Set in a house with spectacular views of Rio and the Bay of Guanabara, this restaurant serves a fascinating and delicious mix of Brazilian food with French inflections. The interior ambles through several appealing rooms and culminates in a lovely garden (for the views, however, book a table on the porch). Among the best starters are crabmeat served in its own shell and the luscious pumpkin cream soup with prawns. The juicy grilled lamb chop with couscous is a favorite main course. Finally, the fried banana with cinnamon and sugar comes with a generous coating of hot chocolate. Open Thursdays through Sundays.
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Traveling the World in Search
of Truly Enchanting Places
Brazil
Overview
From Andrew Harper
Brazil is the fifth-largest nation in the world, comprising almost half of the South American continent. The country is blessed with 5,000 miles of coastline, much of it undeveloped, plus the natural wonders of the Amazon Basin. Most Brazilians are urbanites, living in the huge southern cities such as São Paulo, which has a metro population of close to 20 million. Despite its glamorous reputation, Rio de Janeiro is an acquired taste, with a serious crime problem, even in upscale neighborhoods such as Ipanema.
CLIMATE : Brazil has five climatic regions. São Paulo and Brasilia have mild climates, while east coast cities such as Rio de Janeiro are warmer and rely on trade winds to moderate the seasonal heat. The Amazon Basin (see Manaus) is constantly warm, humid and rainy.
TIME : Three hours ahead of New York (EST).
CURRENCY : Brazilian real (BRL). Fluctuating rate valued at BRL2 = US$1.00 as of March 2012 Note: Most of our suggested hotels quote rates in US$.
U.S. EMBASSY : Brasilia, Tel. 61-3312-7000. Consulates: Recife, Tel. 81-3416-3050; Rio de Janeiro, Tel. 21-3823-2000; and São Paulo, Tel. 11-5186-7000.
DIRECT DIAL CODES : To phone hotels in Brazil, dial 011 (international access) + 55 (Brazil code) + city code and local numbers in listings.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS : Passport and visa. Visit travel.state.gov, and for travelers’ health information, cdc.gov.
GENERAL INFORMATION : Visit http://braziltour.com/ before your trip.
Hotels
All recommended hotels in Brazil
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Pousada MaravilhaSanctuary overlooking the turquoise waters of Baie Sueste off the island of Fernando de Noronha. Eight air-conditioned bungalows feature sea views through sliding glass doors and from private decks with Japanese hot tubs. |
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Copacabana PalaceStately 145-room landmark hotel facing Copacabana Beach. |
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Hotel Fasano Rio de JaneiroBoutique hotel offering magnificent ocean views from an ideal location at the Copacabana end of Ipanema Beach. |
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Etnia Pousada & BoutiqueDelightful hideaway five minutes from the center of Trancoso. |
Dining
All recommended restaurants in Brazil
GERO
Located in the stylish Ipanema area, this relative newcomer to the Rio food scene has made a real name for itself. The menu is mostly Italian, but there are plenty of culinary clues to remind you that you are in Brazil. For example, the terrific “Carioca-Roman” salt cod comes right out of the Portuguese repertoire, but is enlivened with pine nuts and tomato. You’ll also be impressed with the wine list, which has a fine selection of Italian bottles, as well as surprisingly good Brazilian reds. The restaurant, with warm brick walls and well-executed lighting, is handsomely decked out with black-and-white pictures of the city.
Rua Anibal de Mendonça 157
Rio de Janeiro
22410-050
Brazil
See map: Google Maps
US$60
LE PRE CATELAN
In a sleek setting of black and white, chef Roland Villard presents dishes strongly rooted in his native French traditions but with a Carioca spin. A genial man who likes to visit tables and tell guests directly what he will prepare that night, Villard is committed to using the best ingredients and as many indigenous products as possible. He changes the menu every two weeks, but look for dishes such as a starter of langoustines sautéed with basil and tomato and one of his “trilogies,” three-way variations on one ingredient such as foie gras served as a ballotine, warm over a little apple tart and as a filling in ravioli. Main courses might be a thin fillet of sea bass with orange flower-inflected semolina and collard greens with a saffron sauce or lamb chops with rosemary fondant potatoes and ratatouille. It is a pleasure to dine in this sophisticated restaurant (book a table by the large windows with their stunning view of Copacabana Beach).
Sofitel Rio, Avenida Atlântica 4240
Rio de Janeiro
RJ, 28200-000
Brazil
See map: Google Maps
US$75
OLYMPE
The name Troisgros is firmly entrenched in the firmament of French culinary luminaries for the superb restaurant in the little town of Roanne. A third-generation member, Claude, has made his own mark in this lovely restaurant with burgundy banquettes and bright paintings. Like the others in this prodigiously talented family, Claude brings enormous creativity to the kitchen, so you will see dishes such as salt cod with a potato foam with black Picholine olives and white truffle oil. Main courses could include crisp red snapper with a confit of eggplant with honey and a cherry vinegar, all with a sweet tomato sauce, or grilled beef tenderloin with a rosemary-green peppercorn crust and potato galette with a red wine sauce.
Rua Custódio Serrão 62
Rio de Janeiro
RJ, 22470-230
Brazil
See map: Google Maps
US$75
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