Adega Grille, I Drive

I had dinner at this Portuguese restaurant on the Fun Spot side of I Drive tonight. It's near Giraffa's. I went there recently when it was Emporio Brazil. The name means wine cabinet. They should have called it bacaloa. Half the menu is comprised of this dried salt cod and nine tenth of the seafood entrees (one shrimp dish). The rest of the entrees are three beef and one chicken and one pork dish. I had the pork with clams for $17. It was good. I had cooked myself pork two of the last three nights, so, I wasn't eager for more pork. However, I wanted bacaloa even less and I just don't trust most places with shrimp any more. The clams (4) were an afterthought. A decoration. It was really a pork dish in a wine, drippings and cream sauce with roasted potatoes and pickled cauliflower and carrots. There was a lot of pork. It tasted gamey. Hopefully, that meant it wasn't American roided up pork and not that it was spoiled. It could have been because there were only two other diners eating with me (often a sign that the food may be stretched beyond its use by date). I hope the empty room is because their usual customer is a vampire. They also offered up a basket of rolls. The insides were cold. Does that mean they nuked them? The place seats about eighty. Half the tables/seats are in one style and the other half in another. They are new-ish though. The paint is white with orange accent walls. They have a faux brick wall wainscoting. The prep area is in tile. They have some blown up photographs of Portuguese landmarks on the wall. It's all appropriate. They sell Portuguese wine and beer. I still don't know if Orlando is ready for Portuguese cuisine. I'm less sure now. A Portuguese menu can be limited to begin with and such a bacaloa-centric menu is a gamble. I guess it is a smart move from the expense side since dry cod doesn't spoil, but, I'm not sure that is why you sell it. We aren't on a six month voyage to the America's. We can get whatever we want whenever we want. I don't think we ever want bacaloa. All that said, I think you should try it even if only to stamp your culinary passport. You can avoid the bacaloa. They have been open for four months.