Portuguese octopus technique (grilled whole, sliced, and served simply) meets Japanese umami in the form of miso. The cauliflower puree adds body and a slight sweetness that grounds the briny octopus and fermented miso. It's the kind of dish that only works when the cook understands all three components deeply.
Tips from diners
This pairs beautifully with natural wine — ask Jenifer Duke for a recommendation. The umami in the miso makes it more food-friendly than straight grilled octopus.
Reviewers consistently call this the best thing on the menu. It defines the kitchen's approach: Portuguese ingredients, global technique, no ego.
Handmade tortellini with a clean ricotta filling, served with roasted Jerusalem artichokes (which contribute earthiness and slight crunch). It's one of the few pasta dishes on rotation, and it appears when both ingredients are in their prime. Refined without being fussy.
Tips from diners
This rotates on and off the menu based on ingredient availability. If you see it, order it. Fresh pasta from a kitchen this skilled is worth it.
Beef tongue is naturally lean and slightly chewy — grilling it thin and finishing it with fermented black bean jam (a condiment that brings salt, funk, and depth) makes the whole work. It's the kind of offal-forward dish that says the kitchen respects all parts of the animal.
Tips from diners
If tongue intimidates you, order this. The fermented black bean jam is so good it makes the meat irrelevant — which says everything about the seasoning.
The third octopus iteration — here paired with chickpeas cooked until they break down into a creamy sauce enriched with aromatics. It's the richest of the octopus preparations, almost a braise-like plate. Portuguese technique (octopus and chickpeas together in traditional cooking) refined without losing sight of where it comes from.
Tips from diners
The kitchen returns to octopus constantly — a sign they've mastered it. Try multiple versions if you eat here more than once.
Another octopus preparation that showcases the kitchen's comfort with the ingredient. Here the puree brings the richness — chorizo adds smoke and spice, balanced by bitter chard and nutty quinoa for texture. It's more composed than the miso version, with more components working together.
Tips from diners
If you're ordering two octopus dishes, this and the miso version show different approaches. This one is richer; the miso version is more delicate.
Tricky's opened as a collaboration between chef João Magalhães Correia and wine expert Jenifer Duke, establishing the restaurant as Cais do Sodré's modern counterpoint to the neighborhood's historic strip of fado bars. The open kitchen allows diners to watch technique firsthand, and the natural wine list (non-Portuguese selections curated by Duke) draws serious drinkers. The menu shifts regularly, but octopus appears in multiple forms — a vote of confidence in Portuguese technique applied with contemporary flair.
Reservations are essential, especially Friday and Saturday. Call ahead or email — the space is small and fills quickly. Tables are intimate and close together.
Ask Jenifer Duke (or whoever is on staff) for wine pairings. The natural wine list is curated carefully, and markups are fair. This is not a wine-list-to-posture restaurant; it's genuinely knowledgeable.
The open kitchen means you can watch technique from your table. There's no separation between the action and the dining room — intentional design that adds to the energy.
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