The word ‘kebab’ cannot be used: it is ‘skewers’
of wild mushrooms and selections of pork
served with salteados – stir fried vegetables.
The acem is a cut of beef – untranslatable.
Let them ask us.
Our name is a trademark; it should be placed
before the words ‘burger’ and ‘steak.’
Though it is Chef’s special sauce.
Our steak – please state it is 40 grams.
It comes with chips, salad and asparagus migas.
Note the escabeche du rabo de boi has won awards,
beautifully balanced – not at all vinegery.
Of the sobremesa, the sericaia with Elvas plums
in sugar syrup is a speciality of the region –
actually, they are greengages.
The pudim de agua is made with convent eggs.
Three different textures are discernible.
Tax at a rate of 23% is included.
Reduce the vegetarian option if you need more space.
Matt Bryden is a poet and teacher living in Somerset. He won the Charroux Memoir Prize and the William Soutar Prize in 2019 and in 2018 received a Literature Matters award from the Royal Society of Literature. He has published a pamphlet Night Porter (Templar), a first collection Boxing the Compass (Templar) and a book of translation The Desire to Sing after Sunset (Showwe). He runs the Somerset Young Poets competition. www.mattbryden.co.uk
More work by Matt Bryden
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