We’re currently in Charleston, South Carolina (and then L graduates)- we plan to unplug from technology a little bit – posting will resume later this week. For now, we’ll leave you with this picture of shrimp and grits from our 2011 trip.
The land of BBQ & Shrimp and Grits
Filed under Note
Real Sicilian Pizza: Sfincione in Palermo
Sfincione is traditional Sicilian pizza which is baked in large squares and is often served by cutting slices with scissors (our favorite part). Sfincione is akin to a thick foccacia bread topped with tomato sauce and (traditionally) anchovies and onions, and maybe some cheese, though definitely not as much as an American pizza. More exotic toppings are not an option. Sfincione originated in Sicily, and was the primary type of pizza on the island until the 1860s. While we were in Sicily, especially Palermo, we partook in many slices from street sellers known as sfinciunaros. In addition to being a street snack throughout Sicily, sfincione is also available in many restaurants and bakeries throughout Sicily and even Rome. Serious Eats has a Sfincione recipe that has been declared to be “spot on.” Looks like we’ll have to try making it this Christmas season, when it is traditionally consumed (though it is definitely a year-round food).
Cross Section of Sfincione by Scott Wiener
Filed under World Eats
A quest for Belgian Frites in Brussels (and Chicago)
This New York Times piece about searching for the perfect frites in Brussels, Belgium is right up our alley. We are quite fond of Belgian fries, or “frites” and also of quests. Though we have never been to Belgium, some of our favorite places for Belgian fries in Chicago are Frietkoten Belgian Fries in the Chicago French Market (131 N Clinton St.) or Hopleaf (5148 N Clark St). We also learned that there is now a late night Belgian fry take-out, Backwoods (3335 N. Halsted St.), though we haven’t tried it yet. Anyone have any other frite favorites in Chicago?
Belgian Frites with Sauce Andaluse by Su-lin
Filed under Links, World Eats
Romantic treats for Dia dos Namorados – Brazilian Valentine’s Day
In Brazil – “Valentine’s Day”- Dia dos Namorados – actually occurs on June 12. February 14 is too close to Carnaval – which dominates the festivities for a month in Brazil – so putting the holiday in June makes a lot of sense. Dia dos Namorados is celebrated in similar way by showering your sweetheart with chocolates, cards, flowers and the like. This year we made brigadeiros to celebrate, however there are a wealth of other Brazilian treats appropriate for the day, some even with romantic names: beijinhos (little kisses), casadinhos (little marrieds) and bem casados (well-marrieds).
Casadinhos with a rainbow-colored brigadeiro by Marcio Cabral de Moura
Beijinhos are little coconut candies, “kissed” with cloves, hence the name. They are almost like a coconut version of brigadeiros, and are nearly as popular in Brazil. The recipe for making them is almost identical to a brigadeiro recipe (minus the chocolate), whether covered in sugar or coconut flakes. Casadinhos are black and white brigadeiros (“marrying” the two flavors) – unfortunately I can’t find a recipe for these in English, but here is one in Portuguese. Bem casados are sandwich cookies with a doce de leite filling, which are understandably popular at weddings on the dessert table or as favors. Here is a recipe from Kitchen Corners that even includes homemade doce de leite, and another from the Cookie Shop blog with frosting. Feliz Dia dos Namorados!
Beijinhos with cloves by Bianca Bueno
Filed under Holidays
Baking Bread with the Tangzhong method
Our previous attempts at making bread were not terribly successful, but we’d love to give bread making another try. One of the techniques we recently learned about was the Japanese Tangzhong bead-making method, which involves making a roux (called the Tangzhong) and incorporating it into the dough. Apparently this addition results in a very soft, tender loaf of bread. There are countless different breads you can make with the Tangzhong method, and many recipes we found are for various types of Hokkaido Milk Bread (here’s a cinnamon and chocolate chip version and a Nutella version). We had a favorite milk bread back at our local fruteria in Chicago, and we are mourning the fact that they don’t carry it any more. Maybe some of these Japanese milk breads are worth a try to fill our cravings. You can also try your hand at hot cross buns and 10 grain milk bread made with the Tangzhong method.
