Portuguese cuisine with Mozambican twist at Paula’s Place

This spacious restaurant, open seven days a week from mid-day to 9 pm, serves a wide range of dishes. Pork, beef, poultry and seafood are all prepared the Portuguese way, with flair and style.

BEFORE the onset of the lengthy civil war fought between Frelimo and Renamo, Mozambique was the go to place for holidaying Rhodies, later to be known, after independence in 1980, as Zimbos.

The conflict ended formally in 1977, and thereafter, during sporadic periods of peace, road trips to Chicamba Dam, Beira and Vilankulos recommenced, and we could once again indulge our addiction to Mozambique’s inimitable galinha piri piri,basted with garlic, lemon juice and African bird’s eye chilli, before grilling over charcoal. Colonised by Portugal for many years, Mozambique has developed a cuisine reflecting many ingredients and flavours essential to the Portuguese palate, notably wine, vinegar, bay leaves, garlic and Azeite olive oil.

If the drive from Harare to Vila de Manica seems too far to go for galinha piri or a plate of luscious prawns in garlic and butter, join the bustling traffic on the Mutare Road and travel a few kilometres from the CBD to Paula’s Place, one of Harare’s leading Portuguese restaurants. This spacious restaurant, open seven days a week from mid-day to 9 pm, serves a wide range of dishes. Pork, beef, poultry and seafood are all prepared the Portuguese way, with flair and style.

At a recent leisurely lunch at Paula’s Place, our friendly waiter brought us fresh bread and a garlic and butter dip, while we read through the menu. I started with Caldo Verde, a classic but simple soup made from potatoes, shredded kale, olive oil and sliced chourico (a spicy sausage). The soup was velvety smooth, the kale finely shredded, the chourico flavoursome and the olive oil and seasoning perfectly blended. Giblets, a delicious second starter, were simmered in a rich tomato sauce with a hint of chilli. Our obliging waiter brought more sliced bread to hoover up all the sauce.

Portuguese steak (bife a Portuguesa) is traditionally marinated in crushed garlic, vinegar, salt and pepper, before being fried in olive oil and butter with a bay leaf and more garlic. Looking for these flavours, I ordered mini steak and egg, served with chips and a fresh green salad. The chips were great, the salad a crisp combination of green pepper, carrot, tomato, cucumber and lettuce. The egg was perfectly cooked and the steak provided the hit of garlic and pepper I wanted.

George was moderately happy with his fried bream. Although fresh and well-seasoned, the skin lacked the crispy finish that makes fried fish look irresistible.

If it weren’t for the 70s Credence Clearwater Revival and Village People songs belting out, we might have imagined ourselves near a warm beach in Beira, or at a restaurant in Cascais, just outside Lisbon. DJ Dream’s Portuguese mix, or even some fado, would greatly enhance the Portuguese ambience at Paula’s Place.

Desserts were ready-made, on display in a cabinet, and something of a disappointment. The pudim flan (caramel custard), Portugal’s national dessert, was slightly rubbery and the caramel sauce too pale. Coffee, served from a Nescafe Alegria machine, was watery and tasteless.

An alternative to having a dessert would be to buy a bottle of wine from the newly opened delicatessen at Paula’s Place. A bottle of white would be perfect with bacalhau, or a bottle of red with the steak, spare ribs or chicken. Instead of a pastel de nata (custard tart), end your meal with another glass of wine. The delicatessen, to the left of the main dining area, sells a great range of wines, cheeses, and tinned and frozen fish.

At one time or another, most Zimbabweans will have ventured east of the border to Mozambique, and Portuguese cuisine, with its unique Mozambique twist, will always be a favourite.

Paula’s Place Portuguese Restaurant
134 Samora Machel Avenue
Harare
Open every day from 12 noon – 9 pm
Tel: 497 950
Comments to: cmalakoff@gmail.com