Yin/Yang to try out in Lisbon.

One the last places you think of when people talk about natural foods is Lisbon. Or maybe not, depending on what you include under that heading.
For Rui Rato, owner of the restaurant Tao, natural foods imply not only foodstuffs in their unrefined form, but also a harmonious combination of each ingredient, taking into account the effect of the whole on body, mind and spirit of each individual. It is exactly with this in mind that each client puts together their own dish, which is what you’d expect in a restaurant whose name is derived from Taoism. In this Chinese philosophical and religious tradition, Tao signifies the way, as well as the origin and force behind everything. One of the schools of Taoism was the Naturalist school, a synthesis of the concepts of Yin/Yang, typically associated with the feminine and masculine, or, in Rui Rato’s words “the complementarity of opposites”. And this philosophy is reflected in the cuisine, mostly vegan and potentially macrobiotic, depending on how each client puts their dish together.

Open for over a decade and located in the Rua dos Douradores, Tao is in the very heart of Lisbon’s city centre. The ambience is Zen, and there is a space for Tai-Chi classes on the 1st floor. And it is there that Rui Rato, author of the books “Diagnóstico Oriental” (Oriental Diagnosis) and “Segredos de Longevidade e Vitalidade, Através da Alimentação Micro-Macrobiótica” (Secrets of Longevity and Vitality, through a Micro-Macrobiotic Diet) gives consultations on dietary guidance and oriental diagnosis.

Serving dishes canteen-style with five portions at 5€, Tao is, without doubt, the most economical and tasty option among vegetarian and macrobiotic restaurants in the Lisbon area. But is it also the one that shows the greatest concern for the health of its clients, avoiding the common practice of serving refined rice and bread. What’s more, it’s one of the few places where you can find delicious sugar-free desserts.

Although the menu varies daily, you can always find whole-grain rice. Or house specialities such as breaded seitan, grilled tofu or vegetable tempura (a kind of Japanese version of Portuguese peixinhos da horta). Other possibilities include the appetising vegetable pie, tofu and leek tart, hummus, fried rice balls and fried turnip greens.

At the end, we face the Herculean task of deciding which of the desserts to try out. Mostly vegan, the range includes rice pudding, carob mousse, apple crumble, sweet salami with peanuts, carob cake, apple pies, coconut mousse and apple tart.

At a cost of 6€ for the dish with five portions and dessert, it is quite normal to leave Tao as if from a family Sunday lunch – but a single visit is not enough to try out everything the restaurant has to offer.

“Tao is not only the most economical and tastiest option, it is also the one that shows most concern for the health of its clients.”

About the author

Hugo Filipe Lopes:Has a degree in sociology and a post-graduate qualification in clinical nutrition from the Egas Moniz Faculty. Collaborates with a number of online publications, a trainer and nutritional therapist. Honourable mentions in the Casa da Imprensa and Lisboa à Letra competitions..