Portugalo Barbeque: Authentic Wood Fired Portuguese Grille

One would think that after just getting back from a trip to Kansas City that I would have had enough barbeque for a while. But let us not confuse Kansas City or any American ‘low and slow’ style with traditional Portuguese barbeque. The fact is, there are various global styles of BBQ, and each is unique in its own way. When I asked Portuguese Master Chef Tony Abilio about this he stated, “Portuguese BBQ, also known as a Churrascaria, certainly differs from American BBQ, all our meat is seasoned with a traditional, savory Piri-Piri marinade, consisting of African Bird’s eye Chili, garlic and spices; there is no sugar added. Throughout the several regions of Portugal, they all have their own unique coveted recipe, but most, if not all must include the Piri-Piri pepper. The meat is roasted over hardwood charcoal, and during the cooking process it is lathered with the Piri-Piri sauce, giving it a unique light smoke flavor and spicy tang.”

Portugalo Barbeque, which opened in October 2020 under new owner, Kevin Hernandez, and

Portugalo Barbeque is located at 3 Ronald Drive, East Hanover. (973) 577-2000.

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is located on a side street directly off Ridgedale Avenue in East Hanover on Ronald Drive (look for the colorful six-foot rooster outside). Chef Kevin came to the U.S.A. in 2008 and decided to pursue his love of cooking. He found work in several area restaurants in Morristown and East Hanover, honing his skills and developing his talent, finally as a kitchen manager at Rezza Trattoria e Pizza Romana in Roseland prior to

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opening up Portugalo BBQ, his first venture. An exceptionally talented cook, intelligent, and amiable young man, I have no doubt of his continued success.

Although a small venue, the restaurant is cozy, comfortable, casual, and sparkling clean. It exudes a friendly, family-style vibe inside, and even though it is small, it is nicely lighted and decorated. Take note, there are only three or four tables available for inside dining, along with some counter-style seating. There is plenty of comfortable seating outside with a protected overhang, and I understand they will have patio heaters in the cooler weather for those so inclined to dine outdoors. During my visit, I did eat al fresco because of the size of my group, and it was genuinely nice, beautifully decorated, and comfortable. The owner and staff are all very friendly, prompt, attentive, accommodating, and readily available to assist you with any needs or questions you may have. It did appear during my visit that Portugalo does do a vibrant take-out business. And Portugalo Barbeque is a BYOB, so I did bring along my favorite Portuguese vino.

As I said earlier, I went with a large group during this visit and the staff clearly went above and beyond preparing and ensuring us an excellent overall dining experience. The outside

Kevin Hernandez, Patrick Minutillo and Tony Abilio

tables were nicely appointed and arranged to ensure everyone’s comfort. After we were all greeted and welcomed to the restaurant by the owner the banquet we were about to experience began.

We started with the appetizers; Portuguese Chouriço Sausage Buns right out of the oven; homemade sourdough bread, soft, chewy, and delicious, followed by Caldo Verde, an iconic traditional, hearty, and famous Portuguese soup. The soup is green in color and made with a particular dark green cabbage that is not widely available beyond Portugal’s borders. Ours was prepared using collard greens. (Some restaurants use Kale). Full of wonderful aromas and flavors from the combination of potato puree, slices of chouriço sausage, and Portuguese olive oil, completed this delicious and hearty soup.

Next to reach our table was that Portuguese/ Spanish classic, perfectly prepared Chorizo and Shrimp and Garlic. The aromas themselves put your taste buds into high gear. That salty, smoky, slightly sweet flavor of the chorizo

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