Category: Reviews - Traveling Through Food | Food & Travel Blog

Homewood Suites Orlando Airport by Hilton Review With Pics | Pre Cruise Hotel

12/13/2025

Where to stay before a cruise out of Port Canaveral, Florida

This post is part of the series: Celebrity Apex Cruise Review

If you're like R&M who flew into Orlando Airport before sailing out of Port Canaveral, you have a choice to make:

Stay at a hotel closet to the airport and transfer to the cruise port on embarkation day
Transfer after your flight and stay near the cruise port

Celebrity Apex Sailing From Port Canaveral, Florida

Our clients decided to stay near Orlando Airport at Homewood Suites and transfer to the cruise port the following morning.

Please enjoy their photo review of below!

See Also: How To Get To Port Canaveral From Orlando Airport

Homewood Suites Orlando Airport by Hilton Review With Pics

Filed Under: Client Travel Photos • Real Traveler Experiences

Homewood Suites Orlando Airport by Hilton Review With Pics | Port Canaveral Pre-Cruise Hotel

A comfortable bed with nightstands on either side.

Homewood Suites Orlando Airport by Hilton Review With Pics | Port Canaveral Pre-Cruise Hotel

A lounge space with a couch and ottoman

Homewood Suites Orlando Airport by Hilton Review With Pics | Port Canaveral Pre-Cruise Hotel

A desk with office chair for your remote work needs

Homewood Suites Orlando Airport by Hilton Review With Pics | Port Canaveral Pre-Cruise Hotel

A large tv for movies in bed :)

Homewood Suites Orlando Airport by Hilton Review With Pics | Port Canaveral Pre-Cruise Hotel

Drawers - but you're probably not unpacking if you're leaving in the morning right? :)

Homewood Suites Orlando Airport by Hilton Review With Pics | Port Canaveral Pre-Cruise Hotel

A very functional kitchenette!

With a dishwasher, microwave, and cooktop you can save some money on eating out if you want. Or you can easily heat up your leftovers! :)

Homewood Suites Orlando Airport by Hilton Review With Pics | Port Canaveral Pre-Cruise Hotel

There is also a dedicated kitchen table to eat at - no more huddling over the desk area!

Bathroom equipped with shampoo + Body wash

Homewood Suites Orlando Airport by Hilton Review With Pics | Port Canaveral Pre-Cruise Hotel

sink conveniently located outside the bathoom

This is great for traveling with others, as someone can be using the shower or toilet and someone else can be using the mirror, brushing their teeth, etc. at the same time!

Homewood Suites Orlando Airport by Hilton Review With Pics | Port Canaveral Pre-Cruise Hotel

What did you think of your stay at Homewood Suites in Orlando?

We were happy with our stay. We thought the room was nice, it was a suite so the bedroom was seperate. Homewood Suites offered a good free breakfast in the morning and we also took advantage - it's a hotel with free shuttle from Orlando airport.

Check Rates: Homewood Suites in Orlando

How to get to Port Canaveral from Orlando Airport

If your cruise is departing Port Canaveral and you fly into Orlando airport you can:

use a ride-share service like lyft whether on-demand, or scheduled.
book a transfer - some great savings if you're traveling in a large group as well!

Celebrity Apex Review

This cruise is heading to: St. Kitts • San Juan, Puerto Rico • Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic

More Hotel Reviews

GALLERYone - DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Fort Lauderdale Hotel Review
(Port Everglades Cruise Hotel Review)
Hyatt Place Fort Lauderdale Cruise Port Hotel Review
(Port Everglades Pre-Cruise Hotel Review)
Hilton Free Night Certificate - You can get one!
Lagoas Park Oeiras (Lisbon) Review
(Lisbon, Portugal Hotel Review)
Turim Saldanha in Lisbon
(Lisbon, Portugal Hotel Review)
All Hotel Reviews Worldwide

Celebrity Cruise Reviews

A Celebrity Cruise Blog filled with Celebrity Cruise Tips, Guides, Cruise and Ship Reviews with Pics from *real* travelers!

Le Grand Bistro Specialty Dining Review with Photos!
(Celebrity Ascent Paid Specialty Dining Restaurant)
Celebrity River Cruises - Itineraries, Ship Names, Deck Maps, PRICING, and more!
Celebrity Cruise Blog: Embarkation Day on Celebrity Ascent
Celebrity Raw On 5 Menu with Prices - Specialty Dining

Starbucks Lisbon Parque das Nações Review: Breakfast Deal + hand painted mural

12/3/2025

If you find yourself in Lisbon's lovely Parque das Nacoes neighborhood and want to have a familiar experience with a local touch, pop into the Starbucks at Alameda dos Oceanos 1.06 1.1, 1990-207 Lisboa.

