On the menu since 2023, the famous Beef Wellington prepared by Chef Kiko Martins takes center stage at O Talho restaurant on Rua Carlos Testa, next to El Corte Inglés.
With a texture that allows you to cut a slice effortlessly, the pork loin wrapped in puff pastry stands out as one of the great classics, even though this restaurant recently introduced a revamped menu, which we also got to try.
Appetizers with diverse textures and influences
Before the main course arrives, the meal begins with a selection of appetizers focused on combining intense flavors.
The tasting began with some lamb pastries with pistachios and lemon (€9/2 pieces), followed by a variation on the traditional peixinhos da horta (€13), which are served here with crispy ham.
The experience continues with O Talho’s steak tartare (€37), served in a very unique way. The raw beef is accompanied by a horseradish cream and is eaten directly with a sheet of nori seaweed, introducing maritime and Asian notes to a classic appetizer.
We also tried Minho-style beef cecina (€29/60g)—two thin, tender, and silky strips that we’d never tasted before, making for a very tasty surprise.
The most anticipated moment: the center cut
The most anticipated moment comes when Chef Kiko Martins carves the Beef Wellington (€114/for two people) to serve, while explaining that this dish is made from the center cut of the tenderloin—the famous and highly desirable chateaubriand.
This pastry is first brushed with mustard, then topped with a layer of duxelle before being sealed inside the puff pastry.
On the plate, the slice reveals the meat’s pink center, and the dish is then finished with a sauce poured directly over it.
What did we find most incredible? The ease with which the knife cuts through the meat, slicing it as if it were butter, along with the very intense aromas, foreshadowing what is described as a true explosion of flavor with every bite.
We also sampled one of the chef’s most recent dessert creations, which, of course, had to include an element of meat.
The duck foie gras French toast (€12) wasn’t to my taste, due to the complexity of the flavors and also because I’m not the biggest fan of duck liver, but Ringo, the videographer for Lisboa Secreta, devoured the dish down to the last spoonful.
In the final assessment of our lunch at O Talho, the consensus is immediate: the Beef Wellington solidifies its status as the top choice and the star of the meal, but the new menu offers so many other options that we’re certain you’ll leave here thoroughly satisfied; after all, O Talho is just one of Lisbon’s most iconic contemporary steakhouse restaurants.
Don’t miss out! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and now on WhatsApp too!