichee and hummus. We assure you one thing, after eating this burger you will never want to taste a "normal" one.

 

 

 

Hamburguer & Portobelo

 

 

Still in the main dishes, the Risotto Verdi do Mar arrived, an original dish that takes rice, spinach, coconut and lime. Imagine a risotto that combines the taste of the sea with an exotic touch: this is it.

 

Let's go to the desserts? Believe us, even if your stomach is already comfortable, at Boteco you have to save space for the desserts, because these are incredible. It's hard to choose between the Chocolate Brownie (Raw) and the Raw Fruit Cheesecake, but the latter was the one that garnered the most praise from the team. If you taste this, you will never want to eat a normal cheesecake. Do you want to bet?

 

 

 

Raw Fruit Cheesecake

 

 

If you are a vegetarian, you must not miss this restaurant. If you're just curious, too. The thing is: this is a place of good food, categories aside. And good food pleases Greeks ad Tronjans, regardless of gender, language or food restrictions. "I want to give people what I like to find out there," Mafalda concludes with a smile.

 

 

Discover the restaurant Boteco Veggie of Mafalda here.