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There is a new restaurant in Quinta da Marinha that does not want to be put in a box. It is called Nai and it was born with Ukrainian roots, but much broader ambitions. The venue’s manager, Serhey Demihov, describes it as “an international project”. Although they are proud of their origins, that “does not mean we only serve Ukrainian food or that we only want to serve Ukrainians”.
So what sets Nai, which opened on 1 April, apart from other projects that have appeared along the Cascais coastline, such as Usha? “We do not want to define ourselves simply by saying we are a Ukrainian restaurant,” explains Serhey. “Our goal is to be a good restaurant. We want to show local people our vision of Mediterranean cuisine,” he continues.
The project comes from a hospitality group created by a Ukrainian team already operating in other European markets, such as Poland and Czech Republic. The decision to expand into Portugal was driven by the country’s food culture, the quality of its produce and the way people live around the table. “We like the way Portuguese people spend time with food,” he says. Rather than eating quickly and moving on, he talks about long dinners, families gathered together and groups of friends chatting for hours. “We want to be part of that.”
It is precisely in that everyday conviviality that the restaurant hopes to make its mark. Instead of focusing on special-occasion dining, the concept is built around dishes people will want to come back for several times a week. “It is food for every day and for everyone. But it still carries our touch and our way of seeing and working in the kitchen,” the manager sums up.
That identity can be felt on the menu, where Eastern European references, Mediterranean flavours and local produce sit side by side. The team says it aims to use Portuguese and seasonal ingredients, with regular changes to the menu, usually once a month. Some dishes are expected to remain, while others will come and go depending on the season. Desserts will rotate too.
At the table, Time Out tried the salmon tartare with guacamole and red caviar (€14), nicely balanced between the richness of the fish and the acidity of its accompaniments, while the beef tartare with fermented elderflower (€20) showed a bolder side of the kitchen.
For mains, we chose some of the most typical references from Ukrainian gastronomy, such as red borscht served with cured pork lardo (€10), paying tribute to Ukraine’s most emblematic soup; chicken Kyiv with mash (the menu says pea purée, but we were served potato mash) and smoked tomato (€14); and the chicken croquette with mash and mushrooms (€14).
To finish, two traditional desserts: Napoleon with white chocolate (€7) and honey cake (€6).
As for the future, the ambition is less about growing quickly and more about becoming part of the community. “We just want to be part of people’s everyday lives,” says the manager, referring to the local community. “We want to serve good food to good people.”
Rua Palmeiras, Aldeamento Bloom, Quinta da Marinha (Cascais). Mon–Sun 1pm–11pm.