One of Lisbon’s most typical dishes, Bacalhau à Brás, is part of our most intimate treasure trove of memories; who doesn’t appreciate a good Bacalhau à Brás, fluffy and crispy at the same time? Not us, that’s for sure!
The classic Portuguese-style fish and chips is one of our favorite foods, with the aroma of the sautéed vegetables and the crackling of the French fries immediately transporting us to our mother’s or grandmother’s kitchen.
In Lisbon, it is quite common to find it on the menus of the main Lisbon taverns and even in gourmet restaurants, with more or less appetizing interpretations, depending on the origins of the chefs of these renowned establishments.
Whether in taverns or more fancy places, the truth is that it is not so easy to find a perfectly cooked Bacalhau à Brás ( codfish with potatoes) ; so imagine our surprise when we tasted it, in its best version, at a food truck on a street in Lisbon.
Wonder Braz, a success story on wheels
Recently, we were lucky enough to find Wonder Braz parked at Quinta da Fonte, in Oeiras, in a space that “houses” several technology companies, the ideal place for its workers to taste one of the best bacalhau à brás we have ever tried.
Until the end of April, this is where you will find the friendly Mafalda Caldas, who worked in this area for 20 years before coming up with the idea of cooking Bacalhau à Brás in a mobile van. Before that, you can also find her at events such as fairs and markets, the next one being on March 21 and 22 at the Spring Market Stylista, at the FIARTIL space in Estoril.
In May, we plan to return to Lisbon to participate in the various markets that usually take place during the summer season. So don’t worry if you can’t make it to Oeiras; better days are coming for you to try one of these four versions (which are actually five):
- Bacalhau à Brás (the traditional dish), €10.20
- Duckalicious (forget chicken, À Brás de Pato is much more delicious), €10.80
- Caranguejo à Brás (seafood, what seafood? Crab that tastes like the sea) €13.80
- Mix & Mush (a vegetarian option with mushrooms that can also be vegan, replacing the eggs with a delicious creamy sauce) €9.20
Mafalda Caldas, the woman behind this idea
Mafalda Caldas spent more than 20 years in the cosmetics industry when she had an epiphany and, at the age of 40, decided to give her dream a chance: to offer her cod à la brás for people to try. It is with this sense of humor that the entrepreneur runs her still small business (we know she accepts franchisees), while trying to be a source of inspiration to her son, showing him that it is possible to achieve any goal, at any age, by turning passions into professional careers.
It was once his business was established that he had the opportunity to participate in MasterChef Portugal, where he dazzled the jury, not only with his specialty dish but also with a tartlet that, no, is not for sale in this food truck!
100% real. 100% Portuguese.
100% handmade. 100% customizable.
The title above is part of the Wonder Braz brand image, which we had the privilege of experiencing firsthand during our visit.
The first question Mafalda asks her customers is quite curious, and gastronomically inspired:
Just as you are asked how you want your meat cooked in a restaurant, the owner of Wonder Braz needs to know if you like your Bacalhau à Brás (codfish with potatoes) more or less “wet.” We chose “very wet,” of course!
Similarly, as it is fully customizable (100%), we also decided what ingredients our dish should have: whether we wanted onion; garlic (more or less); coriander or parsley (a controversial question, as this dish traditionally includes the second option); and with or without olives (here in a finely chopped form).
For Mafalda Caldas, these simple questions also serve to “break the ice,” fostering bonds and conversations with her customers, making this an even more intimate business .
It took about three minutes for our “Braz” to be ready to eat; first we tried the traditional version, which was impeccable, very juicy and appetizing, just to our liking; then the duck version, which we had never tried before and therefore had no reference for comparison. The verdict was immediate: the duck marinated with orange makes all the difference, expertly cutting through the fat of this tender meat. Compared to the more common Brás de Frango, it’s 10-0 to Duckalicious.
We believe that Mafalda’s secret lies in a little bit of everything we have said so far: empathy with her customers and a delicious and very honest product, without any artificiality.
At a time when we are all looking for more authentic and less “plasticized” experiences, Mafalda’s food truck is a good example of good textures and seasonings, just like when cooking was simpler and there were fewer rules.
Our experience at this food truck is just a taste of the satisfaction of holding that warm package and feeling the aroma “invade” our senses before the first bite. Mafalda, congratulations and thank you very much!
Where are Mafalda and her Wonder Braz? All the information about upcoming locationscan be found on her Instagram page.