Timor-Leste!

A restaurant serving food from Timor-Leste seemed like it would be impossible to find in Cleveland, but this city keeps surprising me. I did some intense Googling and found a dish that is frequently served in Timor-Leste, feijoada, at Batuqui, a Brazilian place that also serves some Portuguese options. Portuguese food to represent a country in Southeast Asia? This project is teaching me so much!

I've heard great things about Batuqui AND it's in one of my favorite neighborhoods, Larchmere, that has a really cool vibe with some great independent shops, vintage stores, and restaurants. If you go, don't miss Loganberry Books which is a book lovers paradise.

Batuqui is located inside a converted home (my favorite spot for a restaurant!) and they have a large front and back patio for dining. I was warmly greeted on the patio by one of the owners, Carla, and even though the weather was perfect for the patio, I really wanted to see the inside. She hooked me up with a cute little table next to the bar.

Carla was so friendly and the pride in her restaurant really showed in the way she walked me through the menu and continued to stop by and check on me throughout my meal. It was one of the best experiences I've had in Cleveland so far, service-wise - super friendly, helpful, and attentive.

I started off with a glass of vinho verde which is my favorite summertime wine - crisp with a slight effervescence - and Portuguese so slightly on theme. There were so many amazing aperitivos on the menu, but I was on a mission. I stuck with my plan to only order the feijoada which is described as black beans simmered with locally sourced bacon, ham, beef, smoked pork loin, smoked kielbasa, and imported linguiça. It's served with rice, farofa, sautéed collard greens and tomato relish.

Order in, time to research!

Timor-Leste is one of the newest countries in the world having only gained its independence from Indonesia in 2002. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor and some nearby islands, Atauro, Jaco, and an enclave, Oecusse. West Timor is still part of Indonesia. Timor-Leste was colonized by Portugal in the 16th century until 1975 when they had nine days of independence before they were invaded and occupied by Indonesia. What followed was a decades-long, violent conflict between separatist groups and Indonesian military. In 1999, Indonesia finally relinquished control of the territory and Timor-Leste became a nation in 2002.

Timor-Leste's main exports are coffee, marble, sandalwood, and petroleum, but it is poor nation. Just over 40% of the population live under the poverty line.

I highly recommend reading more about the country because the history is fascinating, but this is a blog about meals so I better get back to it!

The primary food in Timor-Leste is rice along with other staples such as sweet potatoes, cassava, and taro. Most homes in Timor-Leste raise their own animals for meat - pork, poultry, and goat are most popular, but fishing is also standard on the coast. The cuisine has influences from Southeast Asia and Portugal along with flavors from the other Portuguese colonies.

Okay, that's enough research! Time to eat!

The feijoada arrived and it was picture perfect. Thankfully, I remembered to actually take a picture this time around!

The black beans were cooked to perfection, smooth and flavorful while still leaving a nice bite to the bean. The bits of pork and beef fell apart with the slightest poke of my fork and the sausages had excellent char that gave that satisfying crackle when I bit into it. The collard greens were cut into ribbons and the vinegary tang of the tomato relish was a nice touch. I had never heard of farofa before and now I want to sprinkle it on everything! It is cassava flour that is cooked with bacon, onions, and garlic and then toasted. It tasted a bit like cheesy bread crumbs and added the perfect pop of texture to the dish.

It was a big portion and not one drop was left on the plate when I was finished. I'm looking forward to finding a recipe and attempting to make this at home.

Week three was a winner! 49 left to go. I can't wait to see where my taste buds take me next.

Batuqui
12706 Larchmere Blvd.
Cleveland, OH 44120
Website

Operating Hours:
TUES - SAT | 5:00pm - 10:00pm
SUN | 3:00pm - 9:00pm