Midori – 1 Michelin Star

July 5, 2022 – Japanese Fine Dinning Located in Sintra, Portugal.

Midori is located in the Ritz Carlton Penha Longha hotel, Sintra. The restaurant provides an intimate but modern environment where you can admire the contrast between modern and minimalism. The experience is a luxury from the entrance to the restaurant. Midori has a secret door at the secondary restaurant’s opening that gives access to an exclusive space with a privileged view. Upon arrival, I was welcomed by a team of three people who complimented my culinary experience. We find the main waiter, two secondary waiters, and the sommelier Eveline Borges. I chose the “Kiri” menu with an eight-minute wine tasting since the other option seemed too extensive. The experience began with a glass of champagne suggested by the sommelier.
Then toro tartare in a crispy nori sheet, fried shrimp head with plankton, crab “Bola de Berlim,” and an Aji Tatake sphere with Spanish sauce. These entrees were a great way to start my dining experience. I found them to be very balanced, and the combination of complex flavors was executed perfectly. To continue, I was surprised by a shimesaba sashimi with tomato and the most interesting, yellowtail sashimi cured with eucalyptus, shitake mushroom, and pine infusion. Although the yellowtail presented some fishy tones, the pine infusion balanced it perfectly. I was then surprised with an impressive presentation of nigiri; everything from preserved chutoro nigiri to grilled horse mackerel was displayed. By this point, I found myself full, although this was my first meal of the day. But I couldn’t resist the dessert as usual. The only thing that wasn’t the normal combination was the exotic behind the Mae Dezato; it featured a perfectly crafted and decorated faux peach paired with wasabi, which was paired with Portuguese fortified wine. When I thought it was all over, I was again surprised with a mini variety of desserts and tea service. Overall the experience was stellar in terms of service and theatrics; the attention is incomparable. In terms of the meal, I believe it lacked overall flavor and excitement; I was only surprised by the textures in the Mae Dezato. The wine pairing featured some excellent moments in the beginning but, towards the end, began to get underwhelming.

Nevertheless, if you ever find yourself on a quest for diverse Japanese cuisine, Midori is worth trying.