Some encounters happen around the table. At EN, in Coimbra, one such encounter brings Portugal and Japan together, combining familiar ingredients with techniques and flavours from the other side of the world. Inspired by the spirit of Japanese izakaya, chef Ricardo Casqueiro’s new project offers a relaxed style of dining designed for sharing, where two culinary cultures meet without losing their own identity.
The name itself reflects this idea. In Japanese culture, en (縁) refers to the connections that bring people, events and places together, often through circumstances that seem to go beyond mere coincidence. It is a concept associated with the encounters and relationships that develop throughout life and that finds a new interpretation here, around the table.
EN, however, follows a different path from the one Ricardo has been developing at MA Restaurante, also in Coimbra. While MA focuses on a more intimate omakase experience, EN offers a more informal and versatile atmosphere, inspired by izakaya, the traditional Japanese taverns. It is a place where you can stop by to share a few dishes and cocktails or settle in at the table and take your time exploring the menu.
Japan remains the chef’s main source of inspiration, but the starting point is also much closer to home. The concept brings Portuguese produce and culinary traditions together with Japanese techniques, seasonings and ingredients, creating a bridge between Japan and the place where the restaurant was born. Portugal and Coimbra thus become part of this interpretation.
This connection can be seen throughout the menu. The gyoza are filled with roast goat, while the katsu sando is made with Bísaro pork. The Amêijoas à Japão Pato, a tribute to the traditional Portuguese Amêijoas à Bulhão Pato, are opened in sake and finished with ponzu, garlic and coriander. These combinations begin with familiar flavours and ingredients and present them through a new culinary language.
Throughout the menu, this dialogue continues through produce from the Portuguese coast, Portuguese meats and Japanese influences, with charcoal grilling featuring in several dishes. Even the desserts bring the two worlds together. Japanese cheesecake is served with Pudim das Clarissas cream, combining Japanese inspiration with one of Coimbra’s best-known conventual sweets.
The connection with MA also helps explain the journey behind this new project. After its time near the Old Cathedral, MA is preparing for a new chapter in Solum, in the same space as EN, with an even more intimate omakase experience and just eight seats. Two different concepts, united by Japanese influence and Ricardo’s vision: MA with its intimate, immersive experience, and EN with the relaxed atmosphere and spirit of sharing that define it.
If you would like to visit EN during your stay in Coimbra, the restaurant is located on Rua João de Deus Ramos, in the Solum area, around a 9-minute drive from Hotel Oslo Coimbra. It is also easy to reach by Metrobus: from Portagem station, close to the hotel, the journey to Solum takes around 8 minutes. The fare is €1, with frequent services throughout the day, making it a convenient alternative for reaching the restaurant without a car.
It is in this connection between different cultures, flavours and ways of sharing a meal that the name EN takes on its full meaning. More than simply bringing Portugal and Japan together on the same plate, the restaurant connects ingredients, techniques and traditions from both countries. A concept where two distant culinary worlds find a place at the same table in Coimbra.
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