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| Sushi making farewell dinner |
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| Last day at the office, I look much happier than I felt |
One of the things that surprised me about São Paulo (sorry Paulistanos) were the amazing restaurants. I would normally think of Paris, New York or maybe even San Sebastián as the culinary capital of the world but São Paulo is right up there and is definitely better value, especially as Brazilians do not normally go for small portion sizes!
Below are my favourite 10 restaurants I was lucky enough to visit in São Paulo. I would seriously encourage you to try as many of them as you can if you're stopping by! There is a complete mix from Italian to Japanese to Mexican and also something for every budget!
1. Torta no Quintal, Itaim Bibi (http://www.tortanoquintal.com.br/) £
You would never discover this restaurant unless you lived in the neighbourhood. It is tiny, at the end of a row of shops and off the street in a sort of yard. It has a family feel, run by a couple who seem to know everyone. The pies are amazing (I would go for the chicken and goats-cheese) the fresh juice combinations are delicious, but the pièce de resistance was definitely the banana pie followed by coffee with chocolate for dessert. I would go to this restaurant every weekend if I could!
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| Yuri looking smug with his goat's cheese and chicken pie... |
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| The best coffee EVER |
I was taken to this restaurant for a special farewell meal and it definitely didn't disappoint. Typical Brazilian flavours from the Amazon and the Northeast but with a modern twist and beautifully presented. I had Arroz Amazónico (Amazonian rice); delicious fish from the amazon with mixed colour rice and nuts. Definitely a great choice for special occasions!
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| My seriously yummy Amazonian fish dish |
This was definitely my favourite pizza restaurant in São Paulo and I can assure you I tried lots! Brazilian pizza is different to Italian pizza. Tomato is rarely used as a base and they are usually thick-crust. My favourite topping is chicken and catupiry (a cheese from Minas Gerais state). Don't forget to try the homemade sangria, it went down far too easily with the pizza!
An authentic and very good value Mexican restaurant. Perfect for big groups, it would be an awesome place to have a party. The quesadillas were incredible but I would go back just for the iced margaritas!
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| Underdressed like usual! |
I went to this restaurant while staying with friends on my first weekend in São Paulo and will remember it forever. I guess Chef Olivier could be described as the Brazilian Jamie Oliver. This restaurant just serves one dish, beautifully cooked steak and sauce, for which the recipe is a secret, with possibly the best french fries I have ever had, and they keep topping up your plate until you ask them not too, dangerous! There is also the most delicious chocolate mousse for dessert and I would highly recommend ordering their tangerine and ginger caipirinha! As my leaving present at work I was given his cookbook, so hopefully I will be attempting some of his recipes in my student kitchen in Bristol next year!
In central São Paulo there is a street owned by a family of Italian immigrants, the Mancini family. There are lots of different restaurants on the street each owned by a different family member and each specialising in different things. We went for a drink in a bar owned by one of the cousins and then for dinner at the main Cantina owned by the parents. The restaurant was more authentically Italian than any restaurant I have ever been to in Italy, the portion sized were HUGE and it had the best atmosphere. It will be one of the first places I will go back to when I return to SP!
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| Mancini Street |
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| Danilo, Rafael, Fellipe(with his napkin on his head!), Yuri and me! |
This was one of the most original restaurants I went to. The menu is organised in different character categories such as estressados (stressed) and namoradeiros (lovers) as the ingredients are meant to complement/improve your mood. I guess it's just a joke but it makes ordering fun, hearing the person next to you order "diabetic 2" or "hypertension 3". All the dishes are incredibly healthy but yummy and it is also great value.
There had to be at least one Japanese restaurant in this list. São Paulo has the largest Japanese population outside of Japan and consequently has a huge variety of Japanese restaurants. Temakeria e Cia is a chain with branches dotted all over the city. It has great atmosphere, fast service and, for Japanese food is good value, perfect for a weekday evening out.
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| Yummmmmm |
A restaurant that principally serves roast chicken sounds pretty boring but this is anything but. You choose exactly how you want your chicken served; which sauce, with/without the bone etc... there is also the best salad selection I have ever seen, from delicious artichoke salad to quails' eggs with tarragon sauce. Simple food but perfectly executed and just right for a relaxed family Sunday lunch.
10. Frutaria, Rua Oscar Freire, Jardins, http://www.frutariasaopaulo.com.br/ £££
As the name suggests this restaurant's aim is to make healthy food delicious, and it definitely does. You would have to go everyday for months to run out of juices to try, from detox shakes to exotic smoothies it has every combination you could think of. The fresh baguettes and wraps also made a welcome change for a Brit craving a sandwich!
I have been at home for just under 2 weeks now and am already itching to go again, helped by my parent's reluctance to turn the heating on for more than 2 hours per day! So after the annual New Year's celebrations with family friends I'm off again; new job, new apartment to find, new flatmates, and with the small problem of a Portuguese year abroad essay to write in a Spanish speaking country, seriously regretting not doing it months ago!
Maybe because I already know the city well, it's a lot closer and my best friends from school and uni are both there, none of it seems nearly as daunting as it did 6 months ago. At the moment I don't really see how Madrid can possibly top my amazing time in Brazil but I am sure it will be a great experience in its own way and I can't wait to start. Now just to fit 6 months packing into my Easyjet 20kg allowance, and this time I'm packing for winter...
