Our visit to Luka Lisboa was an authentic journey into Thai flavors. We know we’ve said this before, not least because the city has more and more gastronomic offerings from these latitudes, but at Luka we tasted a menu that you’ll only find on the Thai streets, in the typical street food stalls.
So when you enter Luka Lisboa you’ll feel a good Asian vibe, especially when the Thai delicacies start arriving at the table.
The space is spacious, modern and relaxed, with exotic décor and plenty of natural light, inviting you to relax and let yourself be carried away by the aromas and flavors coming from the kitchen.
There are also several tables and sofas, and there is also counter seating, which is almost always a must in this type of Asian-inspired restaurant.
We think it’s the perfect place for a lively lunch or a long dinner with friends.
The Secret Lisbon experience
We started the experience with one of the house’s ex-libris: the Peking Duck Croquettas (14€), which are a surprising reinvention of the classic Peking Duck, in croquette form: on the outside, a golden, crispy crust, and on the inside, a “bomb” of flavor and aromas, with sweet and smoky notes, served with a sweet and slightly spicy sauce that elevates every bite.
This croquette was definitely a starter that made us smile and we’ll definitely be repeating it. We’ll leave it here on our list of favorite croquettes too.
Next, we refreshed ourselves with the Nuóc Châm Salmon Salad (14€), a vibrant salad with slices of fresh salmon, aromatic herbs, crunchy vegetables and a nuóc châm sauce balanced between acid, sweet and salty, proving to be an explosion of freshness, perfect for whetting the appetite.
Lunch was already promising and that’s when the small, delicious strips of pork arrived , the Pork Neck – Kor Moo Yang (18€), grilled to perfection, tender and juicy, with a slight smoky touch and accompanied by a spicy, sweet sauce. Probably the best pork strips we’ve ever tasted: addictive and memorable, to eat until there’s none left.
Last but not least, we had to try some of the Chef’s last suggestion, the classic Luka’s Chicken Pad Thai (18€), on which we didn’t leave even the tip of a noodle, which came tasty sautéed at just the right point, with tender chicken, soy sprouts, crunchy peanuts and a perfect balance between sweet, sour and umami.
To accompany it, we tried two cocktails from the menu: the Luka Gin & Tonic (11€), fresh and aromatic, with botanicals that enhance the gin, perfect for cleansing the palate between courses; and the Sabai Sabai (10€), more exotic, with citrus notes and a herbal touch, ideal for those who like different and refreshing flavors.
For desserts, we were offered two irresistible proposals: the Red Miso Cheesecake (6.5€), a creamy slice with a subtle salty touch from the miso, which perfectly balances the sweetness of the cheesecake; and the dense Choco Chilli Tart (6€), which, despite being a sin, turned out to be intense and with a slight spiciness that surprises and prolongs the pleasure of the chocolate.
We confess that we were very pleased with the space, the friendliness of João (the owner) and, of course, the quality of the food we tasted, which revealed the owners’ authentic passion for Thai street food, the result of their years living there.
The atmosphere is super relaxed and the creativity and flavors of the dishes are all there, with umami and aromatics mixed in, making Luka Lisboa a must-visit destination if you’re looking for flavors from these latitudes, always with that innovative touch.
Address: Rua Luciano Cordeiro 89
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, from 12 noon to 2.30 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 9.30 p.m.
Reservations: on the website
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