Hand-painted Mural | Lisbon Starbucks Revew | Parque das Nacoes

Of course, my favorite feature of this Starbucks location is the cool hand painted tropical mural on the far wall. But the breakfast deal isn't bad either... ;)

Breakfast Deal at Starbucks in Lisbon Portugal

What is the breakfast deal at Starbucks in Lisbon?

Starbucks offers a nice little breakfast deal including one small latte and a croissant or bagel. Simple and does the job. :)

How much is starbucks breakfast deal in lisbon?

The oferta pequeno-almoço (breakfast deal) was 2.90 (that's about $3.38 with current euro to usd conversion rate) during our last visit to Starbucks in Parque das Nacoes.

Croissant or Bagel and Latte Breakfast Deal | Starbucks Lisboa Review

It was lovely to have an individual jar of jam (so cute!) and butter or cream cheese along side the bagel / croissant.

IS Starbucks In Portugal Expensive?

As always, "expensive" and "affordable" are relative terms. There is no doubt that you can get something similar at a smaller, more local cafe for a bit lower of a price.

However, there is something to be said for the consistency in knowing what you're going to get, that familiarity, the wifi, and let's not forget the city-specific Starbucks coffee mugs for the collectors - you know who you are ;)

Starbucks Mugs - Portugal, Lisboa, Porto | Tap to Order

Gift Idea: Portuguese Starbucks Mugs

A Portuguese Twist at Starbucks in Lisbon

A tosta mista is a popular snack/sandwich served in just about any cafe across Portugal. It's basically a grilled cheese with ham.

Portuguese Tosta Mista at Starbucks Lisboa

At Starbucks in Portugal you can enjoy a tosta mista on a lovely croissant like we did here!

A quick and comforting grilled ham and cheese on a croissant | Portugal Starbucks Review

We're all for eating at local establishments when we travel as you can see by the majority of our restaurant reviews which are generally not at major chains.

But it can also be fun to try some of those familiar chains when abroad (Like when We Tried McDonalds in Portugal - Better Than McDonalds in US?), to see how they compare, what unique menu items they offer, or even just for nostalgia sake.

More Lisbon Restaurant Reviews:

Fish & Ships Review: Was It Worth It?

9/1/2025

Fish & Ships Review | Independence of the Seas

Fish & Ships on Royal Caribbean is a complimentary dining option offering, well.. you guessed it fish and chips!

Fish & Ships on Embarkation Day ❤︎ Independence of the Seas Review

Is Fish & Ships open on Embarkation Day?

Yes. Fish & Ships was open on embarkation day during our 4-night cruise and I recommend grabbing a bite here on day one if you want to avoid a busy windjammer buffet.

Fish & Ships Menu | Independence of the Seas

In the past, Fish & Ships was a paid casual dining option, but for the last few years it has been free, aside from an up-charge for a Fried Lobster Tail basket & chips (fries) at $12.

I'd like to try the fried lobster tail basket next time and let you know if it's worth the splurge ;)

Fish and Ships menu on Independence of the Seas

What's on the menu at Fish & Ships?

For free, you can enjoy:

Fish & Chips with tartar sauce
Chicken Fingers & Chips with honey mustard
Fried Shrimp & Chips with cocktail sauce
Crispy Fish Sandwich - lettuce, tomato, and tartar sauce

Fish & Ships Independence of the Seas Food Pics

We started with one order of fish & chips and chicken fingers without fries (gotta pace yourself on a cruise lol).

Fish and Chips + Chicken Fingers on Independence of the Seas ❤︎ Fish & Ships Review

Chicken Fingers (no chips)

We requested no chips with the chicken fingers. There is a classic, thick batter on these chicken fingers.

Chicken Fingers ❤︎ Royal Caribbean Food Pics

Fish & Chips

The British style fish and chips comes with thick cut chips (french fries) and battered white fish.

Fish and Chips ❤︎ Cruise Food Pics

The batter was light and delightfully crunchy after being freshly deep fried - this could be dangerous!

Please note: I saw a review online indicating that the fish is battered in chicken finger batter, which is clearly not British style fish, and I think that must have been an anomaly as we did not experience that at all during our cruise.

Please try Fish & Ships for yourself, the batter is delicious! :)

Poolside dining on Independence of the Seas at Fish & Ships

Royal Caribbean Fish & Ships Review Independence of the Seas - Is it Worth It?

Absolutely, it's worth it! It's free - how could it not be worth it?! ;p

No, but seriously, Fish & Ships is one of my favorite complimentary dining locations on Royal Caribbean cruise ships.

Of the chicken fingers, fish, and fried shrimp the fried fish is easily our favorite and the best thing on the Fish & Ships menu, in our opinion.

Fried shrimp take second place, followed by chicken fingers, but I bet all the kiddies love those unlimited chicken fingers and while they do, the parents can enjoy something a bit more "grown up" with the fish and shrimp!

