Rio Brazil Cafe, an L.A. Gem. Feasting on Feijoada, Batidas, and More

Rio Brazil Cafe is perhaps a hole-in-the-wall many people, including myself, would miss if it weren't for the internet and blogger friends. Located in a strip mall in Palms, the overhead signage simply said "Brazilian Food".

Street Gourmet LA set up a tasting dinner for me, Gastronomy, and Food She Thought to get the word out about this little 15 month-old gem run by a native Carioca, Luciene Peck.

If you can't go without alcohol during your meal, you'll be happy to know that Rio Brazil Cafe has a BYOB policy with no corkage. As an extra treat for that night, Street Gourmet LA brought us two bottles of artisanal cachaça: Isaura from the Minas Gerais state that he had brought back from Brazil (not available in the US), and Weber Haus from Rio Grande do Sul, available at BevMo.
If you bring your own ingredients and mixers, Luciene will also let you make your own cocktails. If you have never had a batida, though, I highly recommend you have her make you either the batida de coco (coconut) or the batida de maracuja (passionfruit). Or both.

The batidas are made with cachaça, condensed milk, and of course the fruits in question (either passionfruit or coconut cream+milk).
Sweet and creamy, these batidas are quite dangerous for a Monday night.


As starters we got a couple of little savories. The coxinha de galinha translates to "little chicken legs" and is a drumstick shaped savory filled with shredded chicken. While here they serve a smaller "party-size" portion, in Brazil they're typically closer to the size of a real chicken leg. The
risolis/risoles is the crescent-shaped savory you see below, filled with cheese, meat, chicken or shrimp.
An interesting note is that in Indonesia we also have a savory called risoles, though they're typically rectangular and filled with creamy chicken and vegetables. It's no mere coincidence since Indonesia was a Portuguese colony for a bit.

They were served with Luciene's own pimenta which held a lot of flavor.

Most things in Brazil are served family style with rice, so we did the same thing here. A set of entrees came with a plate of arroz (white rice), including:
1) abobora com carne seca (butternut squash with home made beef jerky)
2) Bobo de camarao (shrimp in a yucca cream), succulent shrimp in manioc meal, coconut milk, dendê oil(palm oil),
3) feijao-black beans cooked with pork meat, bay leaf, onions and garlic.
Everything was quite delicious, the fresh shrimp in yucca cream had an interesting thick texture you don't normally find in other cuisine. The abobora com carne seca is typically made with Brazilian pumpkin but since that's not available in the states, butternut squash was used instead. The beef jerky was meaty and smokey. Even the beans were very flavorful.

Moqueca de peixe (fish stew): cod with peppers and tomatoes, dendê oil, and coconut milk. This dish originates from the state of Bahia, but the Rio version is lighter since it's made with less dendê oil.
A wonderful dish, again with very bold flavors and is perfect eaten with the fragrant rice.

The climax of the meal was one I had been waiting for all along:
Feijoada completa(complete feijoada), the national dish of Brazil traditionally served on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

The feijoada is a black bean stew made with pe' de porco( pork trotters), rabo(tail),costela( ribs), carne de porco (pork meat), carne seca (beef jerky). Cooked for a long time with onions and garlic, we could smell this from the kitchen, whetting our appetite while waiting for the dish to come out.

The completa meal included couve (collard greens).
As with all other dishes, the feijoada is meant to be eaten with white rice. Sprinkle some farofa (manioc meal) on top to complete it.
A rich and flavorful stew is comfort food at its best. An immensely satisfying stew dominated by the flavors of the beans and pork. With so many different cuts of meat in this dish, there's something for everyone.

For dessert we shared three different types of sweets:
Coconut Cream with boysenberries, mousse de manga (mango mousse), pudim de leite (Brazilian style flan).
From the light and tart mango mousse to the rich and heavy Brazilian flan, we got our sweet tooth satisfied. My favorite is probably the coconut cream which wasn't too thick and had a distinct coconut flavor, and even chunks of the fruit itself. I could've gone for it all on my own.