Hokkaido Milk Bread by Divya Kudua
Filed under Pastry Post-Poc, Recipes
The best gelato in São Paulo: Bacio di Latte
Bacio di Latte
(4 Locations) We visited: Rua Bela Cintra 1829
São Paulo, Brazil
In addition to having the best pizza in Brasil, due to the proliferation of Italian influence in São Paulo, there is also some of the best gelato in Brasil. Bacio di Latte (“Milk Kiss” in Italian) has been receiving accolades for their gelato, so we had to visit an outpost while we were in São Paulo. We visited the location in Jardim America, definitely the “Upper East Side” of São Paulo. Everything is expensive and beautiful – including the food. Bacio di Latte follows the neighborhood trend, with a brand new, big, flashy store, with a nice outdoor cafe area. To order, you pay at the cashier first (like at Giolitti), and then make your way over to the luminous gelato counter to select your flavors. Obviously, everyone is there for the gelato, but they also have some baked goods and coffee drinks.
Bacio di Latte Interior
Bacio di Latte had all the telltale signs of good gelato: it is made in-house (you can barely get a peek of people making gelato in the kitchen), no neon colors, and no artificially air-whipped peaks. We were also excited to see that there were no less than five flavors of chocolate on offer. To order you select your size: it is R$ 8 for a small (up to 2 flavors) R$ 10 for a medium (up to 3 flavors) and R$ 12 for a large (up to 3). The flavor selection is overwhelming, but fortunately you can ask for small samples of any flavor including Zabaglione, Doce de Leite, Guava, and Pistachio, among others. You may have to brush up on your Italian to interpret some of the flavors (the complete list is online).
Bacio di Latte Milk Cream, Dark Chocolate and Passion Fruit
From our time in Italy consuming as much gelato as humanly possible, we settled on the following flavor combination that we felt gave us maximum gelato enjoyment: a dark chocolate variety, a fruit variety, and something with a cream or vanilla base for contrast. We went with this strategy and got the dark, dark chocolate Nerissimo, passion-fruit and the Bacio di Latte milk cream with Nutella chunks. Every flavor was outstanding and the gelato’s texture was excellent. The dark chocolate was really dark chocolate – which we love. The “Bacio di Latte” ice cream flavor also reminded us of the “Cereal Milk” flavor from Momofuku Milk Bar that really tastes like cereal! The passion fruit flavor has more of a sorbet texture, but the favor was amazing. As we sat on our milk pails that doubled as counter stools, we couldn’t believe we devoured our gelato so quickly (though that always seems to happen). It may not have been quite as good as Italy, but it was pretty darn close, and we know we would be visiting Bacio di Latte frequently if we lived in São Paulo.
The many Bacio di Latte Chocolate Flavors
Filed under Reviews
What is a cronut?
Dominique Ansel Bakery’s Infamous Cronut
Happy National Doughnut Day! So we’ve been out of the country for roughly the past 9 months, and we definitely feel out of sync with current American culture. We’ve definitely missed out on doughnuts, and most American food trends. It was just yesterday that we learned of the latest food craze sweeping the US (which happens to be doughnut related): the cronut. A cronut, as the name might imply, is croissant dough shaped like a doughnut, and then fried (which is apparently extremely difficult). The confection was first created at the Dominique Ansel bakery in New York City, and every day’s fresh batch draws a huge crowd. The cronuts sell out so fast there is something of a gray market springing up around the coveted cronut (only 200 are produced per day), and many are resold to cronut fans at inflated prices. You can try your hand at diy cronuts with ready-made croissant dough. Of course, along with a meteoric rise to fame, there is a backlash. Only in America!
Filed under Pastry Post-Poc
A Place for Spices in Rio de Janeiro: Casas Pedro
The Saara neighborhood is one of our favorite areas in Rio. It is a great place to shop for anything under the sun, people watch, and get a bite to eat on a sunny afternoon. The name “Saara” is rumored to derive from the word “Sahara,” an explanation that has entered into the public lore of Rio. Nowadays, the area is mostly given over to selling clothes, home goods, party/Carnaval supplies and any kind of bric-a-brac you would ever want (there is an entire store dedicated to Tupperware, for example). However, there are a few places in Saara that do specialize in Middle Eastern spices and foods. Our favorite, Casas Pedro, has several branches are sprinkled throughout Rio, including 3 in the Saara. You can get nearly any spice you could imagine at Casas Pedro, several kinds of cinnamon, tumeric, coriander, cumin, along with nuts, dried fruit, chocolate chips and other oddities (even baking soda) sold by weight. You can also find “Pao Sirio” a kind of flatbread popular in Brazil, tahini paste, honey and other Middle Eastern packaged goods. If you are feeling hungry, a counter sells meat and cheese esfihas to go.
