I’ve written about leitão (roasted suckling pig) before, and why it’s taken most of my life to acquire a taste for it. The reality is, leitão is a specialty dish in Portugal, and relatively expensive. I rarely eat it — maybe once or twice a year. Not just because of the price or what it is, but because I’ve discovered how picky I am about it.
My usual complaints are that it’s either too dry, or the skin is more chewy than crispy, or it’s too salty. The sauce that accompanies the leitão can sometimes be too salty, as well.
But then my friend introduced me to Casa dos Leitões over the summer, near the Devesas Train Station in Vila Nova de Gaia. I was immediately hooked on their leitão, even more so than the ones I’ve had in the Mealhada region (near Coimbra), which is well-known for it.
It’s taken me months to return to Casa dos Leitões, but the second round did not disappoint — it was just as good as I’d remembered the first time. I should add that the prices are very reasonable and the service above par. Note that they don’t take cards, but there’s a Multibanco at the train station.
Casa dos Leitões
Rua Visconde das Devesa, 102
Vila Nova de Gaia 4400-339
Tel: 22 379 5694
November 5, 2016
Album: Portugal [Autumn 2016]
