Nunca

• Saldanha (Linha Amarela/Vermelha)
• €€€
• R. Visc. de Santarém 69B, 1000-005

In the age of social media, any new restaurant absolutely has to make it's 'gramability a key feature. From decor that wows, drinks that perform or food which is basically impossible to eat unless deconstructed, success is now made from being a highly shareable meal out. When we first walked past Nunca ('Never' in the local language) on its opening night and stopped in for a drink, seeing the now well papped flamingo falling out of the ceiling, it was clear this is a place that wanted to stand out.

Deciding to return for the full dining experience, we took with us a healthy amount of British cynicism, expecting to be paying for the style over the substance. But remaining open minded, and with a couple of cocktails to kick us off, we settled in to see if the wow factor extended beyond the pink bird in the sky.

And wow, were we wrong to be suspicious. Despite the bold decor decisions, and drinks which are very performative in their presentation, everything about Nunca is actually incredibly low-key, high standard. Their take on the espresso martini, delivered a perfectly sweet and dry coffee explosion, and the gingery pudding laced with vodka, reenacting a Moscow mule.

From the starters we opted for a couple of sharing plates from the ocean; fresh oysters and lobster croquettes. The chunky molluscs supplying a welcome salt-water blast, but the stars of the show are the croquettes. An orgasmic release of tender crustacean stirred through a cream so decadent it would cause a peasant revolution, and deep fried to provide a crust akin to the one used by Earth. They are simply transformative.

The beef cheek main, and shrimp rice both continued the excellent standards and despite the top end price range are very generous portions. Paired with a delightful Trufa Negra red wine from the Douro, the whole thing was just really, really good. Which is probably why we forgot to pap the rice.

Closing off with a dessert of what they call 'English custard', an almost but not quite creme brulee, we can confidently confirm this as one of the best meals we had yet in Lisbon.

The staff are attentive, but not overbearing. The food exceptionally good, and the overall experience, well worth the money. It just goes to show, you really should never say never until you try somewhere. Nunca really is all style AND substance.

Don’t forget to order: If you don't order the lobster croquettes, I don't know why you've read this far.