Casas Pedro in Rio
The BBC recently did a short video piece on the culinary renaissance in Brazil’s favelas, brought about by the recent pacification programs. The Guia Gastronômico das Favelas do Rio (“Gastronomical Guide to Rio’s Favelas”), mentioned in the video, was recently released, giving intrepid foodies a roadmap of 22 restaurants in eight comunidades. We’re always for unique food options – so let’s go!
Guia Gastronômico das Favelas do Rio
June 5, 2013 · 8:53 AM
Our favorite Acarajé in Rio de Janeiro: Cida Acarajé at Largo do Carioca
Acarajé, a bean fritter fried in palm oil and filled with various toppings is one of the iconic foods of Brazil. We were spoiled for choice by the cheap and plentiful acarajé options in Bahia, where acarajé is most commonly found, (a complete Salvador acarajé post is coming soon). However, we are happy to report we found a great and centrally located acarajé spot in Rio de Janerio as well. Right in the bustling Largo do Carioca in Centro, Cida Acarajé sets up shop every weekday at around 12:30. It’s a pretty big production, so we are always impressed that it seems to pop up out of nowhere every day at lunchtime.
Cida Acaraje in Largo do Carioca
An acarajé at Cida costs R$ 9 without dried shrimp, which is highway robbery by Bahian standards, but is largely in keeping with Rio’s generally inflated prices. However, this was actually some pretty good acarajé, so we were prepared to shell out a little extra money for one of our favorite Bahian treats. The acarajé are made fresh to order in a giant vat of dendê (palm oil) – which is absolutely imperative to a good acarajé experience. As far as places in Rio go, we definitely preferred Cida’s acarajé to the one we had previously sampled at the Feira Hippie in Ipanema (another high profile location).
Acaraje Frying up in Dende Oil
The acarajé was perfectly fresh and we enjoyed the good renditions of the traditional acarajé fillings: vatapá, caruru and salada. M also appreciated the spicy sauce with a nice kick. If you are going for the full authentic experience you must also top the acarajé with dried shrimp (though we are on the fence if we actually prefer this). In addition to acarajé, there were various chocolate and coconut cakes by the slice, cocadas and even small puddings baked right in a coconut shell. This was our friend M’s first venture into acarajé and we are happy to report that she heartily enjoyed it. Another Brazilian food convert won over!
The finished Acaraje with all the fixins
Miniature Waffles from the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Mini Waffles from Immigrant Kitchens
Immigrant Kitchens has an awesome post about a food we would love to try: Congolese mini waffles (Here’s the recipe). Now, we love waffles, and every food certainly tastes better in miniature form. Though initially it seemed a little strange that waffles might have turned up in the DRC, it makes sense given the country’s colonial past. Immigrant Kitchens is a great blog, with the goal of sharing home recipes from around the world, by talking with international cooks living in the US and sharing their stories. We are looking forward to reading through all of the archives.
Pastry Post-Doc: Brazilian Brigadeiros for Chocolate Lovers
As much as cupcakes and the myriad permutations thereof are popular in the USA, brigadeiros are the primary bite-sized dessert in Brazil. Named for a Portuguese brigadier in the 1940s, a brigadeiro is essentially a chocolate caramel truffle coated in chocolate sprinkles. However, much like cupcakes, riffs off of the traditional brigadeiro are increasingly common, including exotic flavors and coatings. If you are not looking for anything fancy, the basic brigadeiro is found at most Brazilian restaurants and cafes, and pretty much every snack shop has brigadeiros in stock for less than a dollar. Perhaps the best thing about the brigadeiro is how easy it is to make, and how few ingredients it requires. For example, this America’s Test Kitchen recipe has only condensed milk, butter and cocoa. Some other recipes, like these from Honest Cooking and Cuca Brazuca also require chocolate drink powdered mix. The typical finish for a brigadeiro is being rolled in classic chocolate sprinkles, though another Brazilian favorite is a coatings of large black and white candy puffed-rice spheres known as “crocantes.” Of course you can also play with different brigadeiro flavors, including peanut butter or almond!
