Samba musician and North Zone native, Gabriel tells us the best place to get beef ribs in the city
Friendly local boy Gabriel “da Muda” Cavalcante is known for performing at the best live samba events in the city: he sings and plays the cavaco (small Brazilian guitar) at famous events Samba do Trabalhador and Samba da Ouvidor. In the digital world, he is known for another passion of his, cooking. He has over 15,000 followers on Instagram where he posts photos of the best food and drink - a dieter's nightmare. “My family is from the Amazon. I was raised eating (Amazonian food) pirarucu à casaca and tucunaré. In 2011 I travelled all over Brazil to launch my CD and I really got into cooking,” the Tijuca resident, an area famous for its food, tells us. Self-confessed carnivore, Gabriel is a beef rib (costela de boi) connoisseur and he reveals the best places in Rio to enjoy the dish.
Opened in 1998, this establishment is a real gastronomic treasure in the Benfica neighbourhood, and the dish responsible for its fame is undoubtedly the Costela no Bafo. After being marinated in the house’s super special seasoning, the meat is slow-cooked for 12 hours. You can order it with a side of garlic bread, egg farofa and campanha vinaigrette (R$120). Or you can have the heartier version with rice, fries as well as egg farofa and campanha vinaigrette (R$140). “Aside from the always impeccable beef ribs, the garlic bread is my favourite and the draught beer is always goes down well.”
This bar is one of the most talked about in Tijuca. Everything you try here will be at the veryleast spectacular. One of the most famous appetisers is the award winning coxinha (R$6), served only on Tuesdays. The pastel de feijão gordo (fat bean pastel R$6) is unbeatable as are the fried polenta cubes with oxtail (R$32). “They also serve beef ribs with onions that come with roast potatoes on the side (price). Please ask for the delicious farofa Leandro (Amaral, Luiza de Souza’s partner) outside(laughs).”
The speciality here as rightly put this place on the map which is tucked away, hence the name (escondidinho means hidden), on Beco dos Barbeiros. The beef rib, served with roast potatoes and watercress, is a classic despite the slightly lofty price. “It’s not done on the gril like the other two places I mentioned before but it is equally spectacular,” Gabriel explains.
“The beef rib is marinated for at least 18 hours. The draught beer is the coldest in Rio de Janeiro,” Gabriel says. The meat is cooked on the gril, on a barbecue outside, and arrives to the table still sizzling, ready to fall off the bone. On the side you get onions, rice, farofa, fries and vinaigrette (R$). It can serves four people comfortably. To whet your appetite the lamb pastel (pastel de cordeiro) (R$) is an excellent choice.
Hearty food for an honest price is just one of the attractions that regulars enjoy about this typical Portuguese stand-up bar located in municipal market CADEG (Centro de Abastecimento do Estado da Guanabara). The egg farofa here is one of the most acclaimed in the city. “Ask for the rib with tutu à mineira e couve (a typical bean dish from Minas Gerais with kale), which they serve on Tuesdays. It’s always a delightful option.”
Address
: Rua Capitão Félix, 110, Benfica
Phone
: +55 (21) 3566-1583
Schedule:
Sun 22:00 às 15:00, Mon 22:00 às 15:00, Tue 22:00 às 15:00, Wed 22:00 às 15:00, Thu 22:00 às 15:00, Fri 22:00 às 15:00, Sat 22:00 às 15:00
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