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Like Father, Like Son

In preparation for their new Portuguese inspired restaurant, opening spring 2024 in New Orleans, chef Emeril Lagasse and his son E.J. embarked on a trip to Lisbon, because “You have to understand the Portuguese culture to understand the food,” asserts Emeril. “We’re portuguese,” E.J. adds. “I go by E.J., but we’re both Emerils. He’s the third Emeril, I’m the fourth. That’s why we’re calling the restaurant 34.”

PHOTOGRAPHS BY MATILDE VIEGAS

Foundational Flavors

E.J.: Presa pork is a suckling pig. They take the bit off the suckling pig near the belly; then it's pressed. The skin is so crispy. You could hit it with a spoon, and I think it would shatter — it's like glass.

Emeril: Every restaurant has its own version of presa pork as well as their own version of clams, which are very simple: made with coriander, Portuguese olive oil, garlic, chilies. Everybody has their version of gambas (shrimp), either spicy or not spicy. 

The Portuguese are also known for being incredible bakers; their flour and wheat are different from ours. We always get a sample of a white bread, a cornbread — not American cornbread, like a real, rustic cornbread. And always some sort of cultured bread. Also, their butter is rich and creamy — anchovy butter is pretty popular. There are a lot of different flavored butters: smoked sea salt, and piri-piri, which is their hot sauce.

In terms of wine, Portuguese wines are different from American wines. Their chardonnays are not very oaky. I think they use a lot of stainless steel, so they have clean flavors. The wines from the Douro Valley, particularly the reds, are some of my favorites. I think it's the elevation. The Douro Valley is very hilly with a lot of clay. It tends to get cool in the evening, but the clay gets warm during the daytime, so it keeps the vines neutral, warm, and very lush. You can taste the fruit in these red wines, the earthiness, the soil.

E.J.: Then when you think about Azorean wines, you're getting a lot of sea — oceanic flavors. 

Taberna da Rua das Flores

Emeril: This restaurant doesn't take reservations. You have to wait outside. It looks like an old dining room with no more than 18 seats. Nothing really matches. I think most people drink their wine out of water glasses.

E.J.: It's been mentioned in probably every modern Portuguese cookbook or tourist guide. It's rustic. We ordered the whole menu.

Emeril: The menu changes every day. About six years ago, we went there and had this white marlin soup. I'll never forget it. So we're going to do an interpretation of that at 34, but with swordfish instead of marlin so we don't have the sheriffs coming after us. (You can't serve white marlin in North America.)

E.J.: There were tons of arugula, beans, saffron, olive oil, and vinaigrette. It's called demi setting, where you dehydrate the fish and then marinate it in olive oil, like a conserva.

Emeril: The end result was a bowl of deliciousness.

Time Out Market

Emeril: The majority of the market is pop-up local restaurants — or secondary locations, not necessarily doing the same thing that they're doing at their original locations. In the center, there is a wine bar, a beer bar, and an Aperol spritz bar.

E.J.: It's 32,000 square feet. There are food and wine stores and jamón - stands. Every great chef in Lisbon or around Portugal has their own food stall. We recommend a buddy system: Have somebody stay at the table and then send people out to get food. Go midday. Don't eat breakfast. Maybe don't eat dinner the night before.