One of the first cooks specialized in smoking in the country, Paula Labaki He learned his vocation early on to be around the flames. Raised on a century-old coffee farm in São Paulo, she moved to the capital as a teenager and even studied psychology, but the kitchen spoke louder.
He studied gastronomy and created the catering Lena Labaki , a tribute to his mother. The passion for smoking grew and, from then on, it never stopped. Today Paula has a picture on the Sabor & Arte channel, “Direto da Brasa”, and runs the Labaki Deli Shop famous for its pastrami sandwich and which offers delivery.
More recently she was invited to pilot the Fire a recently opened restaurant in Marambaia Farm , a property in the mountainous region of Rio with a boutique hotel and high-end condominium surrounded by untouched nature. There are grills of up to four meters and techniques such as embers, smoking, ground fire, clothesline and wood oven provide tasty dishes. The orders involve prime cuts, but vegetables and other foods also go through the fire.
Next, check out chef Paula Labaki's favorite places to eat well in Rio de Janeiro:
-
Brazier of Gávea
See this photo on Instagram
O Brazier of Gávea is a classic in Rio de Janeiro and focuses on grilled dishes, all accompanied by an ice-cold draft beer. The house works with picanha, filet mignon, black angus cuts, poultry, fish and seafood and barbecue classics with appropriate accompaniments.
From the menu, my highlight is the chicken, as it has a special place in my heart.
Brazier of Gávea: Praça Santos Dumont, 116 – Loja A – Gávea, Rio de Janeiro – RJ / Tel.: (21) 2239-7494 / Opening hours: Sunday to Thursday, from 11:30 am to 1 am; Friday and Saturday, from 11:30 am to 3 pm.
-
Térèze Restaurant
See this photo on Instagram
O Térèze It is located inside the Santa Teresa Mgallery, a boutique hotel in Santa Teresa and, therefore, the restaurant has a stunning view of the city.
The kitchen is contemporary with Latin American touches and accepts non-guests for all meals, including breakfast. Of the menu options, I end up opting for the octopus, which is spectacular.
Térèze Restaurant: Rua Felício dos Santos, 15 – Santa Teresa, Rio de Janeiro – RJ /Tel.: (21) 3380-0259 / Opening hours: breakfast from Monday to Thursday, from 7am to 10:30am; Friday to Sunday and holidays, from 7am to 11am; lunch every day, from 12pm to 4pm; dinner every day, from 6pm to 10pm.
-
Marius Degustare Restaurant
On Avenida Atlântica, the Marius Degustare It's an interesting and quite picturesque place, as it has decoration inspired by the seabed in every corner, including the ceiling.
Whenever I've been there I've eaten very well. One time, I experienced one of the best cavaquinhas of my life. For R$360, the restaurant offers a tasting consisting of a selection of meat, fish and seafood and a buffet of cold and hot dishes.
Marius Degustare Restaurant: Av. Atlântica, 290 – Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro – RJ / Tel.: (21) 99879-8971 (WhatsApp) / Opening hours: every day, from 12:30 pm to midnight.
-
Bar Bracarense
With more than 60 years of history, the Bracarense It is a traditional Rio bar place. Open every day from early to late, the bohemian atmosphere is helped by sandwiches, snacks and cold draft beer.
My order at the bar is always a cod fritter. I simply love this homemade snack – it's worth mentioning that there are still others, such as feijoada cake, polenta cake with pork, cassava cake with dried meat and cassava cake with shrimp and cream cheese.
Bar Bracarense: Rua José Linhares, 85 – Leblon, Rio de Janeiro – RJ / Tel.: (21) 2294-3549 / Opening hours: Monday, from 11am to 10pm; Tuesday and Wednesday, from 11am to 11pm; Thursday to Saturday, from 11am to 11:55pm; Sunday, from 11am to 9pm.
-
The Slow Bakery
I really like the The Slow Bakery , which mixes artisanal bakery, coffee and emporium and produces exquisite artisanal naturally fermented breads. There are several types, including brioche, croissant, baguette, wholemeal bread and sourdough varieties.
There are units in Botafogo and Jardim Botânico, which also have a menu to eat there. In addition to the breads, my highlight is the incredible sandwiches.
The Slow Bakery: (Botafogo Unit) Rua Gen. Polidoro, 25 – Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro – RJ / Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday, from 8am to 8pm; Sunday, from 8am to 4pm / (Jardim Botânico Unit) Rua Maria Angélica, 113, store G – Jardim Botânico, Rio de Janeiro – RJ / Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday, from 8am to 8pm / Tel.: (21 ) 99919-6726.
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.