Which Royal Caribbean Ships have Fish & Ships?

Fish & Ships is included in your cruise fare and is located on the pool deck of Independence of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas.

I wish more ships had this casual dining option!

No need to stop the poolside fun when you're hungry, just send a delegate over to Fish & Ships and have a taste of the UK on your cruise! ;)

Book a Cruise with Fish & Ships

MORE FROM THIS 4 NIGHT CRUISE ON INDEPENDENCE OF THE SEAS:

Everything We Ate on a 4-Night Royal Caribbean Cruise
Connecting Balcony Photo Tour and Review | Independence of the Seas Cabin
Entertainment & Activities on Independence of the Seas
Perfect Day at CocoCay Review

For Fish And Chips Lovers:

Royal Caribbean Blog:

Weekend Cruise • 4 Night Cruise

Lupita Pizzaria Alvalade | Lisbon Restaurant Photo Review

8/28/2025

We've had a great time trying some of the best pizza in Lisbon over the last couple years, but there was a gap in our collection of favorites: Lupita.

Neapolitan style pizza at Lupita Pizzaria in Lisbon

Lupita Pizza Lisbon - AlvaLade Location

Lupita Pizzaria in Cais do Sondré is the original location which some friends of ours whose pizza tastes we esteem had recommended to us before.

When we found ourselves in Lisbon for a medical appointment at Hospital da Luz and saw that we were a 10 minute Uber away from Lupita we had to take the opportunity!

Lupita's Alvalade location in Lisbon | Lisbon Food Blog

As it turns out, Lupita Pizzaria has a second location in Lisbon - Alvalade, which is now open for lunch beginning at 12h.

Lupita Alvalade Open 12-23:30 Wednesday - Sunday | Lisbon Travel Blog

Beyond a 2025 award from Lisbon Insiders, Lupita hit the top 50 pizzas in Europe list, ranking 45 in 2024 on this famous 50 Top Pizza Europa list which is a massive achievement when you think of all the pizza places in Europe!

Lupita is a 2024 winner of Top 50 Pizzas in Europe + 2025 Lisbon Insiders Winner

Vibe

Lupita Pizzaria in Lisbon (Alvarade) has a laid back yet vibrant vibe during a bustling lunch hour.

An open kitchen lets you feel part of the action at Lupita in Alvalade, Lisbon

The open kitchen makes the overall fairly small pizzaria feel more spacious, and the melodic callout "serviço!" makes you nearly feel like part of a team with every order up!

Order Up! Lupita Lisbon Pizza Review

The decor is simultaneously industrial with concrete finishing and exposed pipes ...

Industrial yet homey vibe at Lupita Pizzaria

... while at the same time feeling home-y and down to earth with cans of San Marzano tomatoes and cookbooks like the New York Times bestselling The Art of Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz adorning the shelves.

Wine bottles and cookbooks decorate the walls at Lupita Alvalade, a Top Lisbon Pizzaria

What we ordered

Drinks.

Lupita pizzaria has a focus on natural wines, offers beer from an independent craft brewery in Lisbon called MUSA and we decided to take advantage of both of those opportunities.

Lupita branding on their glasses of natural wine and locally brewed beer | Lisbon Restaurant Review

MUSA Blondie (draft) - 2.5
Mur Mur Mur Fizei - 7

Spicy Alla Vodka Pizza

A pizza topped with spicy vodka sauce, crumbled pepperoni and pecorino sounded too good to pass up.

Spicy Alla Vodka Pizza at Lupita Pizzaria

That's one good looking pizza!

Close up of Spicy Vodka Sauce Pizza in Lisbon | Lupita Pizzaria Review

We even have some pops of green for good measure. ;) This pizza was delicious. The vodka sauce was flavorful and the bacon pieces were nice and crispy!

Spicy Amatriciana

One thing is for sure: This isn't your Italian grandma's Amatriciana.

Top down view of Lupita's Spicy Amatriciana Pizza | Lisbon's Best Pizzas

Topped with guanciale, slices of garlic, red onion, pickled jalapeno peppers, pecorino, and chimichurri, you can see why we'd say that..

A modern twist on Amatriciana pizza at Lupita in Lisbon

With the Spicy Amatriciana pizza at Lupita you get really fresh, vibrant tomato flavor, rich saltiness from the guanciale, and the pickled jalapeños add both some heat and some sweet tanginess from the pickling.

It's really a delight to the tastebuds from every angle and we didn't even get to the crust yet.

Lupita Pizzaria: About the Crust

Can we just take a look at this crust for a moment?

Is this a perfect pizza crust? Lupita Pizzaria Review

Just one glance and you can tell how crispy, yet fluffly that pizza handle is going to be!

A crust we will dream of | Best Pizza Crust in Lisbon

This level of spotting is exactly what I want to see when I peek at the bottom of a pizza these days.