Classic Brigadeiro by Mayra ChiaChia
If you are in Brazil, we highly recommend some exploration to find your favorite brigadeiro. Nearly every corner bakery/cafe/deli/lanchonete will have brigadeiros for sale, so you can sample dozens a day, if you would like. If you are going for something unique, visit Maria Brigadeiro ( Pinheiros: Rua Capote Valente 68) in São Paulo, where there are over 20 varieties of gourmet brigadeiros available at the shop, including esoteric choices like Port Wine or Sesame. Time Out São Paulo has a feature on the some of the other best brigadeiros in Sao Paulo. Our favorite Brigadeiro stop in Salvador was Brigadeira Mix in Shopping Barra, which was just a small kiosk, but it boasted a large variety of flavors, including our favorite, negresco (cookies and cream). But brigadeiros are not only the purview of fancy shops. In Rio de Janeiro you can buy them on the street (though it is a wonder that they don not melt in the heat). Our favorite classic brigadeiros in Rio de Janeiro are found at Bomboniere Pathe (Centro: Praça Floriano nº- 45). But don’t take our word for it – go try some for yourself!
Filed under Pastry Post-Poc, World Eats
Delicious Kibbe in Salvador: Kiberia
Kiberia
Barão de Itapuã, 145
Salvador – Bahia
We had some good kibbe (fried Middle-Eastern bulgar-and-meat meatballs) in Rio. But this tiny little counter in Salvador blew them away. You can’t miss Kiberia’s signature neon orange building, tiny as the restaurant itself may be. There are maybe only four seats in counter space in Kiberia, and the take-out trade is brisk. With three people in there it was a full house! The menu truly is limited, and all you can order are several permutations of kibbe and bottled or canned drinks. The cost for a kibbe (500 grams) is a surprisingly reasonable R$ 6. Another option is to get 6 mini-kibbe for R$ 12.
Kiberia in Salvador, Bahia
In the larger size, you can get a plain meat kibbe or one with cheese added (paradoxically this one is slightly cheaper and smaller). As kibbe purists, we went for just plain meat. The kibbe were fried up to order, and came to us piping hot, even garnished with a wedge of lime. The shape of the kibbe was not too overly-footballish, as we were accustomed to seeing in Rio. The outside was perfectly crisp and crunchy, and the bulgar and meat inside was tender and moist. We also appreciated the wide range of dressings set up on Kiberia’s counter: tahini, sriracha, malagueta pepper, tabasco, Molho Arabe and garlic sauce, among others.
We ate our kibbe so quickly, we were not able to get any pictures. Even after devouring our kibbe, we decided to go for a dessert. The only choice was a Belewa (spelled elsewhere as Beleua), for R$ 3. Beleua is a riff on baklava, but definitely not as sweet, and is composed of a spiced nut paste in layered puff pastry sheets. Like our kibbe, the beleua was delicious. We went into Kiberia expecting only a fast food fix, but we heartily recommend them for some great kibbe in Salvador.
Filed under Reviews
Adventures in Brazilian Produce: Feijoa
In the latest chronicle of the unusual produce choices we find in Brazilian grocery stores, we came across the feijoa. The feijoa is so unusual that we caused something of a commotion when we asked a worker in the Flamengo, Rio de Janeiro branch of the Pão de Açúcar grocery store how much one of these little (unlabeled) fruits cost. It turned out upwards of 5 employees of the grocery store had simply no idea what it was, but the 6th finally identified it as a feijoa. We figured the taste of the fruit would be something like an avocado due to its green, bumpy appearance, but instead, it had a gelatinous sweet center (shedding more light on this flavor is the fact that feijoa is also known as the pineapple guava). Feijoa had a pleasant, sweet and fragrant taste, but one unpleasant feature is that it is nearly impossible to know when it is ripe. Bizarrely, though they originated in Brazil, feijoas are actually most popular in New Zealand. Typical uses of the feijoa are for making smoothies or simply eating raw, but the adventurous among us can make a feijoa chutney, a feijoa cake or even feijoa wine.
Feijoa Fruit by Sandy Austin
Filed under World Eats
Bobó de Camarão in Rio de Janeiro
Bobó de Camarão
We heard from a friend that one of the best renditions of the classic Bahian dish “Bobó de Camarão” in Rio was found at Marinho Azul (Av. Francisco Bhering s/n, Arpoador, Rio de Janeiro). Marinho Azul overlooks Arpoador beach, basically a rock outcropping that is the dividing line between Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, and you have a niced view of the Ipanema side. Marinho Azul (Marine Blue) unsurprisingly sells primarily seafood dishes, in straightforward preparations as well as regional favorites. The Bobó de Camarão (R$ 98 for 2 people) is a sort of stewed dish made from pureed cassava, dendê oil and shrimp. The term “Bobó” is used to refer to any dish thickened with cassava, a type of dish that originated in Africa. Unlike moqueca, which has coconut milk as a base, the cassava makes a bobó a lot thicker. We thought their rendition was very good for Rio, but Bahians would definitely blush at the price (and it is worth noting that the service is more than a little brusque). However, you can’t beat the location, and we lingered over our food to enjoy the view. Though we have tried our hand at moqueca, we have never made a bobó; but we like the look of these recipes from Cuca Brazuca, Maria-Brasil and Flavors of Brasil.
