by MARK SLUTSKY

Early summer is the perfect time to dig into the grilled goodness of Portuguese food, the flame-licked tastiness of fish and meat a fitting complement to long warm days and late dinners. There’s no shortage of it in this town either, especially around the Plateau, where new joints seem to open all the time. Last year saw Chez le Portugais open its doors in the very heart of Portuguese resto territory, and I suppose the question is, what distinguishes it from more established places like Chez Doval, Casa Minhota, Rotisserie Portugalia or Janos, all just a short walking distance away?

Well, for one thing, Chez le Portugais places its focus squarely on petiscos, with less of an emphasis on big main courses. Like a Portuguese version of tapas, petiscos are small plates meant to be shared with your dining companions—“tapas-style” eating really doesn’t seem like it’s going away these days, does it? The place is pleasant and airy, with big windows open to the street, white-tablecloths and a nice-sized bar at the back. A few pieces of metal sculpture class up the room, as does the photo exhibit they currently have on display, small-format shots of various Main storefronts, old and new, that’s more or less a visual chronicle of the area’s gentrification.

Our helpful waiter suggested an ordering gambit of three to five petiscos (which run in the $5–$7 range) per person, although most of them were surprisingly large, and in some cases two would have done fine. We ordered up a handful of those and I went in for the affordable $30 tasting menu, which consisted of a soup or salad course, three seafood dishes (smaller than the petiscos), a palate-cleansing serving of port-drenched sorbet and two meat dishes. (In other words, a lot of food.)

The first really delicious dish of the evening was the grilled squid, which came with the prix fixe but is also available à la carte for a low $5. Drenched in olive oil and garlic, it was perfectly cooked, firm enough but not rubbery in the slightest. A really nice calamari; I’d like to return and try their fried stuff sometime. Also on the tasting menu’s aquatic line-up were a couple of morsels of their fish of the day, which happened to be tilapia. Like the squid, it was well-grilled, if not particularly memorable.

The carácois com porto (or escargots in port sauce), while not strictly speaking a sea dish, completed that course (they’re also available for $5), and were also sufficiently satisfying but nothing to write home about.

I would, however, consider penning a letter to the folks about the grilled whole sardines (a steal at three for $4). Crispy and iridescently golden on the outside, tender and flavourful within, they were great. A little less enchanting was the bacalhau à bras ($7), a hockey-puck-shaped concoction of matchstick-cut potatoes, eggs and salt cod. The texture was interesting but it tasted like it was missing something.

But you couldn’t say that about the alcatra ($7) which the menu describes as “Terceira Island’s slow-cooked beef.” Wonderfully soft—you won’t need a knife—the beef is drenched in a zesty-tasting gravy, and it’s quite addictive. Sadly, the same really wasn’t true of the pork loin served with the tasting menu. While the rosemary-flavoured sauce it was drenched in was pleasing enough to the tastebuds, the meat was tough and overcooked and I couldn’t quite finish it. Better, but also unimpressive, was the choriço sausage in red wine ($5), which seemed a little feeble. I’m a fan of the density of Portuguese sausage, and this was just too soft, although I enjoyed dipping my bread in the red wine sauce.

Chez le Portugais may not be the Plateau’s stand-out Portuguese resto, but its focus on small dishes and affordable prices make it an attractive dining spot on its own.

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Chez le Portugais
ADDRESS: 4134 St-Laurent (between Duluth and Rachel)
PHONE: 849-0550
HOURS: Mon–Wed 11 a.m.–midnight; Thu 11 a.m.–1 a.m.; Fri–Sat 11 a.m.–3 a.m.
BEST FEATURES: Something from the fine selection of seafood petiscos, like the grilled squid
ALCOHOL: Yes
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Up a step or two
VEGETARIAN FRIENDLY: Not really
CREDIT CARDS: Yes
PRICE: $12–$30 per person, before tax, wine and tip
RATING: ** and a 1/2 out of ****