Around the World in 80 Dinners - Bill Jamison [138]
You don’t find that on every street corner unfortunately. The buffet breakfasts at our hotel are downright shameful, based largely on commercially packaged, poor-quality breads, pastries, and cereals. In a country that rightfully prides itself on sucos (fresh fruit juices), the versions here reek of a can and taste diluted as well. Nowhere else is nearly that bad. More often, typical of restaurants around the world, some dishes shine and others lack luster. That’s the case, for example, at the most elegant and upscale establishment in town, the internationally oriented Trapiche Adelaide. The kitchen excels with carne de sol in gnocchi and a seafood vatapá, but the shrimp with mustard and pineapple is too sweet and the molten chocolate cake lacks oomph.
Still, Salvador elates us with the best of its Creole food and its intense exuberance for life. The verve may wane occasionally, but it pops up again around the next bend, delighting us over and over gastronomically, musically, intellectually, and sensually. Arriving with high hopes, we leave in even higher spirits.
THE NITTY-GRITTY
IPANEMA PLAZA HOTEL
www.ipanemaplazahotel.com
Rua Farme de Amoedo 34,
Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro
55-21-3687-2000 fax 55-21-3687-2001
Moderately priced business hotel run by
a good European chain, Golden Tulip.
Spacious deluxe rooms, but few balconies
and good sea views are limited to the
rooftop pool terrace.
CONFEITARIA COLOMBO
www.confeitariacolombo.com.br
Rua Gonçalves Dias 32,
Centro, Rio de Janeiro
55-21-2232-2300
lunch only
Maybe not worth the trip downtown except
on Saturday.
CHURRASCARIA CARRETÃO
www.carretaochurrascaria.com.br
Rua Visconde de Piraja 112,
Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro
55-21-2267-3965
lunch and dinner
CARMEN MIRANDA MUSEUM
Av. Rui Barbosa, Flamengo, Rio de Janeiro
55-21-2299-5586
MONTE PASCOAL PRAIA HOTEL
www.montepascoal.com.br
Av. Oceânica 591,
Barra, Salvador
55-71-2103-4000
fax 55-71-2103-4005
Basic, moderate-size rooms, but the full
-sea-view quarters offer what they promise
from their balconies. Small hotel with a
good location and mediocre service.
FERIA DE SÃO JOAQUIM
Salvador
On the waterfront just north of the
ferryboat terminal.
AXEGO
Rua João de Deus 1,
Pelourinho, Salvador
55-71-3242-7481
lunch and dinner
CARANGUEJO DA DADÁ
Patamares Beach, Salvador
55-71-3363-5151
lunch and dinner (no reservations)
ALAÍDE DO FEIJÃO
Rua 12 Outubro 2, Salvador
55-71-3321-3634
lunch and early dinner
Pure Salvador.
RESTAURANT UAUÁ
Gregório de Matos 36 Pelourinho, Salvador
55-71-3321-3089
lunch and dinner
(no reservations)
SORRISO DA DADÁ
Rua Frei Vincente 5,
Pelourinho, Salvador
55-71-3321-9642
lunch and dinner
Wonderful cooking.
Casquinha de Siri Bahian Deviled Crab
SERVES 6
Molho de Pimenta
4 to 6 pickled malagueta chiles, or other fresh or bottled tiny hot red chiles, or more to taste
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup cane vinegar, rice vinegar, or fresh lime juice, or a combination
Deviled Crab
¼ cup dendê (palm oil) or vegetable oil in which 4 to 6 annatto seeds have been briefly sautéed until the oil has turned golden (seeds then discarded)
1 cup dried coarse bread crumbs
1 small onion, minced
¼ cup minced green bell pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red-ripe plum tomato, squeezed of its seeds and watery liquid, chopped fine
¾ teaspoon salt, or more to taste
¼ cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon Molho de Pimenta, or more to taste (above)
1 pound lump crabmeat
¼ cup grated aged grana cheese or other aged hard cheese like Parmesan
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Oil or butter six ramekins or scallop shells and place them on a baking sheet.
For the molho or sauce, mash together in a mortar or with the back of a fork, the chiles and salt until roughly pureed. Scrape out into a food processor