THE COFFEE SHOP & BAR – New York City (Union Square)

The Coffee Shop is a classic American diner with a Brazilian twist. This loud, bright diner serves a sprinkling of expected diner fare but the focus is on Brazilian cuisine. It is open 23 hours per day for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Julie and I had spent most of the day walking and window shopping our way through on the the greatest cities. We needed a break; I remembered a recommendation from friends and found ourselves with a short wait for a table at Coffee Shop in Union Square.

It was only appropriate we start our lunch with caiprinhas – the classic Brazilian concoction of rum & lime. We decided to order several dishes and share. We started with the chilled carrot and ginger soup. We actually had 2 orders of the Pao de Queijo; the bite size pieces of Romano cheese bread gently baked to a delicate crusty outside and a slightly undercooked gooey center. These were truly cheesy puffs of heaven!

Pastels de Cameron were mouthwatering Bahian dumplings filled with tidbits of shrimp, celery & onion. The “centerpiece” of our lunch was the Sopa de Peixe Bahia – seafood chowder with a very light, fresh tomato seafood stock. The large soap bowl had a mound of carrots, tomatoes, green peppers, grilled tuna, shrimp, crab, skin-on white potatoes, corn, celery, cilantro and garlic. These al dente tidbits were swimming in a delicate tomato fish stock. Yumm!

Go for the incredible, reasonably priced Brazilian food & the eye candy! The elevated noise level makes conversation both with your dining companion and wait staff can be challenging.

Mmm... Mmm...

$$
++++
✦✦✦

$ 10
$$ 20
$$$ 30
$$$$ 40+

Staff
+ Stop bothering me!
++ Anyone here?
+++ Stopped when in the area.
++++ As needed and friendly.
+++++ Invisibly perfect!

Overall
✦ “One visit too many!”
✦✦ “Convince me!”
✦✦✦ “I’ll be back!”
✦✦✦✦ “Same table next week!”

STEAK HOUSE BRASIL – Puerto Vallarta

Steak House Brasil is located in the Zona Romantica area of Vallarta - the older, charming Puerto Vallarta. Zona Romantica (aka Los Muertos) is Vallarta's most energized area with the southside’s beach, restaurants, bars, lounges and beachside cafes. The neighborhood continues to experience revitalization. The main street, Olas Altas, is lined with a variety of dining options, sidewalk cafes, great bars and nightclubs. Vallarta is ever changing & growing.

Brasil is a casual restaurant with a tropical feel, offering an open dining area and an air conditioned room (smoke free). I have eaten here several times and have yet to see a menu. It may exist but I always order the Brazilian buffet dinner. For those not familiar with a Brazilian restaurant, the large selection of meats are roasted/grilled and the sides are served family style. You can choose as much or as little of each.

Dinner begins with crispy chicken wings and a delicious garlic & parsley mayo-like dipping sauce. The wings are followed by deep fried rice balls and fried bananas rolled in cinnamon and sugar. I would prefer to have the bananas at the end of the meal – not the beginning. The rice balls are fantastic. The trio of sides – pasta and vegetable salad, carrot and raisin salad and thick slices of tomato and quick steamed broccoli are delicious and quickly replenished.

The roasted meats for this evening included chorizo, pork loin, beef filet wrapped in bacon, top sirloin, rib eye, NY strip, and turkey breast wrapped in bacon. My favorites were the rib eye (sliced at my plate), the beef filet and the turkey breast. Superb!

A chimichurri sauce and a smoked pepper tomato sauce are served with the meats. Both are excellent; pair with your meats, you will find your favorite combination.

Pace yourself. The meat comes quickly. I recommend asking what meats will be served when you arrive. Feel free to pass on a meat if you are still enjoying a prior selection. You can ask for a particular meat when you are ready or wait until it again comes to your table.

I highly recommend the Brazilian cocktail – the Caipirinha (lime with cachca – a liquor similar to vodka). Very refreshing in this tropical heat!

Good value, comfortable space, very accommodating and friendly staff, and an attentive manager make for an enjoyable evening.

Mmm, Mmm…

http://brasilpirey.com/

$$
++++
✦✦✦✦

Entrée
$ 10
$$ 20
$$$ 30
$$$$ 40+

Staff
+ Stop bothering me!
++ Anyone here?
+++ Stopped when in the area.
++++ As needed and friendly.
+++++ Invisibly perfect!

Overall
✦ “One visit too many!”
✦✦ “Convince me!”
✦✦✦ “I’ll be back!”
✦✦✦✦ “Same table next week!”

BRAZIL BY THE HILL – San Diego

Brazil by the Hill is a casual, inviting restaurant serving delicious Brazilian food. The menu is short but filled with tempting plates from a country I long to visit. Maybe I will be landing in Rio one day soon…

A priced fixed promotion offered my entire meal for $10 excluding my libations, of course. This is the tastiest meal in Hillcrest for less than $10! Period.

It seemed appropriate on this warm summer evening to order a (OK, 2) Sakerinha; a substitute for the infamous Brazilian Caipirinha (lime with cachca – a liquor similar to vodka). Brazil by the Hill uses mild sake in lieu of vodka; they serve only beer and wine, no hard liquor. Very tropical & very refreshing.

I had a Coxinha as a starter. This pastry puff is stuffed with chicken, tomato, and onion; all finely minced and blended with cream cheese. The puff is rolled in corn meal and deep fried. The chipotle mayo dipping sauce adds a nice bit of heat to this starter. Very tasty but I would prefer the pastry dough to be thinner. My taste buds tell me it should be more about the filling and less about the pastry.

The house salad of chopped romaine lettuce, tomato and celery was topped with a traditional Brazilian dressing of olive oil, fresh lemon juice and salt. Delicious!

Prato Feito (PF) refers to the traditional Brazilian dinner combinations. I had the Prato Feito platter with an 8 ounce grilled chicken breast and the trio of sides found at most Brazilian meals – white rice with a bit of onion, red beans in a thin red sauce with bay leaves, and farofa. The beans and rice should be eaten together.

The key ingredient of all farofas is either yuca (mandioca) or corn flour. The consistency of farofa can range from large grains the size of couscous down to a table salt-sized powder. My farofa resembled the powder. Farofas generally have a very smoky and slightly salty taste – generally used to accentuate the taste of grilled meat and stews. Most Brazilian recipes for this dish require that the raw flour be blended with butter, salt, & bacon, and toasted until golden brown. Farofa is served alongside the main course as either a condiment or as a side dish, as rice is often consumed. I was told to blend it with my rice & sprinkle on my grilled chicken. Yumm!

A Bridagdeiro – a soft ball of Brazilian chocolate and caramel rolled in chocolate sprinkles – was dessert. This sweet sensation is nestled between mounds of whipped cream. A drizzle of tart raspberry puree provides a great contrast to the chocolate and caramel.

The friendly, sexy Brazilian staff adds to a tasty dining out experience. You won’t be disappointed.

Mmm, Mmm...

http://www.brazilbythebay.com/BBTH.html

$$
++++
✦✦✦✦

Entrée
$ 10
$$ 20
$$$ 30
$$$$ 40+

Staff
+ Stop bothering me!
++ Anyone here?
+++ Stopped when in the area.
++++ As needed and friendly.
+++++ Invisibly perfect!

Overall
✦ “One visit too many!”
✦✦ “Convince me!”
✦✦✦ “I’ll be back!”
✦✦✦✦ “Same table next week!”