Chef Alex Atala's Dalva e Dito, officially launched this week, is, most definitely, THE restaurant opening of the season. Construction was very delayed - months and months, if not even a year! - and in that time, expectations grew.
Only a mere steps away from his flagship D.O.M., Dalva e Dito aims to serve ultra-perfected Brazilian comfort food. Simple food made by a huge brigade (70 cooks!) under the direction of Frenchman Alain Poletto, in an ultra-expensive and equipped kitchen (the restaurant reportedly cost 6 million reais, or more than 2 million dollars).
Dalva e Dito's open kitchen has very separate food stations, including one entirely devoted to sous vide.
Waiters have been trained to serve the dishes - big, family-style portions - tableside, in the traditional French manner. The signature dish is the roast chicken, roasted to perfection in what Atala calls "the Ferrari of roasters", a Rotissol rôtissoir flewn in from France.
The space is nothing short of beautiful. Modern, but not in a tired all-white minimalistic way. Very Brazilian, but not in a folksy or tacky way. Hats off to designer Marcelo Rosenbaum. I especially like the terrace shaded by ferns (pictured above).
The restaurant has a very big bar serving finger food, with a communal table:
Here are the chefs: Alain Poletto (left) and Alex Atala.
Dalva e Dito:
Rua Padre João Manuel, 1.115, Jardins, 3064-6183
More Atala on this blog:
Alex Atala serves Amazonian ingredients to Spanish chefs at D.O.M.
Interview with chef Alex Atala
We are coming to Sao Paulo this week. The chef at our country club, Erik Copeland, met and was mentored by Alex Atala. Erik and Alex worked on a cruise ship when, Alex was a celebrity chef on a ship in the Windstar line. We hope to at least come by both of Mr. Atala's restaurants. Erik wanted us to pick up a menu if possible.
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