In the heart of the city of Covilhã, well protected by the mountains, we find a restaurant where comfort food and hospitality are the main dishes. And that is the best way to describe GTreze, a project that opened in 2020 by two young entrepreneurs with a common passion – cooking, more specifically signature cuisine, where Portuguese and Italian dishes shine.
The owner, Joel Vital, manages the house and welcomes all visitors in an exemplary manner. Arriving in the Snow City through professional football (where he wore the number 13 jersey), and after discovering a new love for Covilhã, Joel Vital took the opportunity to transform ideas into dishes and dreams into reality and today continues to embrace this project alongside Chef Hugo Dias.
The space is very cozy, with modern decor but without losing its comfortable side. We sit down and feel like staying there, enjoying the night calmly. The menu offers a good balance between more classic dishes and some bolder suggestions — always served with care and good presentation but without ever compromising the most important thing, the flavor!
We started the tasting with Alheira and walnut truffles and a Goat cheese puff pastry. The intense flavors of the mountains, ideal for those days when the cold still lurks. For the main course, the highlight is a sublime Sparkling wine, lime and shrimp risotto, followed by a Land and Sea dish, a signature creation by the chef, where the veal Tornedó, roasted pumpkin puree and squid stuffed with shrimp shine. The meat is served perfectly cooked, tender and well seasoned. Excellent proposals that satisfy the most demanding palates. And of course, we couldn’t miss dessert: Natas do céu and Chocolate and peanuts (a combination that never fails)!
At GTreze we realize that the ingredients are fresh and that the cooking here is done with a lot of passion, because you can feel it on the plate. And the hospitality in Covilhã is priceless, it is not forced, on the contrary, it is very genuine and whenever we pass through the city we are welcomed in an exemplary way and we leave with an immense desire to return!
By Carla Branco
INFO: www.gtreze.pt