CURA meaning a skillful curating —”curadoria” in Portuguese — laying deep in the heart of the restaurant, where every seemingly simple dish reveals a level of complexity, evoking an emotional and sensory response.
The new CURA restaurant was opened in October 2020 in one of the most prestigious and well-known hotels in Lisbon — Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon.
CURA was designed as a continuation of the hotel’s art collection and is a work of contemporary Portuguese art with a touch of the 1950s.
The entire interior of CURA from the wine cellar to the walls and furniture is created as an example of art. The walls are adorned with Madeira wood paneling and beveled mirrors, while Bahia blue granite adds drama and color to the tables and the bar reminiscent of grapevine. The swirling spirals of the Picasso-inspired carpet convey the hotel’s history, highlighted by turquoise sofas, brass accents and black Kenyan marble.
In the Photo: Head Chef Pedro Pena Bastos
CURA’s Chef and Culinary Curator Pedro Pena Bastos with his friendly team of 15 people selects his ingredients like an artist choosing his colors, drawing on Lisbon’s wealth of seasonal ingredients to create deep and meaningful traditional dishes.
“The idea of the CURA project arose several years ago, and I am very grateful to the Four Seasons Hotel for the opportunity to realize this idea together with me”, — Pedro begins to tell. — CURA is an excellent example of the evolution towards which the Ritz itself is heading. It is a union of fresh modernist influences and the immortal classics of the hotel, which is in tune with my gastronomic style as well. CURA is not only a curator, a leader, it is also a medicine, a healing power that helps the guests feel better and happier”.
According to Pedro, the CURA philosophy is based on four pillars:
– environment and atmosphere;
– seasonality affecting the products used in the kitchen;
– combination between products;
– aesthetics of taste and presentation.
Treating its ingredients with the utmost respect and flair, Pedro relies on the purity of the freshest local produce and is constantly looking for complexity that transcends simplicity.
In the open kitchen, Pedro and his team, like a well-rehearsed orchestra, surprises the audience with exquisite culinary experiences in an atmosphere intriguing as one of the works of art.
The restaurant has 3 special menus: MEIA CURA (85 €), ORIGENS (120 €) and RAIZES Vegetarian (75 €), as well as à la carte options. The presentation of each dish is a dramatic celebration of daydreaming and reality while custom-made pottery and cutlery also adding a touch of poetry.
Each menu option deserves a delicate wine pairing. Finely selected by sommelier Gabriela Marques organic and biodynamic Portuguese wines are on top of CURA’s unique wine list, each weaving a story into the menu.
In addition to wine accompaniment you can order non-alcoholic pairing with interesting combinations of drinks and cold-pressed juices from green apples, asparagus, grapes and various herbs.
One of the finest CURA presentations is the ORIGENS set menu. Starting with amuse bouche, which consists of two snacks — AMBERJACK, PEPPERS, TEA | LETTUCE HEART, POLEN, SUNFLOWER
Here Gabriela offers a dry white Portuguese wine AMEAL Loureiro 2018, which will also set off well the taste of the following two servings: oysters and Hokkaido pumpkin.
In the Photo: OLD OYSTERS | TOMATOES | ELDERFLOWER
In the Photo: HOKKAIDO PUMPKIN | CHANTERELLES | PISTACHIO | INDIAN CRESS
In the Photo: SEAFOOD DAILY CATCH | GREEN GARLIC CHAWANMUSHI | LUPIN
Accompanied with a glass of white wine Barranco Longo Viognier Algarve 2019.
In the Photo: SQUID | HAZELNUT | BERGAMOT | ROASTED SEAWEED BUTTER | OSSETRA CAVIAR
The taste of this dish will be well emphasized by a glass of dry white wine Quinta do Lagar Novo Reserva Chardonnay.
Revealing complexity in simplicity, it’s worth savoring the “moment of bread” — ANCIENT WHEAT BREAD | AGED BUTTER | GREEN OLIVE OIL — the famous CURA bread is made using ancient emmer and spelt for an intense depth of flavor, served with seasoned butter from Ilha das Flores in Açores and bright green olive oil.
Next step — LINE CAUGHT HAKE | SEAWEED AND CORN “XEREM” | DASHI “BEAURE BLANC”.
Wine pair — red dry portuguese wine Maria de Lourdes Tinto Carm 2016.
“In the northwest of Portugal, where I grew up,” — continues Pedro, “the ingredients were not what we chose in grocery stores, but live, natural. These memories shaped my approach to CURA. I choose each ingredient not only because of the taste, but also because of my memories. I am a vegetarian myself, but I can appreciate the marble meat of the Alentejo Iberian pigs”, — smiles.
For the next two meat courses Gabriela choses the red Portuguese wine Reserva Talhao da Serra 2016.
In the Photo: MERINO LAMB | QUINCE | WILD SPEARMINT
In the Photo: AGED MINHOTA COW | CAULIFLOWER | CHANTERELLES | RADISHES
Desserts also combine modern twist and seasonal ingredients. Pedro together with pastry chef Diogo Lopes have created desserts that are sophisticated in taste and presentation.
In the Photo: FIGS | BEETROOT | LIME | REINDEER MOSS
In the Photo: AZORIAN PINAPPLE | MISO | PUMPKIN SEEDS | TIMUT PEPPER
The set ends with a trio of petit four — CAROB & BLACK GARLIC | EGG & HONEY | RASPBERRY & LAVENDER
Gabriela has skillfully selected the vintage Portuguese dessert wine Moscatel Roxo de Setu’bal Superior 2002.
Pedro Bastos: “I am very proud of my team and our joint achievements. Day after day we work in harmony, and I really believe that together we will make CURA one of the best restaurants not only in Portugal, but throughout the world”.
CURA
fourseasons.com/lisbon/dining/restaurants/cura/
Opening hours: Tue – Fri 7:30 PM – 10:30 PM
Address: RUA RODRIGO DA FONSECA, 88, LISBON 1099-039, PORTUGAL
Instagram: @curalisboa
Editor-in-chief: Patricia Kolari
Text Writer: Marina Timoshevskaya
Technical Director: Evgeny Fedorov Photos: EATWEEK
