Welcome to “20 Questions with Taste Porto”, a special series where we uncover the insights and tips of your favorite Porto Tour Guides.
Since 2013, our mission has remained crystal clear: to reveal Porto’s culinary wonders while honoring our community’s essence. It’s not just about food; it’s about connection, about preserving the traditions of the past while embracing the innovations of the present. Our guide Ricardo sums it up: “It has been a delicious adventure!”.
During the day, Ricardo is a passionate storyteller of the city’s gastronomic soul; by night, he transforms into a stand-up comedian delighting crowds with his wit and charm. Keep reading to find out more about him.
20 Questions with Taste Porto
- Describe Porto in one word.
Grey. - What’s the weirdest food and drink combo?
- What do you always avoid ordering on a menu?
- If you could choose any two Portuguese famous people (dead or alive) to have dinner with, who would they be and why?
I would probably have to choose Mário Viegas and Fernando Pessoa. I would sit them across each other at a table and I would get Mário Viegas to make Fernando Pessoa laugh with his impersonation of Fernando Pessoa. - Your friend from out of town is visiting. Where are you taking them?
Casa Expresso. - Do you like cooking? Which dish is your showstopper?
“Bacalhau com broa”. - Describe yourself as a traveler in 3 words.
Stubborn, curious and voyeur. - What’s your favorite Portuguese comfort meal?
“Arroz de cabidela”. - What’s your favorite “petisco”?
“Rojões”. - What’s the best travel advice you have ever received?
Take your own time. - Do you have a favorite quote or Portuguese traditional saying?
Casa de ferreiro espeto de pau (“blacksmiths house, a pike made of wood”). - Complete the sentence: “A day in Porto is not complete without…”
… complaining about a random thing! - What’s your go-to coffee order?
Expresso with sparkling water. - What’s your most treasured memory in Porto?
The night I took a piece of the city home, it’s such a treasure I treat it as a secret! - Do you have any tips for someone who is visiting Porto for the first time?
Yeah, play the human pinball game, go to the top of one of the hills of the city and let yourself go! - What’s the best way to spend a rainy day in Porto?
I think if it’s going to be a rainy day and you have the opportunity to prepare in advance, you should go and buy some items of charcuterie and some wine. Spend the first part of the day at your house, having those items then leading over to some freshly baked cake with some tea. Once the rain has already called down, go to the Botanic Garden to spend a few hours and from there go down to the Ribeira area, stop at Adega Rio Douro to have some fried liver and see the rain falling as the city lights start blinking into action. - What’s your favorite Portuguese tradition?
Bread. - What is the most common misconception about Porto?
I would say the most common misconception about Porto is the fact that people don’t acknowledge it as a nation. - What’s the best spot in town for some comic relief?
Without a doubt, FeRRO Comedy Club on Tuesdays, Pinguim Comedy Club on Saturdays, Maria Pistolas on Fridays, Castle Rock Comedy Bar on Mondays, and my very own Stand-up City Club on Thursdays!
- What is the secret to being an amazing tour guide?
Having no secrets. 😉
20 Questions with Taste Porto
Throughout this interview series, “20 Questions with the Taste Porto Team”, we’ll ask the questions that need asking, uncover the flavors that need uncovering, and maybe, just maybe, gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be part of the amazing Porto community. Stay tuned!
Cheers!
