#passionforporco

[pratoaprato-blog]

556 Restaurant - Pemba

Restaurante 556… Oh what a paradise to be found. This place is a pork heaven for any and all pork lovers who find themselves wandering in Pemba, the provincial capital of Cabo Delgado. If you’ve done any research what so ever on the country (which any mindful & straight up smart person would do before traveling anywhere!) you’d know that the northern part of Mozambique is predominantly Muslim. What does this mean to any pork aficionado? It means pork meat of any kind is scarce and very difficult to come by, let alone for it to be actually good when you do come across it. This lovely South African restaurant/bar is situated in between the main hospital in Pemba & the industrial port of the city. Once you walk in you immediately forget you’re in Mozambique, having a western pub vibe which includes local beers on tap. The restaurant is divided in two areas, the bar section which is also the smoking area and a separate dining area. While enjoying an amazing meal, you can also enjoy a marvelous view of the Pemba Bay (go around sunset, it’s stunning and a bit romantic 😉).

The menu of this establishment is as breathtaking as the view, with a wide variety of high quality options from the aforementioned pork, chicken tenders, burgers, you name it. Yes I’ll be upfront, eating here will cost you a pretty penny, so it’s definitely a great choice if you’re in a “treat yo self” kind of mood but rest assured that after the first bite, money will be the furthest thing from your mind. We loved this place so much that during a 2 week period we ate there 3 times; we were hooked to say the least.

During our visits a couple of items from the menu were sampled, these were:

Pernil de Porco Fumado - I was literally dying and found heaven with this dish! Pernil is the hind part of the pig, mainly around the leg and thigh area. This miraculous cut of meat is amazingly seasoned, smoked and slow cooked to perfection. The meat literally falls off the bone, no knife is necessary. Being Hispanics, our pork standards run extremely high; this baby met all the qualifications for suckling deliciousness in our book! I would have to admit that my favorite part of was the crunchy chicharrón (Spanish word for crunchy pork skin) and the piri piri, Mozambican hot sauce, they give you on the side made it all come together, a pairing made in paradise. I personally ordered the pernil with a side of salad and tomato rice that made me feel like I was not missing out on my traditional Puerto Rican Christmas meal; you can also order it with a side of fried potatoes which were exceptionally crunchy, completely different to how Mozambicans fry theirs! In short this meal made me feel like I was back in the magical realm that is the Caribbean, amazing pork, great beer & just an overall laid back ambiance.  

MZN 700.00

Entrecosto de Porco – Racks on racks on racks of ribs! These bad boys have a very hearty amount of meat on each succulent rib and the serving size is anything but conservative. Can be picked to be smoked or not but either way hearts will be popping out of your eyes like something out of the Looney tunes. These ribs are prepared in a way that crisps the outer edges while leaving the deeper meat juicy and full of flavor. Can be chosen with the same option of sides as the pernil so it’s dealers choice on which culinary adventure to take. Honestly a barbeque dish unlike any other that I’ve had in this country thus far.

MZN 650.00

Filete de Porco – Definitely not as much as monster as the pernil, the filete is the epitome of suave and delicious. Very subtle in appearance with 2 to 3 chunks of well seasons pork fillets covered and glazed in this ludicrously good savory meat sauce. It’s a bit more reminiscent of that fancy night out rather than the latin family barbeque associated with the pernil. Every bite will scream of class and specialty while at the end the patron is left with the ability to rally and turn their night a bit more rowdy if they so chose without the sometimes bothersome effects of food “itis” and being short an extra 200 mets.

MZN 550.00

Costeletas de Porco - Obviously you can see that we weren’t joking about our love or appetite for pork. For the individual with a more level head when it comes to that savory swine the pork chops are an excellent choice. Two thick and meaty chops seasoned in a traditional South African barbeque style make for a great lunch or dinner that won’t have you glued to your seat clutching your stomach and begging for the sweet release of death.

MZN 550.00

Hamburger de Bife/ Galhina – We have ranted and raved about the pork preparation at the wonderful 556 but it is here that we draw the line. 556 takes the cake in regards to their Carnes menu, no doubt about it in our eyes. But when it comes to the burgers at this establishment we found them to be wanting heavily. Maybe it was because of the pork that we held the entire menu in such high esteem but now we know for sure. The beef burger is quite a large serving on some toasted bread slices, decked with the classic lettuce onions and tomatoes. Where the thing unravels is at the beef patty. Instead of one thick slab of ground meat, it’s a pounded up conglomeration of mince meat that just doesn’t do the archetypical burger justice. Taste lacks in being savory and the texture of it just crumbles and falls apart sadly, making for a very sad ordeal halfway thru the meal. The chicken burger is a little better in the sense that it will actually stay intact as you eat it but although very well breaded, the chicken meat reminds you of those cheap chicken pattys that were always ever so popular during middle school lunches. We love you 556 but if you’re jonesing for a good burger 556 is not the place for you (but Sail Café probably is)

MZN 400.00

Tiras de Galinhas – Fucking amazing! As an entrée or a starter, these chicken strips will blow your mind back to that awesome diner down the street. No bones, cartilage, or tendons; these strips have nothing but pure well breaded chicken breast that is infused with a pinch of piri piri spice (that can be asked for on the side for you faint hearted patrons). Fried to perfection and paired with the wonderful condiment combination of mayo and ketchup this plate makes for the perfect culinary escape. And if it’s ordered between two people the starter will sometimes be the same as the entrée with a side of salad and fries as well as a hefty portion of strips; the starter will normally be just a handful of strips for larger orders. Odd we know, but as we were lucky enough to reap the benefits of this strange occurrence not too many questions were asked.

Starter MZN 300.00

Entrée MZN 500.00

^^^Pernil Fumado in all its glory with a side of tomato rice