São Paulo's Food Scene Is Full of Ingredients Fresh from the Rainforest
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Cashews to cachaca São Paulo’s food scene is full of ingredients fresh from the rainforest and dishes influenced by world cuisines, finds Laura Price From left: Crackling, A Casa do Porco; São Paulo Municipal Market imagse: Mauro Holanda; awl images 38 // postcards summer 2019 // 39 PC1903_038_São Paulo.indd 38 02/07/2019 15:27 PC1903_038_São Paulo.indd 39 02/07/2019 15:27 imagse: Mauro Holanda; awl images summer 2019 // 39 PC1903_038_São Paulo.indd 39 02/07/2019 15:27 // SAO PAULO From left: Porco san zé, A Casa do Porco; balcony view from a bar on Rua Harmonia come in terms of its cuisine. When I first ll around me, people are on their menu of sustainably produced pork jowl visited the city in 2000, I found myself in // FOUR TO TRY feet, phones in hand, filming sushi, pork tartare and pork belly for just meals at D.O.M. a backstreet churrascaria, my initiation a or even live-streaming the scene, 125 reais ($31). Some have traveled across into Brazil’s all-you-can-eat barbecue zooming in on the details, eagerly capturing the world for this meal; there’s a wait of institutions a low-budget, low-hygiene dive The meat-lover’s The best of breakfast the sound effects. But the spectacle in front of up to four hours for a table. It’s not unusual reflect years with undercooked meat bleeding onto my 1 must-have 3 Brazilian breakfast staple pão de us isn’t a volcano eruption, a flash mob or an to find lines for the most sought-after, plate. Sure, I’d later discover the great steak Picanha, or sirloin cap, is Brazil’s queijo are small, gooey balls of dough unusual animal; it’s a chef, slicing through no-reservations joints in New York City or of research in and fantastic Japanese food that have always most popular cut of beef, abundant and cheese, often made with manioc the crisp, roasted skin and juicy flesh of a London, of course. But this is downtown been available in São Paulo, but two decades at barbecue houses, known as instead of wheat flour. Best eaten fresh hunk of pork jowl, with all the accompanying São Paulo, in a neglected neighborhood the jungle on, I find the food scene unrecognizable. churrascarias in Sao Paulo and beyond. out the oven, with the cheese still oozing. aroma, crackle and crunch. This tableside that’s never been known for its restaurants, It might seem unusual to visit Brazil for theater is all part of porco san zé — the show- let alone for its fine dining. its restaurants. After all, this is the country 2 The chocoholic’s choice 4 The on-the-go Arab bite stopping finale to a meal at A Casa do Porco The wild popularity of A Casa do Porco of Carnival, tropical climes and unique Brigadeiros are Brazil’s best-loved Esfihas, or sfihas, are pies filled — an experience that has to be recorded. (meaning ‘house of the pig’ in Portuguese) flora and fauna. But beyond the beach candy — small balls of condensed milk, with lamb, beef, ricotta or vegetables, Outside the restaurant, people line up is a sign not only of the power of social capital of Rio de Janeiro, the jungle capital cocoa powder and butter, covered in available at street stalls and cafes across around the block, patiently waiting to try media to pull in diners from across the of Manaus and the capital city of Brasilia, chocolate sprinkles and served as dessert Sao Paulo, thanks to its large Lebanese chef Jefferson Rueda’s 11-course tasting globe, but also of how far São Paulo has images: Mauro Holanda ; 4corners images there’s São Paulo, the undisputed capital of or on their own in specialty stores. and Syrian immigrant communities. 40 // postcards summer 2019 // 41 PC1903_038_São Paulo.indd 40 02/07/2019 15:27 PC1903_038_São Paulo.indd 41 02/07/2019 15:27 come in terms of its cuisine. When I first visited the city in 2000, I found myself in // FOUR TO TRY a backstreet churrascaria, my initiation into Brazil’s all-you-can-eat barbecue institutions a low-budget, low-hygiene dive The meat-lover’s The best of breakfast with undercooked meat bleeding onto my 1 must-have 3 Brazilian breakfast staple pão de plate. Sure, I’d later discover the great steak Picanha, or sirloin cap, is Brazil’s queijo are small, gooey balls of dough and fantastic Japanese food that have always most popular cut of beef, abundant and cheese, often made with manioc been available in São Paulo, but two decades at barbecue houses, known as instead of wheat flour. Best eaten fresh on, I find the food scene unrecognizable. churrascarias in Sao Paulo and beyond. out the oven, with the cheese still oozing. It might