Unlocking Portugal's Classic Dish Francesinha: The Soggy Sandwich

Finally, in Porto, we got to try the legendary Portuguese 'soggy sandwich' Francesinha. This dish, introduced by French immigrants and later modified in Portugal, layers toast, ham, meat sauce, and cheese, topped with fries and drenched in a special sauce, resulting in a soggy, calorie-laden sandwich. Many restaurants in Porto's riverside area offer this dish, and we chose a specialty shop 'Rocinha - Porto'. The menu is plastered all over the wall at the entrance, and the prices are quite affordable. When the Francesinha was served, it was a visual shock. This sandwich is outrageous! Soggy and greasy, completely soaked in sauce, it looked so sinful. Cutting into it revealed layers of ham and meat patties, no wonder it's so substantial. It takes two people to finish it. As for the taste, it's not suited to Taiwanese palates. The sauce is too rich, and the cheese and other fillings are too heavy, making it hard to eat more than a few bites. It seems more suited for photos than for eating. Nonetheless, it was an achievement to unlock a local Portuguese delicacy.