Two prominent names on the Rio gastronomic scene joined forces to create a restaurant that was already a well-deserved success with the public. Elia Schramm by the trendy Italian Babbo, and Menandro Rodrigues owned by Haru, one of the best Japanese in Rio, opened Si-chou, an Asian restaurant with great cuisine that arrived at the end of 2023 on Rua Barão da Torre, in Ipanema.
With a more sunny atmosphere on the ground floor and an intimate one on the top floor, Si-chou embraces Chinese, Korean, Thai and Japanese recipes and even presents excellent pastas made with an oriental twist, such as the surprising carbonara noodles (R$ 74) and udon-style squid ink pasta with seafood and creamy seafood sauce (R$128).
First, it's worth exploring the entrance area. Among them are the gua bao (R$ 22) — a Taiwanese bun with pork belly, pickled vegetables, peanuts and coriander mounted on a steamed bun — and the sio mai (R$ 39; three pieces), a Chinese dumpling stuffed with shrimp and bamboo shoot.
Don't miss the yukhoe (R$64), a Korean-style tartar that combines slices of beef and nashi pear with egg yolk and sesame seeds.
The kitchen is also good at rolls, sashimi and sushi (moriawase selection, R$66) and classic Asian dishes, such as the Thai pad thai (R$84), which combines rice noodles with tamarind sauce enhanced with shrimp, egg , bean sprouts, peanuts and coriander.
Another worthwhile option is the dolsot bibimbap (R$69). Korean rice stir-fry with marinated beef, mushrooms, vegetables, egg yolk and slightly spicy sauce is served in a very hot stone bowl called dolsot, which maintains the dish's temperature throughout the meal.
Si-chou: Rua Barão da Torre, 472, Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro / Tel.: (21) 9-9867-5933 / Opening hours: Monday, from 7pm to 11pm; Tuesday and Wednesday, from 12pm to 4pm and 7pm to 11pm; Thursday and Friday, from 12pm to 4pm and 7pm to midnight; Saturday, from 12pm to midnight; and Sunday, from 12pm to 10pm.
*The texts published by Insiders and Columnists do not necessarily reflect the opinion of CNN Viagem & Gastronomia.
About Fabio Wright
Journalist from São Paulo who travels weekly between São Paulo and Rio, has written about gastronomy for major publications, such as Veja São Paulo, O Estado de S. Paulo and Época São Paulo. In the last ten years, he has visited eighteen countries in search of good places to eat, drink, party and enjoy bohemia. Also share your discoveries on the website and Instagram profile @tasteandfly.
Source: CNN Brasil
Johanna Foster is an expert opinion writer with over 7 years of experience. She has a reputation for delivering insightful and thought-provoking articles on a variety of subjects. Her work can be found on some of the top online news websites, and she is currently lending her voice to the world stock market.
