BAR DOURO EM CASA

NATIONWIDE • RESTOKIT.CO.UK

Since it opened early last year, Bar Douro has been on my to-visit list. And while lockdowns have stopped me eating there, I can now try the London restaurant’s smart Portuguese cooking from the comfort of my living room.

The Bar Douro Em Casa Feast Kit features signature dishes that can be finished off and enjoyed at home, with the help of a booklet of simple instructions and photos. The croquetes de alheira, containing smoked sausage of pork, duck, rabbit and chicken, are a knockout. They’re easy to fry, and release a smoky aroma as soon as I bite into the satisfyingly crisp exterior. The accompanying lemon mayonnaise cuts through the richness perfectly.

An underwhelming octopus rice dish is more than made up for by the ox cheek main, braised in a punchy, full-bodied sauce. The melt-in-the-mouth meat is served with esparregado (spinach puree) and topped with a crunchy root vegetable crisp. Dessert is toucinho do céu (‘bacon from heaven’): an almond cake enriched with egg yolks and pork lard. It’s rich, but still light, and paired with tangy creme fraiche.

While meal kits sadly don’t come with the hum of a busy restaurant, they do provide an excuse to enjoy a five-course meal in loungewear. Eating in is the new eating out. Feast Kit for two £60. Lauren Gamp