Rio Brazil Cafe is a wonderful little place serving up some delicious and authentic Brazilian Carioca food. With a live music performance on Saturday nights and a BYOB policy (they're also going to start a Cachaça club where you can keep a bottle there), there's no reason this place should stay hidden. Do give it a try.


Oh and by the way, they are also on restaurant.com so you can get a gift certificate to make your meal even cheaper from this link:
Rio Brazil Cafe

Rio Brazil Cafe
3300 Overland Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90034
(310) 558-3338

Need Party Snacks? Get Some Acarajé from Sabor de Bahia Catering.

What is acarajé? Street Gourmet LA called it "Brazilian falafel". Acarajé is deep fried fritters made from peeled black eyed peas, fried in dendê oil - the reddish palm oil stemming from Africa.

Acarajé is typically found in Nigeria and in the state of Bahia in Brazil (think Salvador), where the African culture is strong.

During our meal at Rio Brazil Cafe (review coming as soon as my Photobucket account is back up and running), Bill brought a special treat of acaraje from a mom-n-pop catering service called Sabor de Bahia.

The acarajé is served with vatapá - a creamy paste made with shrimp, coconut milk, and more - tomato salad, and pimenta (melagueta pepper sauce).

Here's how you eat it:
Split the acarajé in two with a knife. Fill it with vatapá and tomato salad. Dash some pimenta to taste.

There are so many bold flavors going on here but they all worked together so well. I can see why this is a staple street food in Bahia.
The fritters are wonderfully moist inside but fried crispy, the vatapá is fragrant and flavorful. The tomato salad cuts all the grease and richness. The pimenta? I don't normally eat spicy but I couldn't do without the pimenta, it just completes everything.

If you've never tried acarajé, you really need to. And why not make your coworkers be a bit more adventurous during your next office potluck?


Sabor da Bahia, The Authentic Taste of Bahia
near Venice Blvd and Overland (call for address)
310-841-2729
pick up only, cash only

If you want the full story of Sabor de Bahia, plus the cooking process of Acarajé, check out Street Gourmet LA's post.

Recipe: Maine Lobster In Its Own Butter by Brian Redzikowski of BondSt

My latest visit to Bond St. was highlighted by the Maine lobster, served in its own butter with preserved lemon. The succulent lobster pieces were swimming in the buttery broth.

Since the dish turned out to be pretty easy to make, Executive chef Brian Redzikowski has graciously shared his recipe for this Maine Lobster dish!
The only thing to keep in mind is that it does take time to make preserved lemon (preserve for 6 months, see bottom of post).


Maine Lobster in Its Own Butter, with Preserved Lemon Julienne
- Brian Redzikowski, Bond St. Beverly Hills
Photo courtesy of Chef Brian Redzikowski

The Lobster:

1 Lobster

Blanch in boiling water for 10 seconds to kill.

Separate claws from the body. Blanch large claw for 4 minutes 10 seconds. Blanch small claw for 3 minutes 10 seconds. Blanch tail still attached to body for 1 minute, 10 seconds.
Shock all. Remove and dry all meat from shells.

Gently melt butter in a bowl. Be sure it does not separate. Dip all lobster into butter and reserve.

For the Sauce

600g lobster scrap cut into 3 cm cubes

300g sake

300g white wine

50g celery sliced

1 garlic clove

1 sprig thyme

600g water

100g carrot

50g onion

Bring all to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes. infuse for ten. Strain through a coffee filter. Reserve 100g for recipe.

To finish:

Place buttered lobster pieces into a cold pan covered. Gently warm until cooked through. Heat up reserved lobster stock. Whisk in 10g heavy cream and 30g butter. Blend together.

For garnish:

Squash, Carrot and leeks: cut small/dice.