Stay for the view: Ipanema Beach and Dois Irmãos
Filed under Reviews
São Paulo vs. Buenos Aires in Pictures
Our time in Salvador is drawing to a close, as is our time in Brazil, if you can believe it (we can’t)! We will be spending our last week in Brazil in São Paulo. So we thought it was particularly appropriate that we came across the blog Sampa versus Buenos as we prepare to leave for São Paulo. Taking a cue from the popular blog (and now book) Paris vs. NYC, the blog humorously compares the differences between the foods, culture, and icons of South American rival cities Buenos Aires and São Paulo (aka Sampa) in graphic form. Our favorite picture so far is that of the rival sweet treats, the Brazilian brigadeiro and the Argentine alfajor. We love both!
Filed under Design and Photography, Links
Paçoca de Amendoim – Brazilian peanut candy
Paçoca from Pink Bites Blog
Brazilians love little candies and treats, and at some places, like Perini supermarket, you can buy the individual bite-sized treats and create your own box of goodies. One of these popular treats is Paçoca de Amendoim – kind of a riff on Peanut Fudge – with the added texture of Manioc flour. The name comes from the Tupi word Posok which means “to crumble.” Making Paçoca is super simple, and we found versions at Pink Bites (using cookies instead of manioc) and Flavors of Brazil. As Flavors of Brazil points out – there is a dish also called paçoca that is completely different – think beef and onions. We actually ran into this situation at the São Cristóvão market in Rio – which has food from the Northeast – both kinds of paçoca were for sale. Be careful you order the one you’re intending!
Filed under Links, Pastry Post-Poc, Recipes, World Eats
The Best Pizza in Rio de Janeiro: Bráz Pizzaria
Bráz Pizzaria
R. Maria Angélica, 129
Jardim Botânico Rio de Janeiro
Pizza has taken on a life of its own in Brazil, and you can find a place to get a pie on nearly every corner in every town in the country. Though we have previously documented how Brazilian pizza is a little different, there are some Brazilian pizzarias that adhere to more of a traditional Italian style, and Bráz is one of them. Most of the outlets of Bráz are in São Paulo, the epicenter for high-quality pizza in Brazil, though now there is a location in Rio. Bráz is often honored as one of the best pizza places in Brazil by publications in the US and across Rio de Janeiro and Brazil. We visited the Bráz Pizzaria on the restaurant row of Rua Maria Angélica, near the Lagoa, and we are happy to report that it is now our favorite place for pizza in the city.
The Interior of Bráz Pizzaria, Rio de Janeiro
The Rio outpost of Bráz is brand spanking new, though it has been deliberately made with an old school flair, with white subway tiled walls and exposed brick. Naturally, the only thing to order at Bráz is the pizza. There are a wide variety of topping choices, from traditional Margherita and Four Cheese, to more unique specialties of the house (there are probably over 30 varieties in all). The house specialties included some with distinctively Brazilian flavors including the “Primo” with the Brazilian Caqui fruit (similar to a very sweet tomato), mozzarella and prosciutto. The “Tacchino” includes smoked turkey and Brazilian pizza staple, Catupiry cheese.
Vai-Vai Pizza slice (somewhere under the arugula)
In addition to pizza, we ordered a Burrata appetizer, which was produced in Puglia, Italy. The cheese was very good, but did not compare to those we had in Naples (seeing as it was shipped over, I guess. We’re spoiled!) All pizzas came in a small, medium and large size. For our main course, we ordered two medium pizzas for four people – which was just the right amount (no leftovers). The first pizza was the tradicional “Calabresa” pizza, with olives, pepperoni and onion. The second pizza was the Especialidade “Vai-Vai” (named after our favorite São Paulo samba school) with arugula, sun-dried tomatoes and mozzarella. The pizzas at Bráz have a thin crust, with a slightly chewy bite, maybe just a little thicker than traditional Neapolitan pizzas. Both pizzas we ordered were generously topped, and all of the ingredients were fresh. However, be forewarned that everything you order will come with a LOT of said toppings, so you had better like onions or arugula.
