Diners are like 'family': Twins Restaurant opens in Fall River offering Portuguese fare

FALL RIVER — Step into their casa, pull up a chair and grab a fresh papo seco.

Folks are flocking to the Maplewood neighborhood to get a taste of the latest addition to the Fall River food scene.

Twins Restaurant opened its doors earlier this month to crowds eager to welcome a new option for authentic Portuguese fare.

"We had a line out the door of people waiting to sit down," said Twins co-owner and cook Connie Ferreira of the eatery's Jan. 17 opening.

The main ingredient of their successful debut — the sister duo behind the scenes from whom Twins Restaurant gets its name.

Twin siblings Connie Ferreira and Rosa Barbosa bring double the attention to detail and a passion for Portuguese flavors to their new 374 Miller St. home.

And they are no strangers to the kitchen.

The sisters have over three decades in food service under their belts since immigrating to the U.S. from their home in São Miguel, Azores, in 1990 at the age of 17.

They got their start at the now-closed Académica Restaurant on South Main Street in Fall River, where they worked on and off for years. Ferreira began as dishwasher, eventually learning the ropes in the kitchen and working her way up to cook, and Barbosa commanded the dining room as server.

Pork and littlenecks at Twins Restaurant in Fall River.
Pork and littlenecks at Twins Restaurant in Fall River.

They brought their expertise to various area restaurants over the years, before most recently making a name for themselves at the popular St. John's Restaurant, where the duo served up Portuguese/American specialties out of the kitchen they rented at the St. John's Club on Rodman Street.

Ferreira and Barbosa garnered a following of loyal patrons at St. John's. But after nine years, they decided it was time to do "something for us" so they set out on their own to test their culinary chops and pursue a long-talked about dream.

In July 2020, Ferreira and Barbosa, along with Ferreira's husband Edwardo Ferreira, took a huge step toward this dream when they officially purchased the Miller Street property.

Twins moving in: New Portuguese restaurant opening in Fall River

Siblings Rosa Barbosa and Connie Ferreira are the twins behind Twins Restaurant.
Siblings Rosa Barbosa and Connie Ferreira are the twins behind Twins Restaurant.

"It was the best decision we did," said Barbosa. ""It was a better opportunity. ... 100 percent worth it."

Location was definitely a draw when deciding on their new home, Barbosa said. Twins sits at the corner of the highly trafficked Stafford Road, across from Seabra market and nearby Maplewood Park.

"It's a busy street, it's a nice area... we have the neighborhood park right here," Barbosa said.

Maplewood Park area of Fall River

Formerly occupied by Maplewood Chiropractic, the building underwent major renovations — including an extension and upgrades to the kitchen and electric — over a year and a half. It was expected to debut by early March 2021, but the opening got pushed to this January.

Now longtime St. John's customers, whom the sisters consider "family," have followed them to their new location, just a couple of blocks away from their former home. And Ferreira and Barbosa say the overall feedback from both familiar and new faces has been positive.

"Our customers have been calling us saying 'When are you going to open? We miss your food,'" Barbosa said.

With so many long-anticipating Twins' opening, there was little time to slowly settle in. The pair hit the ground running on day one, catering to a packed dining room at its grand opening.

A Portuguese steak dinner at Twins Restaurant in Fall River.
A Portuguese steak dinner at Twins Restaurant in Fall River.

The crowd opening week included Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan for a ribbon cutting on Jan. 16, as well as Sen. Michael Rodrigues, Rep. Alan Silvia, several city officials and local foodies in search of a fresh take on Portuguese favorites.

Traditional Portuguese dishes

Twins' menu features many traditional dishes, such as Bacalhau Grelhado (grilled cod fish), shrimp or chicken Mozambique and a Chouriço Plate, all accompanied with fries or rice (or both).

Among the customer favorites, Barbosa said, are the Carne de Porco à Alentejana (pork and littlenecks), fish and chips and, of course, the go-to meal at most Portuguese restaurants — the Bife à Casa, a heaping helping of house steak topped with garlic and red pepper and served with eggs and French fries.

Pair that with a fine Portuguese wine, wash it down with some Sumol — the iconic Portuguese sparkling juice — or follow it up with a post-meal galão, a Portuguese version of a latte made with espresso and steamed milk, and a sweet treat.

While their new location boasts a bigger space than St. John's, accommodating a total of 140 people in its dining area, Ferreira said that can be both a good and a bad thing.

"It's so busy... it doesn't stop here," said Ferreira.

She admitted that tending to overwhelming crowds while still finding their groove and ironing out the kinks of opening a new business was a challenge. But the fact that so many came out to support them was at the same time reassuring.

"They are like family to us. They are so happy that we are here," Ferreira said.

While the restaurant operation is largely a familial tag team effort by the sisters — who said they logged 83 hours at the eatery during opening week — Ferreira's husband Eddy lends a hand in the kitchen washing dishes on busy nights. They also have a small but mighty staff of seven servers, many of whom followed them from St. John's, and are hoping to hire a couple more employees.

What sets Twins apart from other Portuguese places in the city, Barbosa said, is that when you step into their restaurant, you step into their home.

When Ferreira and Barbosa are hard at work behind the scenes and can't come to their customers they say their customers often come to them, popping their head in the kitchen to say hi.

"She's a good cook," said Barbosa, referring to her sister. "It's her special touch I guess. And the customers are like family... They love to be around the waitresses, they are comfortable."

To get a look at their menu, visit https://twinsrestaurantma.com or stop by Twins' 374 Miller St. location to eat in or grab your food to go.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday. They are closed on Tuesday.

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Fall River's new Portuguese eatery Twins Restaurant opens to diners