Meyer Lemon:

10 meyer lemons

300g Salt

100g Sugar

Combine and let sit for 6 months

Use only the skin

Julienne the skin only.

Place lobster into a bowl. Top with vegetables and meyer lemon julienne. Top with frothed sauce.

-------------------
Visit Bond St. Restaurant at 9360 Wilshire Blvd. (310) 601-2255.

Read my BondSt Review.

Noir: A Noteworthy Tapas and Wine Bar in Pasadena

The small street next to the Ice House Comedy Club seems an unlikely place for a small plates and wine bar with a classic bistro look, but checking into the small dining room on Mentor Ave I was surprised even more by the outdoor dining area tucked in the alleyway between the restaurant and the comedy club.
With lush greenery and a live jazz band, Noir is promising to be one of the outdoor destination spots in Pasadena. An extensive wine list and a kitchen manned by Chef Claud Beltran, former executive chef of Madeleine's in Pasadena, certainly doesn't hurt either.

Latin American influence has obviously found its way into Chef Beltran's menu with snacks like the Fried Cotija Cheese with chimichurri sauce ($8), which were a little too salty but very flavorful and addicting nonetheless. Dishes incorporating chayote sauce and specials with huitlacoche were also on the menu.
The risotto with calamari that was on the special that night didn't fare so well. The combination fell on the bland side and the risotto made the fried calamari soggy faster. Grilled calamari or a more flavorful accompaniment would have been better.

The rest of the meal was solid, from the lighter fares including the Fresh Burrata & Shaved Bosc Pears with walnut vinegarette & parsley coulis ($12) and the Heirloom Beet Salad with chives, roasted garlic vinaigrette & parmesan mousse ($7).
The fresh burrata and pear slices make for a nice and light appetizer. The heirloom beets had a subtler flavor that I am used to but were refreshing with a lovely texture.

Asian influences are similarly found in their well-prepared seafood and meat dishes.
Grilled Australian Lamb Chops with Harissa sauce & wild mushrooms ($15) were quite tender and bone-lickingly flavorful.
Seared Scallops with red curried squash purée, caramelized cauliflower & pomegranate seeds ($16) were generously sized fresh and juicy scallops, complemented very well with the spices.
Service was a little slow for us who were in a hurry to catch a play, so desserts were boxed up to go. Desserts that night were unremarkable but given the several good dishes we've had that night I, for one, would certainly come back for another try.

Pasadena is still lacking in its food scene and Noir's creative, globally infused small plates should spark things up a little. Not to mention the outdoor dining area is quite cozy for the romantics trying to avoid Old Town.

Noir Food & Wine
40 North Mentor Ave
Pasadena, CA 91106
(626) 795-7199
www.noirfoodandwine.com

Cheripan in Tijuana: Argentinean Steak and Exotic Martinis

The Zona Gastronomica in Tijuana, Mexico isn't all about Mexican or Baja-Med food. Located in the heart of this district is Cheripan, a wonderful Argentinean restaurant offering a great selection of steaks and other Argentinean cuisine, a nice list of cocktails, and a large wine selection.

Naturally, it was one of our 8-restaurant-stop first day of Baja extravaganza sponsored by Cotuco.

Cheripan has a whole list of fresh fruit martinis, from the fruits you typically find in the US like strawberry to the more interesting ones like tamarind and nanchy. On my first visit I opted for the tamarind martini, shaken and poured tableside.
Sweet, smooth, and strong, it definitely goes down easy. We all liked having the shaker left next to our glass - you know, refills. You definitely get a lot for your money.

The second time I tried the nanchy martini. Nanchy is the fruit you see here, and tasted like something fermented.

Now, back to my first visit, and our meal there.

We had two types of empanadas: meat and spinach/cheese
When they give you fresh flaky puff pastries with two different fillings, that just means everyone will end up eating two of them.

Chorizo sausages were nicely spiced.

