MY ANOSMATIC LIFE

After experiencing anosmia for 17 years, one of the not-so-joys of having anosmia (for me) had been being able to barely taste, especially when trying new dishes in new places (cue sarcasm). I traveled earlier this year and went to Portugal, Spain, and California (Palo Alto, Napa, & Los Angeles). During these travels, I tried lots of amazing food and could smell none of it. I’ll start with Portugal. I had many lattes that I added lots of sugar to and also amazing mocktails that I could barely taste but looked so pretty. I have a new obsession with olives as olives and bread are served at almost every Portuguese Restaurant. I also tried octopus salad for the first time as I’m not the biggest fan of chewy things but it was a little on the soft side and actually pretty good.

The beauty of food showed me how good it must’ve tasted along with my friend telling me how good it actually tasted and smelled. From breakfast to dinner, I ate food that most never tried before. I ate at a Michelin-star restaurant Tapisco twice (there was more food my friend and I wanted to try on the menu and waiters actually communicated that what we wanted was too much, hence, why returned). I ate a lot of cod dishes, as on the first day of eating out an American advised to eat seafood every opportunity you get in Portugal and we literally did that. One memorable cod dish was with shredded potatoes like in a nest and foam for the hotel’s restaurant stayed at PortoBay Liberdade hotel’s restaurant Bistrô4. It was amazing.

I ate lobster that was in a bowl of seafood rice for the first time at a restaurant O Faroleiro in Cascais, Portugal. Another restaurant called PortoBay restaurant IL BASILICO LISBOA had an amazing tart that was so good that my friend and I ate at the restaurant twice. Also ate Risotto for the first time at their restaurant: Risotto with Shrimp, Zucchini, and Saffron. I am obsessed with food shows and always see the chefs make Risotto (that always looks so good) and use lots of saffron since it’s so expensive and couldn’t pass with both in the same dish.

I ate delicious African cuisine and tried Mozambican and Cape Verdean food for the first time. tried the Mozambican restaurant Cantinho do Aziz where I enjoyed a beef Chambussa, and Piri Piri Lamb Barka (lamb ribs in spicy sauce w/ rice). It was all too good and I ate about every drop of it, plus some Yucca fries. At the Cape Verdean restaurant Tambarina, I had fufu for the first time and Muamba (Chicken and okra stew).

I had one of the best ceviches with Kimchi in Barcelona with no photo for proof because it was so good and I was too hungry to stop eating to take a photo. I also had some of the best-roasted potatoes in my life while at a Fado show in Lisbon’s EmbaiXada from Gin Lovers Bar and Restaurant. Again, I have no proof but would have licked the plate if I wasn’t in public. The last meal consisted of a delicious mushroom ravioli and dessert from PortoBay Liberdade hotel’s restaurant Bistrô4. Over the years, I had become so attuned to life with anosmia that made it a point to enjoy every moment of delicious food that looked and tasted good even though I was unable to get the full effect.