There are Portuguese bistro vibes now to be found in Montmartre, where the joyful Sapinho (which means “small frog” in Saramago’s native tongue) is spreading a hearty dose of saudade! All settled into this cute spot, Rafael Dos Santos (who is also the owner of L’Escalier) wakes up his Lusitanian ancestors with hip-hop music and naturopath bottles of wine. And what about the cuisine? It was served directly at the tiled bar the night we went: bacalhau bolinhos, which are incredibly crispy salt cod fritters; amêijoas à bulhâo pato, or a bowl of lemony clams marinière; fabulous grilled octopus paired with slow-roasted onions and new potatoes; a beautiful mix of shredded cod, thinly sliced onions and potatoes, all dressed in egg yolk, kind of like a Porto-style carbonara; before the slightly less impressive finale, chocolate mousse topped with olive oil and toasted almonds. It’s also worth mentioning that when the weather’s nice, everything can be enjoyed on the lovely cobblestone square on which the restaurant is located. // Jean Pascal
FEELING THIRSTY? A very pro-organic selection of Portuguese wines: vinho verde from João Pato, a Lisbon red produced by Quinta da Espiga (€6 each for a glass), a bastardo du Douro (€45 a bottle), a blend aged in amphora produced by Indicio (€32)… Bottles that you can also take to go, with a nice 40% discount compared to the in-house price.
PRICE: Appetizers €6-12, mains €17-35, desserts €6-8.
