Gone are the days when having a meal inside a mall meant crowded food courts and disputes over a small table in the midst of chaos.
The group activecommanded by Gabriel Abramis one of those who believe and invest in charming environments that make you forget that you are inside a shopping center in São Paulo.
Restaurant owners like Kitchin, Su and Aimaall in malls, has just opened the Italian restaurant La Serena at JK Iguatemi, one of the most luxurious in the city.
From the decor to the menu, the inspiration is the elegant Italian Riviera. Right at the entrance, an imposing drinks bar welcomes diners and, from there, the bartender Gil (ex-Casimiro) offers classics, reinterpretations and authorials such as the machiato martini, his version of the espresso martini with dulce de leche liqueur (R$ 48), Aegean negroni with gin, lillet blanc, ternatea infusion and orange blossom (R$ 48). $56) and calzolaio di vermouth with raspberry, cucumber and vermouth (R$56).
Passing the large bar, the main room is an invitation for hours of chat accompanied, of course, by good dishes. A bright environment, with lots of sofas and plants, there is a crudos bar, with scallops, oysters, shrimp and fresh fish that are hard to resist, especially on hot days, and an extensive kitchen open to the public.
The options for starters are many and – just spend a few minutes looking at the tables next to them – you can see that indecision when choosing is common in all of them.
Among the suggestions are the fried Gnocco that comes with three units, one with prosciutto crudo, another with thinly sliced Italian bologna and the last with salami, accompanied by a tomato chutney (R$ 56); the pumpkin flower stuffed with ricotta and slices of raw ham (R$ 78 – two units); the arancini with shrimp, black rice and sea urchin roe (R$ 68 – unit); and the veal polpettine with pomodoro and basil (R$68).
From the crudos bar, the portion of scallops with mango and jalapeño sauce (R$90); octopus carpaccio (R$84); oysters from Florianópolis (R$ 52 with six units); and tuna tartare with lemon zabaione and bottarga (R$76) are great choices for those who want to start with lighter items.
Among the main ones, the papardelle with wild boar ragu (R$98) and the surprising pianciotti di burrata, a pasta that looks like a large capeletti stuffed with cheese and topped with pieces of fresh tuna in a pistachio pesto (R$86), really offer a trip to the south of boot country.
The menu is complete with items such as the prosecco risotto with Sicilian lemon (R$ 76); Milanese veal (R$92); linguine lalle vongole (R$152 for two people); and also items that come off the grill like the fish of the day (R$92) and shrimp with chili (R$156).
Only at dinner they offer individual pizzas like the Alla Nerano with flor di latte, goat cheese and zucchini flower (R$86).
To sweeten the palate, Cannoli (R$38 – two options) completes the trip to Italy, but there are also options such as the 70% chocolate pie with vanilla ice cream (R$36); semifredo tiramisu (R$48); and Meringata with raspberry (R$ 52 – two people).
La Serena: Shopping JK Iguatemi – Av. pres. Juscelino Kubitschek, 2041 – Vila Olímpia, São Paulo – SP / Tel.: (11) 3152-6204/ 3152-6205 / Opening hours: lunch – Monday to Friday, from 12:00 to 15:30, and Saturday and Sunday, from 12:00 to 15:30 5 pm /Dinner: Monday to Sunday, from 7pm to 11pm/Wine cork fee: BRL 120.
Source: CNN Brasil
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