seem unusual to visit Brazil for its restaurants. After all, this is the country 2 The chocoholic’s choice 4 The on-the-go Arab bite of Carnival, tropical climes and unique Brigadeiros are Brazil’s best-loved Esfihas, or sfihas, are pies filled flora and fauna. But beyond the beach candy — small balls of condensed milk, with lamb, beef, ricotta or vegetables, capital of Rio de Janeiro, the jungle capital cocoa powder and butter, covered in available at street stalls and cafes across of Manaus and the capital city of Brasilia, chocolate sprinkles and served as dessert Sao Paulo, thanks to its large Lebanese images: Mauro Holanda ; 4corners images there’s São Paulo, the undisputed capital of or on their own in specialty stores. and Syrian immigrant communities. summer 2019 // 41 PC1903_038_São Paulo.indd 41 02/07/2019 15:27 // SAO PAULO gastronomy. In the past few years, following TOP RESTAURANTS Brazil hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2014 and Rio hosting the Olympic Games in 2016, Sao Paulo has massively upped its food game. “Sao Paulo is a gastronomic hub because of immigration,” says chef Rueda. “We have Armenian food, Arab food, Italian food. There’s an entire neighborhood dedicated to A Casa do Porco Japanese food, and that’s before we even get This casual, no-bookings restaurant onto Brazilian cuisine.” serves pork, pork and more pork. So what exactly is Brazilian cuisine? In To beat the lines, arrive by 11am for one sense, it’s all about staples like feijoada, lunch or by 5pm for dinner. a comforting stew of black beans and pork traditionally eaten on Saturdays with family D.O.M. and friends, as part of a long, lazy lunch. I Rock-star chef Alex Atala’s ode to eat it on arrival at Tordesilhas, where chef Amazonian cuisine offers everything Mara Salles serves arguably the best version from ants to aligot, a combination of in the city. Brazilian cuisine is also typified mashed potato, cheese and honey. by the churrascarias found all across town, serving every cut of meat and even Tordesilhas barbecued pineapple. Perfect for people-watching around But in the past few years, Brazilian food the upmarket Oscar Freire shopping has also come to mean an exploration of street, this local favorite has been the country’s ingredients, and there’s no feeding Paulistas since 1990. Start better showcase than D.O.M., a regular in with grilled coalho cheese with sugar The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list and cane honey and work through to frequently named the best in Brazil. With feijoada stew with all the trimmings. a signature degustation and wine pairing menu priced at a whopping 1,030 reais ($270), Shin Zushi D.O.M. is a once-in-a-lifetime destination, In the city with the biggest Japanese and the cost reflects years of research and population outside Japan, sushi exploration in the Amazon jungle under the options are everywhere, but Shin guidance of chef-owner Alex Atala. Zushi guarantees good value, top When it opened in 1999, D.O.M.’s use of quality Edomae-style cuisine in a Amazonian produce surprised the locals, casual setting. For those who can’t many of whom had never cooked with choose, there are combo plates, ingredients from the rainforest, even though such as Tirashi Zushi. it makes up two thirds of Brazil’s landmass. Now Atala is one of the world’s most famous Maní chefs, with a host of awards and widespread Set in an old house in the leafy acclaim for his work supporting indigenous Jardins neighborhood, Maní serves people. His success has inspired younger colorful, elegant dishes showcasing chefs, such as Ivan Ralston, who makes Brazilian ingredients such as manioc sorbets from local fruits at Tuju, and Cesar and heart of palm. Request the Costa, who cooks with organic ingredients at tasting menu for the full experience. sustainability-focused Corrutela. Soon after I sit down in D.O.M.’s grand-yet- Evvai cozy dining room, I’m presented with a plate At his cozy restaurant, young chef of ants. To one side sits a large, black ant on its Clockwise: A Casa do Porco; Luiz Filipe Souza impresses diners own, and to the other, another ant, encased D.O.M. chef Alex Atala; cashew with his flavor-packed Italian- in a sugar shell filled with cachaça, a punchy fruit ceviche, Mani images: Rubens Kato; Sergio Coimbra influenced cuisine, classic cocktails distilled spirit. I start with the ant on its own and superb wine list. 42 // postcards summer 2019 // 43 PC1903_038_São Paulo.indd 42 02/07/2019 15:27 PC1903_038_São Paulo.indd 43 02/07/2019 15:27 TOP RESTAURANTS A Casa do Porco This casual, no-bookings restaurant serves pork, pork and more pork.