I really enjoyed the Ensalada de palmitos (hearts of palm salad), which were fresh and crisp.

Fried sweetbreads were nice, although they could be crispier for my taste.

Although skirt steak is typically known to be a touch cut of meat, the skirt steak at Cheripan was not only very flavorful, but very tender as well. A winner.
You'd be hard pressed to find skirt steak this good in LA.

For dessert, some chocolate gelato from the gelato shop owned by the same chef/owner.

And, of course, milhojas (literally "thousand layers") an Argentinean dulce de leche 'napoleon'


Cheripan
Zona Río Escuadrón 201-3151
Col. Aviación C.P. 22440
Tijuana, Mexico
www.cheripan.com/english.html
Phone: (664) 622-9730

Agro-touring in Bali. Kopi Luwak, Snakeskin fruit, and more

The good thing about renting a car along with a driver when you're a tourist is that your driver knows places you don't.

As soon as we landed, we asked the driver to take us to Ubud so we can have some suckling pig, but our driver took us for a short pit stop at Trisna Bali Agrowisata (agro-tourism) on the way.
Trisna Bali is a small garden/farm growing a variety of fruits native to Indonesia, including mangoes, mangosteen, rambutans, and more. This was my opportunity to introduce my guests to salak, a tropical fruit they (and probably you) had never seen before.

Lacking any other English name for it, they called it snakeskin fruit. You'll see why:
Salak is a curious fruit. The inside contains three lobes of firm and crisp meat, similar in texture to an apple although firmer and not as juicy. A good salak is sweet and a little tart, but the moistness depends on the variety you're eating.

Per popular request, here is a photo of the inside taken from Salak's Wikipedia page.

When we visited, they gave us a small cup of the Balinese hot chocolate for free, complete with cinnamon sticks!
But of course, since we were in Indonesia after all, we had to get some Kopi Luwak.

Kopi Luwak, peaberry coffee, or whatever other name it goes under, is the most expensive coffee on the planet and is made with ... civet poop.
Luwak is a civet native to Indonesia that eats coffee berries and apparently knows enough to only eat the best quality berries. So when they poop out the beans, those coffee beans are some high quality coffee beans!
Also, the civet's digestive systems supposedly helped break down the coffee beans in such a way that makes the coffee that much better and more intense to drink.

I was quite enjoying my cup until my brother mentioned the word "runny" .....

They roast their own coffee here. As I've said though, they are a small farm/garden in Bali, so if you were expecting a coffee roaster a la Intelligentsia, think again. Here's how they roast coffee:
Yup, by hand, over the fire, for hours and hours. Makes one appreciate it more.


Trisna Bali Agrotourism
Br. Temen (Tampaksiring-Kintamani) Penglumbaran
Susut 80661
Bangli, Bali, Indonesia

Happy Hour at Wolfgang's Steakhouse

A good happy hour on the westside, and especially in Beverly Hills, is always welcomed. Wolfgang's Steakhouse now offers a happy hour menu from 4-7 pm M-F with $7 cocktails, $7 wines, $5 beers. $7 select appetizers are also available all night long.

On a recent media invite to their happy hour, I tasted some of their expanded cocktail menu, ranging from classics like the Gimlet and Margarita, to a more creative and seasonal concoctions.

My favorite was the Socialite (Absolut pear, St Germain, and topped with champagne).
Another bubbly offering was the Park Avenue (left) with prosecco, lime juice, and fresh berries.
The Antioxidant (right), made with Veev Acai, lime, mint, and pomegranate is sweeter and seems to be a very popular drink. Hey, if you can drink and be healthy(-ish) all at once, why not right?

Their cocktails also incorporate fresh fruit juices like in their Strawberry Lemonade.
Oh, and there's also the Birthday Cake made with Citron vodka, Frangelico, and Limoncello. I had learned this recipe back in bartending school, but never actually tried it. The lemon flavor and the frangelico combined is supposed to mimic the taste of chocolate cake in your mouth. I still didn't try it this time around, but let me know what you think :)

For the food, expect well-prepared sliders, either filled with lobster salad or a medium rare burger.