And that little hole? I say it's a nod to Benagil caves. ;)

Tiramisu & Espresso

It's pretty hard to pass up tiramisu on any dessert menu, isn't it?

Dessert at Lupita Pizzaria in Lisbon

And I think you'll have to agree that this is a beautiful slice of tiramisu!

Beautiful layered Tiramisu on vintage china at Lupita in Lisbon

Rather than standard lady fingers, it appears to be thin layers of sponge precisely placed between thick layers of cream.

Grandmillenials rejoice when it's time for dessert at Lupita in Lisbon

And can we take a moment for the very grandmillennial china, tea cups and saucers?

Lupita Pizza Menu

Lupita has a perfectly sized menu to offer "safe" choices for the timid and unique toppings for the adventurious, without being a menu of overwhelming proportions.

Lupita Menu with Prices - Pizza and Appetizers in Lisbon

Lupita Drink Menu

And again, we don't need a 6 page drink menu. This is just right.

Lupita drink menu with prices | Lisbon Pizzaria

Lupita Lisbon Pizza Review

Okay wow. Hopefully it is easy to see that Lupita is clearly a pizza spot in Lisbon worth your visit.

What we loved:

Amazing Crust. Undoubtedly one of the best pizza crusts we've had in a looooong time. Crispy with just the right amount of chew, and a fluffy handle. The crust even stayed crispy once the pizza cooled down, especially with the Amatriciana.
Incredible Topping Combos. Really well executed unique topping combinations. A lot of pizza places will have unusual toppings and when you branch out to try them you end up a bit disappointed, but not the case here. These pizzas stand on their own!
Awesome Staff. Great staff - friendly, efficient, helpful. Just really nice, especially during a packed lunch hour.

Other thoughts:

A bit cramped. The space is small and they do their best. We were sat at a round table next to another couple at a neighboring round table and the tables were so close the guy next to me was having a hard time not accidentally elbowing me while he ate. On the other hand, we didn't have to wait at all which was fantastic!
Not our favorite Tiramisu. Despite looking fabulous, this may be a controversial opinion, but we both felt underwhelmed by the tiramisu. At the first bite of tiramisu I want to taste the espresso and marasala/amaretto/brandy (whichever is fine) in a big way. In this case we didn't get that lift and felt it lacked flavor despite being beautiful and seeming to be great quality. The cream was thick and decadant and I think in a way overshadowed what should have been very flavorful sponge soaked in coffee/liquor.
No House Wine. Here in Portugal nearly every restaurant has a "house wine" that's a bit more affordable and you can default to. Here at Lupita since they are focusing on natural wines, there's a higher price tag that comes with that, naturally. ;p

TL;DR

Go to Lupita. Get Pizza. Get Beer. Be Happy.

We're looking forward to next time we are Lisbon trying Lupita at the Cais do Sondré location and trying some more of their amazing sounding pizzas. Maybe we'll go out on a limb and try that cheesecake too ;)

More Lisbon Restaurant Reviews

5 Great Places to Eat in Ajuda & Beyond
- Tlaloc Un Rincon Mexicano
- Di Amici by Pizza Em Casa
- Churrasqueira Marques
- Food Hub
- Manapula
- Santo Graal
- Fiesta Restro and Snack Bar
- Momo Express
Lisbon Pizzeria Ranks In Prestigious Best Pizza In The World List
Bandalho Meat and Wine - Burgers, Sangria, and one of the fudgiest brownies in Portugal
Bubble Time Expo Review - Bubble tea & Bubble Waffles on the Riverfront
Han Table Korean BBQ Review - Grill at the table with your friends!
Where to get unlimited sushi in Lisbon - Sushi Fixe in Miraflores Review

Lupita Receipt

Cost of Living in Portugal

The cost of eating out in Lisbon was 46 euros at Lupita Pizzaria for 2 people. This included 2 pizzas, a beer, a glass of wine, 2 espressos, and one slice of tiramisu.

On average 23 euros per person

Benagil Caves Tours

Lidl Portugal Grocery Finds - July 2025

8/10/2025

Lidl Finds July 2025

This month in Lidl seems to be Thai month which is exciting because we love Thailand.

We've visited three times and lived in Bangkok for a month (it went so fast!). We love the Thai people, the language, and the food.

It will be hard to exercise self control and not pick up every Thai grocery item at Lidl this month.

Cooking Class in Chiang Mai Thailand | 2015

This post is part of a series: Lidl Grocery Store Finds & Reviews • Expats in Portugal

Vacationing in Portugal? Looking for on-the-ground Portugal cost of living information?
This series is for you! Updated throughout the month with new finds and honest reviews.

Vitasia Thai StylE Curry Pastes

We all know the secret to an amazing Thai curry is going to come from a freshly made paste, but due to time constraints and lack of access to the right ingredients it's not always possible.

