Good evening, friends!
Today I'd like to talk about a street restaurant in Porto that has a tradition of serving pork seasoned with hot sauce and served on white bread.
As many of you know, last weekend I went there with a group of friends, including my compadre. And since I'd been beating him over the head that he'd never taken me to a typical Porto steak house, this time I got lucky!
And you wonder what's so interesting about this dish? Well, the need to eat something when you're a bit drunk has always been the hallmark of any noctivago.
The thin strips of pork, cooked over a low heat in a sauce made from garlic, olive oil, white wine and spices, which at the end of their foray into this invigorating bath are more or less gently deposited on a small loaf of white bread with a crunchy crust. The bed is perfect when you add a slice of American cheese... To accompany this dance, there's nothing better than a freshly brewed beer, always well presented. The glass can be taken out of the fridge at this point, which gives extra freshness to the delicious, light golden drink!
Founded in 1976, two years before I ever set foot in this world, the "Conga" bifanas house serves thousands of bifanas every day to passers-by, to those who come by on purpose, and even to those who order a take-away service like Ubber Eats or Glovo.
When I arrived at Campanhã train station on Friday, very close to lunchtime, at 1pm, my compadre immediately made a point of informing me that we wouldn't be eating at his house. He'd been at work that morning, so he'd stopped just before I arrived to pick me up from the busy railway station.
A short car journey was all that separated us from Rua Justino Teixeira to Rua do Bonjardim. Of course, the work involved in upgrading the surface metro makes this journey a little longer, but for me it's perfect, as I have more time to admire the passers-by, listen to the sounds, and let myself be absorbed by the experience of this sparkling city full of truth that is Porto.
Of course, the car park wasn't the most "correct", my friend having left the car in a place where we could only stop for 30 minutes. But he assured me that it wouldn't be serious, as the police in that part of the city leave these less serious situations to "turn a blind eye".
Walking a few metres, we arrived at the famous Conga house. Established in 1976, as I had already told you, by Mr Manuel José Oliveira, it serves thousands of these little sandwiches every day, except on Sundays, which look like they're coming out of an incessantly boiling pot.
For a simple bifana on bread with cheese and hot sauce you pay 2.70€, but I guarantee you'll be amazed.
I only went there because I knew about the relatively good reviews of the quality and unique flavour of this simple recipe.
Out of a huge queue of more than 15 people to sit inside, my friend (rightly) chose the counter for lunch. This guaranteed me a closer look at the kitchen and how the steaks were prepared. Mr Paulo, who here in this photo takes only 4 bifanas in a row to a table in the restaurant located upstairs, had previously taken 8... A real exercise in balance.
When I asked how many bifanas the restaurant serves every day, he told me that on a good day it can be between 2,000 and 4,000... Impressive, don't you think?
The SuperBock beer could not fail to keep me company, costing €1.80
To finish, the espresso coffee fits like a glove.
As my comadre wasn't leaving until after 3pm that Friday, my compadre decided to take her a little treat (a steak with cheese and a green broth).
I hope you enjoyed this humble post. I'm sorry I don't have any more photos of the restaurant, but as I said at the beginning, the car that wasn't parked in the "right" way could attract the attention of a more dedicated inspector, and we could have our afternoon spoilt with a fine.
Bem Hajam🍀
https://congacasadasbifanas.negocio.site/
https://www.instagram.com/conga_casadasbifanas/?hl=en
https://www.facebook.com/CONGACASADASBIFANAS
Photographic edition with PhotoScape X
