Tappo Trattoria, a great little Italian in São Paulo

It's such a rare treat to find a restaurant that is pleasant and serves excellent food...

That's why I was thrilled to discover Tappo Trattoria, in the Jardins district of São Paulo. As soon as I arrived I was impressed by the coziness of the room - narrow like the interior of a train - and the warm welcome given by our server.



The décor was simple, yet elegant, and featured ultra-comfortable chairs.



To start, fresh crisp bread, top-notch olive oil and sea salt. A good omen of what was to come...

My vitello tonnato, an old classic, had a different twist: one slice of fresh tuna, lightly seared on the outside, with a sprinkle of fleur de sel. Nicely done.



My friend's appetizer was huge: focaccia with perfectly seasoned cherry tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella.



We'd heard rave reviews of Tappo's lasagna, and as soon as we mentioned that to our waiter, he said he'd bring us a little taste of it. Wow, what a delicacy, the thin squares of fresh pasta gently layered with bolognese sauce à la minute. Its fame is fully justified.



Lea's branzino was another winner, perfectly seared and served atop a light tomato broth with basil and onions.



Constance ordered the dish of the day: squid ink spaghetti, made in-house, with a plethora of seafood, big enough to feed a family!



The absolute winner, however, was my gnocchi with beef ragout. Pillow-soft dumplings contrasting with the deep-flavoured stew and an ultra-concentrated tomato reduction - absolute perfection!

Even Tappo's desserts are first rate. They serve cannolis,



and a tiramisu in a glass:



There's also a semifreddo, pure velvety chocolate goodness, surrounded by a sweet puddle of crème anglaise.

And the fourth (!!!) dessert we tasted, which happened to be our favorite, was the big surprise of the day. Lime ice cream, prosecco and vodka combined to create a creamy and ever-so-slightly sparkly mixture that gave us welcome respite from a scorching hot summer day.




In short, this is one of São Paulo's top Italian restaurants, without any doubt.

Tappo Trattoria: Rua da Consolação, 2967, tel. 3063-4864

What to do in Salvador, Bahia, according to The New York Times

Today there is a great story on what do to in Salvador in the Times's Travel section. Seth Kugel, who wrote the story, recommends a restaurant with African-influenced cuisine called Dona Mariquita (Rua do Meio, 178; 55-71-3334-694) and trying an acarajé at a street stand such as Dinha's (Rua do Meio, 178; 55-71-3334-694).

Speaking of Seth Kugel, he's now moved from New York to São Paulo and will be writing several pieces, not only for The New York Times but for other publications, like Food & Wine.

The accompanying slideshow is nothing short of stunning.

There's even a map - or rather, 3 maps - showing the exact locations of all recommended places.

Once again, the Times sets the standard.

Gaston Acurio set to open a Cevicheria La Mar in São Paulo

The more I read about him, the more I find incredible the pace at which Peru's Gaston Acurio is opening restaurants here, there and everywhere.

Recent example: La Mar Cebicheria Peruana in San Francisco. And now São Paulo is next.

For more info on the chef, there’s a great story on him that ran in the L.A. Times, here's the link.

The São Paulo La Mar has as business partner Alexandre Miqui, who owns another restaurant called Shimo. A Peruvian chef is already in Brazil training the team and teaching them to make all six ceviches that will be on the menu. I've heard the opening is slated for this month - we'll see...

For a detailed report on Santiago’s Cebicheria La Mar, with photos of the décor and the dishes, just click here.

São Paulo La Mar: Rua Tabapuã, 1410

Chef Alex Atala bans foie gras and truffles at D.O.M. restaurant

Chef Alex Atala is not one to shy away from controversy. Last week he decided to write on every one of his menus, by hand, the following statement:

O D.O.M. assume sua primeira vocação: ser brasileiro! Por este motivo renuncia ao uso de foie gras e trufas.

Translation: D.O.M. restaurant assumes its prime vocation: to be Brazilian! For that reason, it rennounces the use of foie gras and truffles.

My blog in Portuguese, Boa Vida, was the first to report this, and within hours the news got picked up by many other Brazilian websites and caused quite a stir.

Some applaud the effort, others accuse him of playing a marketing stunt. What do you think?

P.J. Clarke's set to open a second São Paulo outpost

The São Paulo outpost of famed New York burguer joint P.J.Clarke's (pictured above) has been so hugely successful since opening last November that the owners have decided to expand. The new P.J.'s will be in the Jardins district, and the partners are actively searching for the perfect address. Even Patrick Boyle, part-owner of the U.S. P.J. Clarke's flagship and branches, will come to São Paulo to help in the hunt. The opening is planned for late 2009.

P.J.Clarke's Itaim: rua Dr. Mario Ferraz, 568, Itaim, tel. (55-11) 3078-2965

Chef Bel Coelho opens new restaurant in São Paulo

Bel Coelho is a young talent who made a name for herself when she opened Sabuji restaurant, in São Paulo - it quickly garnered several awards and pushed her to the forefront of the city's gastronomic scene. This Alex Atala protegée, who's classically trained but aligns herself with the tecnoemotional movement as well, hasn't found her stride ever since she left Sabuji to open a Brazilian restaurant in London which never took off.

Now, after a puzzling stint as the chef at São Paulo's Buddha Bar outpost, she's back. She's opening in May a new restaurant called Dui (pictured above) in the Jardins district. Less ambitious and less expensive than Sabuji ever was, Dui aims to be a casual place with a tapas-like menu, albeit with a contemporary twist. There will be an extensive wine by-the-glass list and heavy Spanish influence throughout.