A jarred option can be a solid substitute and curries make for easy and fast weeknight dinner ideas that you can load with lots of veggies and protein!

Order Thai Curry on Amazon

Vitasia Thai Curry Pastes at Lidl

Here's the line up:

Pasta de CUrry/Caril Rojo/Vermelho (Red Curry Paste)

A classic, Thai red curry is the one i usually reach for, I think because i find it most pleasing aesthetically.

Full Review & Cook Along: Coming soon!

Pasta Para CUrry/Caril Tom Yum (Tom Yum Curry Paste)

First Impressions: A bit confused because there are no cooking instructions on the jar. Is this paste a base for the amazing Thai Tom Yum soup or a Tom Yum flavored curry?

Full Review & Cook Along: Yum, Yum, On the way!

Pasta Para CUrry/Caril Massaman (Massaman Curry Paste)

My mother-in-law's favorite! Massaman curry is a milder curry that makes a perfect cozy meal on a cold day. Load it up with comforting potatoes and optional peanuts.

Full Review & Cook Along: Still Simmering!

Pasta de CUrry/Caril Verde (Green Curry Paste)

First Impressions: Curious to see if this will be the spiciest of the 4 Thai Curry Pastes at Lidl this month.

Full Review & Cook Along: Coming soon!

Vitasia Thai Style Red Curry Kit (Includes Coconut Milk, Curry Paste, Spices)

First Impressions: Unlike the Thai Curry pastes above, this is a one time use kit. For the price point, I'm expecting it to be an elevated experience.

This kit contains coconut milk, curry paste, and spices. Add your own veggies, protein, and rice.

I was drawn in by the inclusion of whole dried herbs and peppers.

Which Red Curry Kit at Lidl is Better? Read The Full Review Here. (coming soon!)

Vitasia Red Curry Kit

Vitasia Glass Noodles

First Impressions: I wonder if I can use these glass noodles with one of the Lidl Thai Curry pastes I bought?

Glass noodles are called "woon sen" in Thai (วุ้นเส้น)

They cook quickly and can be used hot or cold in various dishes.

Here's our review of Vitasia Glass Noodles PLUS a Thai Red Curry with Glass Noodle Cook Along (coming soon)

Vitasia Glass Noodles at Lidl

Lidl Chef Select Canja Galinha

Canja Galinha Sem Batata: Chicken Soup Without Potatoes.

A lot of ready-to-eat soups in Portuguese Grocery stores have potatoes, which is why the ones that don't specifically include "sem batata", or "without potato" on the package.

Will this fresh chicken noodle soup be an overly salty disappointment or will it offer the comfort any good chicken soup should?

Read the review here - You Know You're Portuguese If You Would Eat Soup On The Beach on A Hot Summer Day.

So Would You?

Chef Select Canja Galinha Sem Batata | Lidl FInds

Lidl Solevita Fresh Juices

We're doing battle of the Solevita juices this month!

Solevita Multifrutos ACE

This juice is packed with vitamins A, C, and E.

It's so orange!

You guessed it - the vibrant orange color comes from carrots.

Will this fresh carrot (cenoura) juice win out over a refreshing blueberry lemonade?

Read Here: Carrot Juice vs. Blueberry Lemonade - Which is Best?

Solevita Multifrutos ACE Sumo

Solevita Limonada de Mirtilo

Lemonade is an obvious rehydration and refreshment choice in the hot sumner months.

Adding the vibrant color and antioxidant boost of blueberries (mirtilos) is a total level up.

But will it pack the punch needed to KO the ACE juice above?

Find out which juice wins here.

Solevita Limonada de Mirtilo | Blueberry Lemonade

Snack Day Leitão Batatas Fritas (Potato Chips)

This is a very, very Portuguese potato chip flavor.

Leitao is roast suckling pig. For the Spanish readers "lechón".

If you're looking for unique, local flavor chips and snacks to try while you're in Portugal this is a good one.

The question is, does the essence of a deliciously decadent suckling pig meal translate well into a potato chip snack?

Read: Don't Miss THIS Potato Chip Flavor In Portugal!

Leitao Batatas Fritas at Lidl Portugal

See Also: Every Potato Chip Flavor We've Tried in Portugal

Italiamo Novellini Milk & Honey Shortbread Biscuits

First Impressions: You had me at milk and honey!

Love a traditional Scottish shortbread, but how will an Italian version stack up?

Americans Try Italian Milk and Honey Shortbread Biscuits from Lidl - Read Soon!

Italiamo Novellini Milk & Honey Shortbread Biscuits | Lidl Finds

Sal & Grelha Salsicha Calabresa Picante

I have an uncle from Calabria, so when I saw Salsicha Calabresa Picante at Lidl I wanted to pick them up.

