On a rainy cold day in October, while most of the kids were in school, the husband and I took the littlest out for lunch.  Portas de Cidade is a surprising stop in Westport, I have to say… if your vision of Westport is limited to summertime and waterfront. . . and it would be a sad thing if you left it at that, it really would.

We both have been in this area on and off for most of our lives, and there is no telling how much Portuguese culture has influenced our lives.  I am deeply chagrined to say there is not a drop of Portuguese blood in my veins and I’ve already heard my earnest young fourth grader blame me for his same lack.  That lifelong sadness aside, I can’t tell you how much I love the area I grew up in, and the touches of Portugal that have always been nearby.   All my first cursewords were Portuguese, and my neighbor Mrs. Rego didn’t speak any English at all, spent the entire lifetime I shared with her, dressed head-to-toe in black, and I still loved her and talked to all her chickens, and grew up just fine with all of her grandchildren, who also lived next door, but across the street.

Anyhow, you don’t live in this area without a deep interaction and impression of the Portuguese culture.  Portas de Cidade is a textured, slightly formal establishment on Route 6, near to Sanford Road.  The food is warm, the clientele is a mix of couples on datenights,  families and it would be a wonderful place to bring the in-laws for that first meeting. 🙂

John had the Pork Aletejana and I had a plate of calamari, both excellent and done delicately, with more time spent on flavor and presentation than salt and heavy batters, so we were thrilled.  John even said it beat ‘Antonio’s’ in New Bedford, and for him, that is almost a slight to family history with Antonio’s.  ( I won’t tell anyone he said it though.)
Try it out.  I think it may be yet another draw to this crazy town of Westport.