Cook, drummer and self-taught artist. There are many facets of Enrique Paredes Peruvian chef behind love restaurant in downtown Sao Paulo who brings the cuisine of his native country to the table.
One of his most important facets even got a tattoo on his forearm: he values a “kitchen with freedom”. During his childhood, he watched cooking shows and savored the best and simplest things he had at home.
At the age of 16, he joined the Instituto Gastronómico D’Gallia, in Peru. After internships and seasons at renowned restaurants, he took off solo: he opened a “cebichero” counter in 2015, the Barra Khuda in Lima which had an unpretentious kitchen.
For him, the house was the expression of “Cocina con Libertad”.
It was in 2018 that he landed in Brazil, hired by a group of Brazilian businessmen. Thus, Ama.zo was born, with the aim of presenting an original Peruvian cuisine with ingredients from the coast, the mountains and the jungle. The success was immediate and the house is full.
Aside from the busy daily life of the restaurant – which seats 200 diners -, the chef also tries out other flavors in the capital of São Paulo and delivers his favorite places to eat in São Paulo – most Asian-influenced houses:
Komah
I really like the Komah. The food is excellent and the delivery is very well taken care of – I like it because I don’t always have time to go to restaurants, so I can enjoy good food at home.
I notice that the Komah team has an interesting and delicate balance with the vegetables and the strength of the Korean seasoning – all this mixed, of course, with the creativity of the chef Paulo Shin. In my view, he gave an innovation to the Korean food proposal.
At the Barra Funda house, Asian cuisine is served, such as samgiopsal, roasted pancetta, glazed with gochujang sauce (R$68 with side dishes); the kimchi bokumbap, rice sautéed with kimchi with a creamy omelet (R$59); and the yukhoe, Korean steak tartare with rump bones, cured yolk and Asian pear (R$45).
Rua Cônego Vicente Miguel Marino, 378 – Barra Funda, São Paulo – SP / Tel.: (11) 3392-7072; WhatsApp: (11) 93354-0746 / Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 12 pm to 3 pm and from 6:30 pm to 11:30 pm; Saturday from 12 pm to 4 pm and from 7 pm to 11:30 pm / Reservations via site / Delivery via iFood (Pine trees and Deep Bar)
New Shin-la Kwan
Every time I went to the Korean barbecue restaurant, New Shin-la Kwan, I went with cook friends. It’s the type of cuisine comfort food, and I love the idea of the customer preparing the dish and putting the ingredients on the grill. It’s real entertainment, as we’re having a beer and cooking. We end up with that feeling that we are at home with friends.
All barbecue dishes, from bulgogi bosot (marinated ancho steak slices), galbi yangnyeom (marinated beef rib) to samgyeopsal yangnyeom (marinated pancetta), cost R$190 – portions for two come with banchan , kimchi, two bowls of rice and two salads.
Rua Prates, 343 – Bom Retiro, São Paulo – SP / Tel.: (11) 3315-9021/ Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm and from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm; Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 11:30 am to 8:30 pm; closed on Mondays / Delivery via iFood
gizzard bar
Chef Rômulo Morente is a friend of mine, so at least once a week I have to go to Gizzard. The bar has a relaxed atmosphere and the dumplings are very well made – from rice with gizzards (R$8), morcilla (R$19) to corn with gorgonzola (R$8) and rice with beetroot and goat cheese (R$8).
There is no greater pleasure than eating a dry, crispy and tasty muffin with a cold beer after work. Also, I find all the servers very friendly.
Rua Canuto do Val, 136 – Vila Buarque, São Paulo – SP (Santa Cecília Unit) / Tel.: (11) 99335-5556 / Opening hours: open every day from 2 pm to 11 pm / Rua Cardeal Arcoverde, 2320 – Pinheiros , São Paulo – SP (Pinheiros Unit) / Delivery via rappi
make breads
It’s a bakery under my house, so it’s a place I frequent a lot. Basically all the breads I eat are from manufacture – which satisfies me because I like to eat plain bread, with nothing on it, and theirs are very well made.
I also love the chocolate brioches they make. Muffins, eclair, fougasse, pepperoni, olive and multigrain breads also add to the bakery’s menu.
Units in Higienópolis, Santa Cecília and Vila Romana; check out site / Whatsapp: (11) 95210-7347 / Opening hours: every day from 7 am to 9 pm / Delivery via site
Ikkousha Ramen
I’m in love with ramen. I’ve eaten several here in São Paulo, but for me the Ikkousha, which is located in Liberdade, is on my favorites list. Whenever I’m in the mood for ramen, I run there.
Among the ramens there is the tonkotsu ramen, a specialty of the house in which pork bones are used in their own preparation, and fresh broth is added to the concentrated broth to achieve a more intense flavor.
Rua Thomaz Gonzaga, 45 – Loja E – Liberdade, São Paulo – SP / Tel.: (11) 3132-6033 / Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 11:30 am to 3 pm and from 6 pm to 10 pm; Saturday holidays from 11 am to 3:30 pm and from 6 pm to 10 pm, Sundays from 11 am to 3:30 pm and from 6 pm to 9 pm / Delivery via site, iFood and Rappi.
Source: CNN Brasil
