A big part of our travelling to new countries is trying new foods. We'll both try anything and for most part, will just pick something random to try and guess what it is after (though Tim has memorised the portuguese for chicken heart (coração) so he can avoid it!).
It's great when we are out with our Brazilian friends who can order on our behalf and explain the history of, debate whose mother makes the best of and show us how to eat it.
Unfortunately they are not with us all the time so we have to revert to guessing. I have to link to another blog which we are avid readers of - an aussie and kiwi couple who lived in SP until last year. I check their blog religiously to make sure I have memorised their list of recommended foods (and the not so recommended) so I'm much more confident when I'm walking into a lanchonette or restaurante by myself! Today I started at the top of their list with Coxinha de Frango and I have to say it was pretty good - washed down with a compulsory espresso pequeno of course (another con for Tim as he much prefers flat whites but is too embarrassed to order a mug of warm milk alongside his espresso).
Of course I am missing my asian food desperately - Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Indian - but the sushi restaurants are making up for that, for the moment. I will have to hunt out any Asian restaurants (any recommendations from Paulista's are much appreciated - I will travel far and wide!). So far the only recommendation for dimsum is Ping Pong! I think I'm going to have to learn how to make siumai myself or just live without : (
eh, i've really only been to sushi. but you know there is an entire asian district-get to a market and make something at home since it sounds like you're pretty savvy on asian food already. i've made phad thai with stuff from just the grocery store, so i know at least you would be able to find better rice noodles and fish sauce in the asian district (liberdade). if you go, tell me. i've never been :P
ReplyDeleteWe went to liberdade the first weekend (that is how desperate my need for an asian food fix is!). I need to go back and explore more - we had walked from Aclimicao so were pretty hot and knackered by the time we got there! The supermarkets I found were OK but still more japanese focused - but maybe I missed out on the Thai supermarket. Will let you know if I find one.
ReplyDeleteHow long have you been living here for?
What part of Sao Paulo are you at the moment? South Area have good Asians Restaurants for every "profile": from the cheapest ones to the most fancy. Myself, I like to have a lunch at Hakka (Rua Gomes de Carvalho, Vila Olimpia), Hiro at the Morumbi Shopping is a good one. Near Hakka (as far as I know, also in Rua Augusto, close to Avenida Paulista) there is a "fairly" good one called Asia House, nice variety, but not what I would consider "the best". Well, just my simple and small help =) by the way, nice Blog!! )))))
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recommendations Allan! Will definitely put them on my list of restaurants to try. We are moving to Vila Madalena next week and I know there are lots of places to try there.
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