Steaks aside, you can also find fresh tuna tartar garnished lightly with avocado.
Both the happy hour cocktail and food menu are rotating, but will all still be $7.

Wolfgang’s Steakhouse
445 N Canon Drive
Beverly Hills, CA‎
(310)385-0640‎

Crispy Tripas at Rambo's Taco Truck

Kogi fanatics missed out on a real LA taco truck gem when they waited in the hour-long line just one block away from Rambo's Tacos in Eagle Rock.
For only $1.25 per taco (no tax, as Taco trucks should do) and no line, my choice was clear.

Tripas (tripes) at Rambo's have a crunchy outer layer while still chewy inside. They're topped with hot, hot red salsa. These are the things to go for at Rambo's both the sauce and the meat.
I did hear they have off days with their tripas, but on my visits there they have always been excellente. Inconsistency is a vice, I know, but when they're having a good day the tripas are soo good, definitely worth a try.
They do run out of tripas though, so go early for them.

If you missed out on the tripas, they also have cabeza for some fatty cheek meat (below), or the regular carne asada and carnitas.


Rambo's Tacos
Corner of Eagle Rock and York Blvd
(approximately: 4250 Eagle Rock Blvd)
Los Angeles, CA 90041

Johnny's Po' Boys in NOLA: Even Poor Boys Gotta Eat Well

Po' boy. There are several theories about the origin of the name (and the sandwich) but most of them agree that the name originates from "poor boy". Basically, it's a poor boy's lunch.

Nowadays, po' boy shops in New Orleans are ubiquitous and most po' boys are now filled with deep fried seafood such as shrimp, oysters, catfish etc.

Since a trip to New Orleans wouldn't be a NOLA trip at all without getting a po' boy, I insisted that my first lunch there be at Johnny's Po' Boy, a popular shop in the French Quarter. My po' boy staple: the Crawfish Po' Boy
Crispy batter, meaty and fresh crawfish, "dressed" with lettuce, tomato, and mayo, but nothing overwhelming.

Simply put, po' boys in Los Angeles don't hold a candle to this sub. If you come to NOLA without trying one, you'll regret it.

If you can't decide what to get, Johnny's Muffaleta (Muffuletta) sandwich may offer a solution. The muffuletta is a Sicilian bread, flat and round, and at Johnny's the muffaleta sandwich is stuffed with various fried seafood: catfish, oyster, crawfish, and what have you.

The gumbo was unremarkable and while good, you're bound to find better around town.

The bread pudding was typically heavy and sweet. This huge and satisfying piece cost about $2.50



Johnny's Po-Boys
511 St Louis St
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 524-8129

This Weekend: Support the Heritage Square Museum

About Heritage Square Museum:
A living history museum reflecting the settlement and development of Southern California from the Civil War to the early 20th Century, the Heritage Square Museum has saved eight historic buildings from demolition. You can now visit these buildings during museum hours.

On Saturday, November 7, the Heritage Square Museum will host their 40th Anniversary Fundraiser and Luncheon at the historic San Antonio Winery. This event will help raise critical funds for Heritage Square Museum to continue for another 40 years, so please come on by and support the Museum while drinking wine and eating good food!

The Fundraiser begins with tours of the San Antonio Winery and wine tasting at 1:30 pm and the luncheon buffet will be held at 2:30 pm-4:30 pm.

Honorary Event Chair, Councilman Ed Reyes, District One, will be in attendance and making a special presentation. Your master of ceremony will be Al Downing of the Dodgers fame.


Saturday, November 7, 2009,1:30 pm - 4:30 pm
San Antonio Winery, 737 Lamar Street, Los Angeles, CA 90031.
Tickets are $125.00, call (323) 225-2700