Cafe Santiago

We ordered simple meals, which tasted pretty good.

Unexpectedly, my understanding of Porto started with such a Francesinha. It was already late when we arrived in Porto. When we arranged everything with the landlord and asked about the delicious restaurants nearby, the landlord strongly recommended trying Francesinha, and it would be best to go to CAFE SANTIAGO. It was already past 9 o'clock in the evening, and the restaurant was full. We waited for more than ten minutes before we got a seat. I took the time to read the introduction at the door. It really has won numerous awards. It has been the No. 1 in Porto for many years. I think the affirmation of so many diners over the years is definitely not groundless. Francesinha is a special sandwich from Porto. It uses local pickled sausages, bread, ham, and beef. A layer of heated cheese is covered on the surface of the meat, served with tomato slices, poured with special beer sauce, and a circle of French fries around it. This kind of fast food has been selected as one of the ten most delicious sandwiches in the world, and is also considered to be one of the ten best flavors in Europe, and even became the representative of Porto cuisine, which just proves a truth that simple food can be very complicated. SANTIAGO can become the recognized number one, and naturally there is a secret of hard work. First of all, because a lot of meat is used, the selection of ingredients is very particular, and the real ingredients are real. You can tell at a try that the steak is fat-free and has a different taste when stacked with salami and sausage in an orderly manner. The bread is cut very appropriately, and its structure is very important for the overall stability. The thickness of the cheese layer wrapped in the bread is precisely calculated to ensure that it can maintain its shape when served at room temperature, but it can also melt quickly under the heat transfer of the lower round ham after being baked. You can choose to have the egg on the top or not, it's only 0.25 euros, and I personally think it's a must. Imagine the fresh, uncured egg, as the cheese melts, gradually blending with the bread below, mixed with the tempting aroma of cheese, and when you cut it open, you'll be greeted by a rich sense of visual, olfactory and taste... By the way, you can also see a spectacular beverage menu at SANTIAGO, with many uncommon beverages. For example, I finally ordered my favorite cola beer, so much so that I could only savor it later in the trip.