Este Oeste — meaning East West — combines two different cuisines – japanese and italian food – to present a new dining concept. This approach has become quite popular in Portugal in recent years. On top of that the restaurant has a beautiful terrace facing the river.
No matter what you're doing, it's difficult not to include Este Oeste into your itinerary as it's right in the middle of some of the most cliché-landmarks for those visiting Lisbon. It is situated at the CCB, a cultural venue in Belém next to the Jerónimos Monastery and the Pastéis de Belém selling the famous pastel de nata. And if you are into contemporary art, you have the Berardo museum right there in the same building.
Despite having some tourists due to its location, it is a restaurant frequented by locals — from families to couples; to co-worker meetings.
The restaurant's entrance is through its comfy cafeteria, and the interior design gets better as you enter. It has an open kitchen — which is usually a good sign — where you can see different chefs adding pizzas into the wood-oven, and others rolling sushi pieces to perfection at incredible speed.
The room has an industrial feel to it with its large metal structures, metal lamps and high ceilings. The community tables resemble a factory-production-line.
If you're visiting in summer and prefer to eat in the shadow, mention it when booking. Not every table in the terrace is protected from the Portuguese sun.
The outside terrace is the restaurant's highlight. If you bring kids, this is the place to eat, as the tables are surrounded by a generous lawn where they can play. There is also a cocktail bar outside and some deck chairs where you can enjoy a fantastic view of the 25 de Abril bridge and the Padrão dos Descobrimentos monument. This restaurant is a good place to go if you need a pause from your busy day.
Foodwise, our experience tells us the Japanese dishes are stronger than the Italian ones. For sushi lovers, Este Oeste serves quality fish, especially when compared with those eat-all-you-want-buffet restaurants. Some of its dishes are pricy, but with elaborate combinations of ingredients. The average price for the Italian dishes is 13€. The sushi dishes vary depending on the number of pieces, from around 7€ to 55€.
And because perfection does not exist, Este Oeste can have inconsistent table service, resulting in long waiting times. This doesn't always happen but is something to consider if you are very limited in time.
Crispy Salmon
Grilled salmon skin, chives, brazed salmon, pergamena and fiaki sauce.
Tagliatelle Bolognese
Veal, tomato, parmegian and basil.
Dessert Mousse 'EO
Oreo mousse.
