clients
Casa de Chá da Boa Nova
When we talk about Portuguese haute cuisine, we have to talk about Rui Paula. Memory is his “main source of inspiration”* for creations deeply marked by his family origins in Trás-os-Montes. These emotional roots are the basis of an originality that knows no creative limits and that uses the most avant-garde culinary trends and the utmost care in the selection of products.
According to chef Rui Paula, “Food must appeal to the senses. Each dish must be colorful, full of aroma and flavor and its presentation surprising and original”*. In addition, “A meal should be a sensory and cultural experience, in which the restaurant's environment, as well as the landscape context, play an important role”*. This is the line that he follows in all his restaurants.
Casa de Chá da Boa Nova, in operation since 2014, won the first Michelin star in 2016 and the second in 2019. It is located in Leça da Palmeira, Matosinhos, and from the first moment it proved to be a huge success. It is surprising thanks to the landscape, to the construction on the rocks that connect sea and land. The building built in the 50's was rehabilitated by the Portuguese architect Siza Vieira. It was later classified as a National Monument (2011) and integrated in the International Architecture Roadmap.
The proximity to the ocean is the most striking feature of this restaurant. The sea, which enters through the huge windows overlooking the horizon, is also served at the table. Casa de Chá da Boa Nova guarantees a gastronomic experience of the highest level, in which fish and seafood are the main characters. It is surprising for its bold cuisine techniques and genuine flavors, with a choice of products that privileges quality over geographical origin. “An ethno-emotional cuisine, with no geographical limits to creation and influence, but closely linked to our cultural roots”*, in a meeting between past, present and future. It is also surprising due to the menu entitled “Por mares nunca dantes navegados” (through seas never sailed before), in a clear reference to “Os Lusíadas” by Luis de Camões (portuguese author).
It is divided into two menus, one of which is entirely vegetarian.
The restaurant has two dining rooms with a maximum capacity for 40 people that preserve the intimate atmosphere of a space in which “simplicity is the last step of sophistication”*. In the kitchen a fully customized cooking block stands out. Designed by FN hotelaria and produced in Italy by Marrone, it was supplied and installed in 2019 by FN hotelaria when the kitchen renovation took place.
*www.ruipaula.pt; www.casadechadaboanova.pt