We’ve been doing this blog for quite a while now, and we’ve always tried to avoid drawing attention to ourselves taking copious pictures of the food and making notes on exactly what we were ordering, thus making it obvious we were there for more than just lunch. We’ve often got a few strange looks from people who can clearly see we are not used to this food, and a few kind waiters have guided us through menus when they ask what we want and are met with blank stares. However our cover was well and truly blown this time, mostly because we were once again the only people in the restaurant (why does no one else eat lunch when we do?!), and me being a curious cat, did ask quite a few questions before just picking the meal that had the prettiest name.
The restaurant itself is on the corner of two streets (it’s shaped like a pizza slice) and is right in the centre of town, not far from a few of the other restaurants we’ve been to. It has to be said – although I do truly love my city, there are parts of it that are really not all that pretty. Broadway is one of those places. From our table, the view out of the window was a kebab shop and a developing traffic jam. Inside however, was bonita; bright colours, bold paintings of salsa dancers on the wall, a funky bar with colour-changing lights, and sunny South American music playing in the background. The restaurant is on two floors, and the ground floor was mostly cleared except for a few tables around the edge. We later discovered this was for the salsa evening they have on Wednesdays (a future visit for sure).
Our waiter Paolo was fantastic, and explained the menu to us with a real passion. His description of the mistos des carnes (mixed meats) was tempting, however after finding out that the Picanha was their very best cut of beef, shipped in from Argentina, we both had to try it – I went for the Picanha Tropical, which came with a selection of fruit as a side, and Joe chose the Picanha a brasilileira, which was served with black beans, farofa and a really tasty vinaigrette.
While we were waiting, Paolo brought out a bowl of still-warm, freshly baked bread (he’d already won me over before I’d even started) with some butter, sardine pate, and olives. The bread and pate were divine (I’m a carb girl for sure), and although I’ve made my feelings towards olives very clear to anyone who will listen, I did eat 3 (take that picky eaters!). That might have had something to do with the lush garlic they were coated in, but it’s a start, right? 🙂
Talking of developing my tastes, after we’ve cleared up the bread, Paolo came to talk to us about how the meat was going to be cooked – he did the thing that happened to me a few times in Paris, where you could tell it would be absolutely criminal to ask for the meat to be well done. After he mentioned that the very best way to eat this beef is very rare, and then seeing the face I pulled, we compromised on mine being medium (baby steps!).
And then the food started arriving, and Paolo just kept bring plates and bowls and tiny dishes of exciting things. We each had a huge platter with 3 pieces of super thin, perfectly cooked (in my opinion) beef, loads of chips, and then, for a bit of a twist, pieces of mango, pineapple, banana, apple and some beautifully sliced strawberry.
No no, don’t sprinkle it on your chips. Just on the beans.
Paolo the waiter
Between us, we also had a big bowl of black beans, and something that looked a lot like breadcrumbs. After a little googling (and making a fool of myself by sprinkling it all over my chips) we discovered that is toasted cassava flour, and when mixed with the black bean sauce, make a really good side. It was at this point that Paolo asked if we were from a magazine, and that we had to come clean for the real reason why were were his only customers on a Thursday lunchtime. It might have been all the not-so-discrete pictures we had been taking of Joe with a mouthful of food, but we still think it’s an achievement we’ve gone this long without anyone questioning why we don’t eat at normal times like everyone else.
After all the food was brought out, we were asked if we’d like any piri-piri dressing; I am well aware of how expressive my face is, and so judging by the speed at which he brought some to us, I think he could tell how excited I was for that. This piri-piri was nothing like the stuff you’ll have had at Nandos’s. This was freshly made, perfectly balanced and just spicy enough for drizzling all over your chips. The real surprise was how well the fruit went with everything else – we didn’t have any vegetables, which would usually feel like we were missing something, but after trying a piece of mango with the beef, laced with the spicy dressing, we really knew the Brazilians are on to something.
Overall, the food was excellent, the service was stellar, and for £26.50, we definitely thought it was a great value lunch (with effectively a personal chef and waiter, I might add). The only thing that I wish we’d have done is maybe visit when there was more people, and more atmosphere. Paolo kindly showed us the upstairs restaurant, which was also really nicely decorated, with a little stage for live bands to play, and a stack of cowboy hats to get everyone in the party mood. And after hearing about the Rodizio evening menu, where the chefs bring huge spears of meat directly to your table and slice off pieces on to your plate, Joe’s ears pricked up like the cats when they hear the tin-opener. I definitely think this won’t be our last visit to this bright little slice of South America in a bleak and rainy Peterborough.
Around the World on the Number 1 Bus 