The American Dream 10 | BOROMAG.COM | JULY 2014 FOOD & DRIN K STORY + PHOTOS BRADLEY HAWKS Antonio Trindade has one of the most gentle smiles I have ever seen. While his skin glows with energy and health, his chocolate eyes are heavy with his intricate story, and he speaks with a truth I instantly feel I can believe. There is a peace about the way he talks, his gestures, and his every movement. The heaviness in his eyes is not necessarily one of sadness, but more of awareness. And of gratitude for the life that came from a childhood in Portugal that poised him for a difficult journey. At a young age, his mother fell in love with a neighbor and moved away, leaving Antonio with his father. And when his father passed due to liver complications, the young Antonio found himself alone at only 5 years of age. He was raised in an orphanage for the next 12 years, although he did eventually find his mom. “I must have tried to knock on her door so many times,” he recalls. “I can still see that cobblestone street, and hear her voice ring, ‘Just a minute!’ from somewhere inside before I would run away down the street.” When he turned 21, he met a man from Newark who suggested he move his life to the states. So he left his bartending job in Portugal and hopped the pond. But once he landed and called the man from Jersey who had invited him to come, there was no answer. But Antonio was here, and determined to create a better life. Fast forward a few decades to present-day Astoria, and Antonio is now in his third year of business owning Portalia. The name is a blend, as well as a tribute to his heritage in Portugal and Italia. “The name was my son, Lorenzo’s idea, and some day I would love to introduce some of my Portuguese dishes as specials,” smiles the father of three with his two sons standing not too far behind him. His daughter, Tatiana, is not working at the restaurant this particular afternoon. It is a handsome family, and judging from the laughter, a very happy one. “I am very hands-on,” explains Antonio, who can often be seen bussing tables. He also hand-selects his ingredients from the market, “which are never frozen,” he explains twice for emphasis. He even grows his own herbs in the front window running along the patio. “I guess I would say my style of cooking is northern Italian,” he continues, “with lots of marinating in wine, garlic, rosemary, and mint.” A charcuterie tray arrives with peppered cured meats and tissue-paperthin prosciutto, a glistening mosaic of olives, tiny bricks of aged parmesan and asiago, and marinated bell peppers in orange and red. Bread service includes thinly sliced loaves of cranberry walnut bread that lay across warm pieces of peasant bread. The basket is presented with a bowl of homemade marinara that has been blended with fresh herbs and a mild goat cheese, and we begin to dip the bread repeatedly. Most of the pastas are homemade, and we dive into a bowl of bucatini—long, thin pasta tubes that have been tossed in quail eggs, guanciale, parmesan, and black pepper to create one of the most savory carbonaras I have enjoyed. For dessert, a simple chalice filled with fresh berries and topped with a sabayon that is light as air genuinely hits the spot. The meal was fantastic, but not as heavy as I had thought it might have been. “You cannot sacrifice quality,” Antonio explains. And health is also a priority, as he is also a personal trainer on the side. “Maybe some day I will move and open my own farm-to-table restaurant, and maybe even go on a date,” he laughs. “But right now, my biggest pride are my kids,” who he was also left to raise by himself. His persistence, faith, and winning demeanor have made a lasting impression on me. Whenever he can, he likes to donate to the school down the street. “I wouldn’t be where I am if it weren’t for a lot of great people helping me along the way.” Portalia 35-03 Broadway, Astoria, NY 11106 718-545-3500 www.portalianyc.com
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