Calabrian Pepper Sausage Cook Along | Air Fryer Cooking Series: Coming soon!

Salsicha Calabresa Picante Sal + Grelha Lidl

Chef Select Coxinhos de Frango

First Impressions: Another Air Fryer Cooking opportunity! Easy frozen foods for dinner in a pinch.

Chef Select Coxinhos de Frango in the Air Fryer - just 15 minutes till they're ready.

Air Fryer Cook Along Here: coming soon!

Lidl Chef Select Coxinhos de Frango | Air Fryer Cooking

Trattoria Alfredo Bio (Organic) Wood Fired Pizza - Salami

Is Lidl's Trattoria Alfredo Bio (Organic) Wood Fired Pizza worth the price tag?

Do better ingredients mean better taste?

We tried this Organic Salami Pizza from Lidl and here's what we thought - coming soon!

Lidl Organic Pizza Review - Salami

Vici Gyoza - Verduras Picantes

Big Gyoza fans over here, so we had to try these spicy vegetable Gyozas.

The question is: Can you cook Gyoza in an air fryer? lol Yes, it's all about the air fryer atm.

We Made Spicy Vegetable Gyozas In An Air Fryer - Here's How It Went

Vici Gyoza - Spicy Vegetables

More European Grocery Store Reviews:

Equilibrio Barras Amendoins, Avelas, Cajus, & Arandos
Danablu Danish Blue Cheese
Continente Rissois de Leitao
Skyr Drinkable High Protein Yogurt - Which Flavor Is Best?

Lidl FInds:

Vici Spicy Vegetable Gyoza Review | Air Fryer Test from Lidl Portugal

8/10/2025

Pierogi. Ravioli. Empanada. Dumpling. Momo. Khinkali. Gyoza.

Nearly every nationality has a version of some type of dough stuffed with a delicious filling and then cooked in some way - deep fried, steamed, boiled, and so on.

Today we try some Japanese inspired gyoza from Vici brand, purchased at Lidl grocery store.

This post is part of a series: July 2025 Lidl Grocery Store Finds • Japanese Food in Portugal
More Easy Air Fryer Cooking Ideas

Vici Gyozas de verduras picantes

Learn Portuguese:

Verduras - vegetables
Picantes - spicy

What does Gyozas de verduras picantes mean in English?

Spicy vegetable gyozas!

Learn Portuguese Category: In these posts you will learn some Portuguese vocabulary!

Vici Gyoza - Verduras Picantes (Spicy Vegetables)

Cooking Instructions & Nutrition Info for VIci Frozen Gyozas

The package includes visual instructions for how to cook these frozen Japanese gyozas summarized as follows:

Pot: 4-5 minutes
Pan: 2 minute + 3 minutes steaming
Steam: 6-10 minutes
Microwave + h20: 5-6 minutes
Oven at 200 C: 15 minutes

How To Cook Frozen Gyoza

English Ingredients for Vici Spicy Vegetable Gyoza

You can find an English ingredients list on this package. After the ingredient list you will find more detailed cooking instructions.

How to pan fry dumplings (Gyoza):

"Lightly grease a frying pan, place the dumplings in the pan and cook on moderate heat for 2 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom. Fill some water and steam for 3 minutes."

How to steam dumplings (gyoza)

"Put some water in the steaming pan and heat. When thh water is boiling, arrange dumplings on the steaming board and steam for 6-10 minutes. "

Ingredients and Cooking Instructions for Vici Spicy Vegetable Gyoza

How to microwave dumplings (Gyoza)

"Put dumplings in a suitable dish with water (dumplings completely covered). For standard 700W microwave, heat for about 5-6 minutes."

How to cook dumplings (Gyoza) in the oven

"Cover the dumplings with sauce and cook in the oven (preheated to 200C/395F for about 15 minutes)"
... Not sure what kind of sauce you would be cooking these in though tbh....

How to boil dumplings (gyoza)

"Boil in a pot with water for 4-5 minutes."

How to cook frozen Gyoza (Japanese dumplings) in an air fryer

Despite the package having instructions for not one, two, three, or four, but FIVE cooking methods... we opted do none of those and instead try cooking Vici gyoza in our air fryer!

See More: Air Fryer Cooking

Cooking Gyoza in an Air Fryer | Air Fryer Cooking Blog

We arranged 14 gyoza in our air fryer and spritzed with cooking spray. We air fried them at 200C, the highest temp on our air fryer, for about 10 minutes and checked for internal temp and color.

Vici Gyoza de Verduras Picantes Cocinado | Easy Air Fryer Ideas

Can you cook frozen gyoza in an air fryer?

Absolutely! This is an easy way to cook these little Japanese parcels of joy. As you can probably tell from the photos, the dough is quite crispy.

More often when you have gyoza the dough is soft and starchy with one side having a nice crust from being fried in a pan. So this is a different experience, for sure.

