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Separated by two oceans, 7,000 miles, and an entire hemisphere (depending on the route), it may seem that Japan and Portugal have nothing in common. But history tells a more nuanced story of the two coastal countries dating back to the mid-16th century. The abridged version: A China-bound Portuguese ship blew off course in 1543, eventually landing in Tanegashima, a small island on Japan’s southern end. The two nations began trading goods that changed both countries forever. Japan acquired firearms, giving them an advantage in the wars to come, while Portugal imported Japanese swords, sabers and lacquerware.
Tempura—the Japanese term for lightly battered and fried foods—comes from the Portuguese word tempero, meaning seasoning and frying. Kabocha squash—a golden orange sweet gourd used in soups and stews colloquially known as Japanese pumpkin—also comes from Portugal by way of Cambodia. The story ultimately gets sticky, eventually leading to a 200-year period in which the two nations don’t interact, but now the countries maintain strong diplomatic ties.
Megan Sky carries on this historic relationship as executive chef and owner of the contemporary fusion concept restaurant Terra Mae, blending the two cuisines to create shareable dishes that act as bite-sized morsels of history. Terra Mae sits on the second floor of Cascada Thermal Springs & Hotel, which opened on Northeast Alberta Street earlier this year. Diners walking through the hotel’s chlorine-scented lobby past robed spa guests are reminded right away how much the Alberta neighborhood has changed in 15 years, for better or worse.
The dishes on Terra Mae’s smart, concise menu range from a Portuguese-inspired sardine Caesar salad to Japanese classics like tonkatsu finger sandwiches and sunomono cucumber salad. If you can muster the willpower to overlook the flashier dishes, like the yellowtail crudo or flatiron steak, you’ll find a hidden Easter egg that not only perfectly exemplifies the restaurant’s mission statement, but is also a well-beloved classic in Portuguese households: alcatra ($27). The humble beef stew dish originally comes from Terceira Island in the Azores archipelago, roughly 900 miles west of mainland Portugal, and is traditionally slow-cooked for hours in a lidded unglazed earthenware pot, creating a buttery smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture achieved by drowning and basting in its own liquid fat.
Terra Mae’s alcatra would impress even the most fastidious Portuguese grandmother. The dish is aggrandized by the use of wagyu beef cheek, a mouth muscle cut toughened by the cow’s constant grazing, but tenderized over hours. Slow, consistent heat allows the connective facial tissue and collagen to gradually soften and release. Sky’s version is roasted in a subtle, watery tomato braise that doesn’t overpower the beef’s natural flavor. The use of rendered bacon fat, tallow confit, and the cut’s own juices creates a luxuriously layered liquid that soaks into the beef like a meaty sponge.
To round out this East-meets-West meat-and-potatoes dish, the alcatra includes a spear of purple Okinawa sweet potato, lending a firm, sweet, starchy bite to counterbalance the beef’s ultra-tender savoriness. A finishing sprinkle of black sesame seeds and chopped chives adds an unobtrusive nuttiness and color pop.
In an alternate universe, Terra Mae could be a cross-continental fusion food cart or monthly pop-up, slinging more affordable, accessible street fare to grab and go. But the concept works as an upscale eatery as well, proved over many accolades, social media buzz, and upcoming first anniversary on Friday, Dec. 12. The space’s rather sparse interior—an off-white cube with glowy orange and pink light—seems at odds with the menu’s comforting offerings, even though it lends itself well to TikTok reels and Instagram stories. Its uptempo, clubby funk-pop music might make you think that there’d be a dance floor in the center of the room, instead of the oversized trompe-l’oeil wire plant/basketball hoop centerpiece that’s actually there. The dining room’s redemption, however, lies in the sole, focal artwork of the space, a painting by local muralist Blaine Fontana, which reminds diners to savor the rich complexities of Mother Nature’s offerings. Terra Mae’s alcatra is as much a work of art as the pieces adorning its dining room, the culmination of hundreds of years of culinary exchange.
EAT: Terra Mae, 1150 NE Alberta St., 503-782-1611, terramaepdx.com. 5–9 pm Tuesday–Thursday, 5–10 pm Friday and Saturday.