Calabresa Pizza Slice
For dessert we got a brownie a la mode (perhaps not the most adventurous choice) and a gelato. But we were a little surprised by the gelato – it came out as a wrapped Popsicle, not as a scoop in a bowl. As a final note, though the interior of Bráz was entirely pleasant, their bathrooms were a standout – each of the men’s and woman’s had its own private sitting area and outdoor garden. An outdoor garden with a fountain is definitely not something you see in a restroom every day. We greatly enjoyed our visit to Braz, it was definitely some of the best pizza we’ve had in Brazil, if not THE best. Even pizza aficianados from São Paulo would have to agree.
Braz Brownie A la Mode
Filed under Reviews
Chihuahua Cheese’s (Queso Menonita) Mexican Mennonite Origins
Back in the US we are very familiar with Chihuahua cheese (Queso Chihuahua) and have seen many recipes calling for the mild, slightly yellow cheese. However, we did not know much about its origins – and it turns out it has a rather unusual history.
Chihuahua Cheese by Mérida Hideaway
Chihuahua cheese, known for the Northern Mexican state where it is produced, is also known as Menonita cheese in Mexico. Yes, Menonita is “Mennonite” in Spanish – and it is indeed Mennonite cheese! Turns out there is a rather large Mennonite population in Mexico, having first arrived in the 1920s, and they were the ones who first produced the cheese. Though it has now been commercialized, you can still find Menonita cheese being made by Mennonites in the town of Cuauhtemoc, Chihuahua.
A Mennonite sells cheese in Mexico by Cristiano Oliveira
Filed under Cheese, World Eats
A romantic night out at Zazá Bistrô Tropical in Rio de Janeiro
Zazá Bistrô Tropical
Rua Joana Angélica, 40
Ipanema – Rio de Janeiro
Though we thrive on Açaí bowls and Acarajé, sometimes we want to visit someplace a little fancier. To celebrate L’s birthday we decided to gussy up and visit Zazá Bistrô Tropical in the heart of Ipanema, voted as one of the most romantic restaurants in Rio. You will notice the restaurant in its prominent corner spot right away – it is painted brightly blue and festooned with lights, giving you a clue to the eclectic decor inside.
Zazá Bistrô
When you enter Zazá Bistrô you are immediately struck by the whimsical décor – the walls are brightly painted and covered in artifacts (we especially enjoyed the altars on the first floor). There are two floors in the tiny restaurant – the first has bistro tables and a bar, and the second floor was decorated in a Moroccan style – with low tables and throw pillows. Zazá is also known for its unique bar menu – featuring a number of flavored Margaritas and Caipirinhas. The electric décor and menu also attracts an intentional crowd. We were seated near a veritable United Nations of diners: Brazilians, English, French, Argentines and Germans. Also appealing to the international clientele, there is both an English and Portuguese Menu.
Zazá Bistrô Altars
The menu is eclectic as the décor, with a variety of Brazilian dishes with Southeast Asian touches. We enjoyed the cover: a basket of potato, manioc and sweet potato chips with wasabi yogurt sauce and tomato salsa (R$ 18). The international influence began with appetizers – which included Indian samosas and Moroccan chicken pastillas. For main courses, there was a wide variety of eclectic dishes, featuring seafood heavily. After a period of perusal, we ordered the mixed seafood ceviche with mangoes and green coconut curry (R$ 29) and the seared prawn and lemon risotto (R$ 65). A close runner up was the organic curry chicken (R$ 48) with coconut milk, lime, ginger and banana. Both of the dishes were flavorful and mixed Brazilian and Asian flavors elegantly, though the portions were slightly small. Vegetarians will also be happy to know there are several meat and seafood-free options.
Zazá Risotto with mood lighting
For dessert there are a variety of house-made choices – we couldn’t resist the “Devil’s” chocolate cake (R$ 18), which was composed of a bittersweet chocolate souffle with a crunchy topping, accompanied with lemon sorbet. The rich chocolate cake, along with a little cafezinho was a perfect end to a night out. The food was tasty – but the lovely atmosphere, especially on the candle-lit second floor – completely made the night. Our evening at Zazá Bistrô was relaxed and delicious, and we definitely recommend it for those looking for a fun (but still relatively reasonable) night on the town.
Filed under Reviews
Eating The World 