Crispy Gyoza From Lidl | Lidl Review Blog

Vici Gyozas de verduras picantes Review

We love Vici Gyozas! We have tried both the chicken (frango) and spicy vegetables (verduras picantes) and we prefer the vegetable version. They are very flavorful and truly do have a nice spice level to them!

Vici Spicy Vegetable Gyoza Review

We have repurchased these at Lidl multiple times and they are great to have on hand for a busy night or when you're too tired to cook.

See how they turn out when cooked in a pan... ( Cook along coming soon!)

More Air Fryer Cooking Ideas

More Lidl Grocery Finds & Reviews:

Solevita Multifrutos ACE vs Limonada de Mirtilo – Lidl Portugal Juice Taste Test & Comparison

8/7/2025

Time to taste-test and review two popular Lidl Portugal juices – Solevita Multifrutos ACE and Limonada de Mirtilo. Which one is more refreshing, flavorful, and worth your money? Find out in this juice showdown.

Solevita Multifrutos ACE Sumo

First up we have ACE multifrutos sumo (juice) from the brand Solevita, purchased at Lidl in Portugal.

This post is part of a series: July Lidl Grocery Store Finds & Reviews • Expats in Portugal
Learn Portuguese words in this post!

Solevita Multifrutos ACE Juice | Lidl Review Blog

What's in Multifrutos ACE juice from Solevita?

Surely you can guess from the vibrant hue that there is definitely carrot juice in here.

The carrot (cenoura in Portuguese) juice is accompanied by apple juice, and white grape juice to make a delicious, smooth juice packed with vitamins A, C, and E as the name suggests. ;)

Limonada de Mirtilo

Next up is the Limonada de Mirtilo, or Blueberry Lemonade also by the brand Solevita and purchased at Lidl Portugal.

Limonada de Mirtilo | Portugal Grocery Reviews

What's in Solevita Limonada de Mirtilo?

Water, lemon juice, sugar, lemon pulp, blueberry pulp, spirulina concentrate, flavor, and edulcorante which is the portuguese word for sweetener. In this case that sweetner is sucralose (splenda) in portuguese - sucralosa.

Solevita Limonada de Mirtilo Ingredients and Nutrition Facts:

Below you can see the nutrition information and the ingredient lists in Spanish and Portuguese for this blueberry lemonade from Lidl.

A crisp lemonade is always refreshing in the summer time and who wouldn't love the extra antioxidant punch of blueberries and spirulina?

Which Juice IS Best:

While the lemonade is refreshing and I'm sure I will pick it up again from time to time, my personal pick is the Multifrutos ACE juice. I love having some carrot juice and combining it with apple and white grape makes it so smooth and enjoyable!

Also I'm not the biggest fan of the taste of sucralose (Splenda) so it's always the first thing I taste when it's in a beverage like this blueberry lemonade. I appreciate it can take a lot of natural sugar to balance a lemonade and that isn't suitable for everyone, though.

Multifrutos ACE juice for the WIN! :)

More Juice Reviews:

Is Compal Mango Passionfruit Lemon Juice Good? Review here.

More European Grocery Reviews:

Top Questions:

Is Solevita Blueberry Lemonade Good? Yes. Is Solevita Multifruit ACE Juice Good? Yes. :)
Is Solevita Multifrutos ACE better than Limonada de Mirtilo? Acho que sim. I believe so, yes.
What is Splenda called in Portugal? In Portuguese Splenda is sucralosa. Sucralosa is the Portuguese word for sucralose - the sweetener known by the brand Splenda in the yellow packet.

Continente Mini Magnífico Pistacio Framboesa Review – Raspberry Pistachio Ice Cream Taste Test

8/7/2025

Pistachio is definitely having a moment and I'm here for it. Today we're reviewing pistachio ice cream bars!

Continente Mini Magnifico Pistacio Framboesa Ice Creams

The other week we snagged a box of these raspberry pistachio ice cream bars (minis) from the Portuguese grocery store continente.

This post is part of a series: July Grocery Store Finds & Reviews • Americans in Portugal

Mini Magnifico Pistacio Framboesa Gelados

Mini Ice Creams Are The Cutest

These mini ice creams on a stick are so cute. Each box comes with eight ice creams. The mini size makes them a sensible treat for anyone.

Mini Ice Creams from Continente Grocery Store in Portugal

Continente Mini Magnífico Pistachio Framboesa Ice Cream - Ingredients & Nutrition Facts

You can find the ingredients list both in Portuguese and English on these Pistachio & Raspberry ice cream treats.

Ingredients and Nutrition Facts - Continente Raspberry Pistachio Ice Cream Bars

White Chocolate Dipped, Pistachio Encrusted Ice Cream bar

These ice cream bars are covered in white chocolate and lots of pistachio pieces as you can see!

