22nd
Newark, Newark
The updates have slowed down mainly because I just started on a new out of town project, but this means continued opportunities to eat in different locations. Chowhound informed me that the Ironbound region of Newark was well worth a shot, its abundant Portugese and Spanish ethnic restaurants and stores are a foodie paradise. After a semi-harrowing wrong direction spin on the wrong side of Newark (did I just set onto the set of The Wire here?), I finally settled at Seabras Masqueiras on the reputation of freshness and authenticity.
Newark being some what of a “value” town had enormous portions with everything we order—the appetizers bordering on entree size, and the entrees rapidly approaching a double-portion. However, I wasn’t really complaining when the coworker doled out his more than ample lobsters from his “Frutos do Mar na Cataplana.” Which I think roughly means, “seafood cooked in a Cataplana.”
I thought the Cataplana was the most gorgeous cooking dish I’d ever seen since the Moroccan tagine and in a way, the cataplana cooks in a similar way. The covered dish cooking way must have been one of this cooking phenomenons that developed everywhere. Anyways, this all leads to my coworkers’ impressively covered dish:
Açorda de Marisco — “a traditional Alentejo “Dry Soup” consisting of a hearty mix of shrimp, clams, mussels, scallops and cubed Portuguese bread.Flavored with an olive oil, garlic and fresh coriander sauce,
crowned with a poached egg.”
Okay, so maybe not the most visually stunning feast, but rest assured, the silky surprises of mussels, clams and shrimp make up for the rather gelantinous appearance. I thought the egg on top was another interesting point and it reminded me of Korean bi bim bap.
Seabra’s looks a lot like Greek Islands in Chicago!
From the bakery next door, I bought the Portugese version of the Chinese egg tart—a creamy, delicious, satisfying thing. Will return to Newark for more!