Continente Mini Magnifico Pistachio Ice Cream | Tasted in Portugal

One bite, everyone knows the rules...

Okay so the first bite was tasty enough, but we all know you need a follow up bite to really see what's happening ;)

First Bite - Mini Magnifico Pistachio Ice Cream White Chocolate + Chopped Pistachios | Portugal Food Blog

Pistachio Ice Cream with Raspberry swirl

Rather than just plain pistachio ice cream, Continente went with a raspberry swirl. You may or may not see it on the first bite, but you will on the second! :)

Pistachio Ice Cream Stick with Raspberry Swirl - Continente Review Blog

Mini Magnífico Pistachio Framboesa Review

Most often when we buy ice creams on a stick like these, they are covered in milk or dark chocolate. For example this name brand popcorn ice cream and it's store brand dupe here.

Whereas this pistachio ice cream was covered in white chocolate. The salty roasted pistachios embedded in the white chocolate added a nice balance as did the raspberry swirl.

Overall we enjoyed the mini magnifico pistachio framboesa ice creams more than these other pistachio ice creams (coming soon).

Bonus points for being adorable and tiny. :)

More Ice Cream reviews:

More Continente Portugal Grocery Reviews:

Continente Vs Lidl - Sliced Mozzarella Cheese Blind Taste Test

7/25/2025

We did a side-by-side blind taste test of Mozzarella cheese slices from Continente and from Lidl (Milbona brand) and the results were interesting...

Traveling to Portugal? Expat in Portugal? Check out our Lidl Review Blog + Continente Review Blog

Sliced Mozzarella Cheese - Better at Continente or Lidl?

Both Lidl and Continente have a similar packaging for their cheese slices. A plastic package that does not re-seal. *eyeroll* It's a great way for cheese to get dried out and weird quick.

Side By Side: Continente vs. Lidl Milbona Mozzarella Cheese Taste Test

Continente Queijo Mozzarella

Continente Mozzarella Cheese slices were inconsistently sliced, a sort of square-ish shape, and in this case those indents are just because this slice was on the bottom of the package.

Continente Mozzarella Cheese Slice | Portugal Food Blog

Mozzarella cheese from Continente is soft and creamy with a delicate texture.

Milbona Sliced Mozzarella Cheese from Lidl

The sliced mozzarella at Lidl comes in a round shape and is very flavorful.

Round Mozzarella Cheese Slice From Milbona | Lidl Review Blog

Blind Taste Test Results

In the blind taste test we assumed the creamier cheese with less flavor was Lidl brand and the slice with more robust flavor was Continente's. We preferred the more flavorful slice.

In reality, the more flavorful slice belonged to Lidl's Milbona brand!

Therefore Lidl brand wins this taste off!

Which Mozzarella Cheese Should YOU BUy?

In the grand scheme of things, both of these are nice slices of mozzarella cheese which are tasty to eat on their own and melt well in, say, a grilled cheese sandwich.

After doing this taste test we repurchased Continente's because we happened to be at that grocery store when we needed more mozz. However if we were going to both stores we would pick it up at Lidl instead. :)

More Lidl Reviews

More Continente reviews

How to Cook Vitasia Glass Noodles from Lidl | Quick & Easy Guide

7/25/2025

Asian ingredient find at Lidl: Vitasia Glass Noodles!

In this cook along, you'll see one quick and easy way to cook these glass noodles.

This post is part of a series: July 2025 European Grocery Store Finds • Expats in Portugal

Vitasia Glass Noodles

Vitasia Glass Noodles

Vitasia Glass Noodles Ingredients + Nutrition Facts

The Vitasia Glass Noodles from Lidl have 2 simple ingredients: amido de milho and amido de ervilha, that is corn starch and pea starch.

Lidl Asian Glass Noodles Nutrition Facts + Ingredients

How to Cook Vitasia Glass Noodles

Cooking glass noodles is simple. They need to be rehydrated in boiling water. They don't need to be in a pot of actively boiling water like spaghetti, for example.

Instead, simply boil water and pour it over the noodles and allow them to sit for 6 minutes before draining.
I actually used an electric tea kettle. :)

Soaking Vitasia Glass Noodles

Serving Vitasia Glass Noodles

Once you drain the noodles you can proceed to serve them however you originally intended!

In this case, I divided the noodles into two bowls as a base for a chicken curry made with Vitasia Thai Red Curry Paste. (See Thai Curry cook along here- coming soon!)

Serving Vitasia Glass Noodles | Lidl Review Blog

Vitasia Glass Noodle Quick Review

I most often enjoy Thai curry over rice. Having these glass noodles on hand from Lidl was a perfect way to mix things up a bit. I would rebuy!

Order Glass Noodles

More Cook Alongs

More Vitasia Product Reviews