Anthony Bourdain Reveals The Best Places To Eat And Drink In Rio De Janeiro
Bourdain first spends the day people-watching on the chic, 1.25 mile stretch of Ipanema Beach in the South Zone of Rio.
Where he knocks back a couple caipirinhas comprised of cachaça (sugar cane liquor), fresh lime juice, and sugar. “It's pretty much my constant companion every time I come to Rio,” said Bourdain.
At the same stand, he orders a grilled pork sandwich loaded with chimichurri sauce, garlic, parsley, oregano, olive oil and touch of vinegar.
“If you can’t be happy eating a moist, roast pork sandwich, drinking a caipirinha, with this view in the background and a sea of oily, tight buttocks, you really got a problem.”
Later he goes to enjoy the sunset right on the water with a crowd of locals in Urca. It is custom for the Brazilians to clap for sunset.
During his stay, he orders seaside snacks from the popular Bar Urca.
One of the snacks includes the popular dish of fried sardines.
And pastels, which are pastries wrapped around a filling of meat or fish, with locals favoring the fish. He orders himself the shrimp pastries.
He also gets a hearty seafood soup which includes octopus.
Bourdain and local chef/restaurant owner Danni Camillo enjoy a beer along with their snacks on the popular seaside wall. "One cannot possible overemphasize the importance of cold beer," said Bourdain.
On the second day, Tony tours the the Favela of Rocinha. While the Brazilian slums have reputations as shantytowns governed by drug lords, he learns that electricity and water have been installed and a police presence has helped clean up the streets.
His local tour guide, Paulo Amendoim, first takes him to drink a mysterious brown substance.
Which he then reveals after as concoction for "natural Viagra." Quipped Amendoim, "You won't sleep for a week."
They then share lunch in the Favela with local children.
One of the main ingredients in the meal includes chicken feet.
The local stew also consists of vegetables, black eyed peas, beans, rice, yucca, and hot pepper.
The next day, Bourdain and his wife, Ottavia, enjoyed lunch at Adega Cesari, a Churrascaria (Portuguese barbecue joint) located at the Cadeg Market.
They enjoy a plate of a roasted meats to help Ottavia fuel for her upcoming jiu-jitsu match.
Later that night, Bourdain travels to the Copacabana and observes the energetic nightlife full of the "drunk and the young and the restless," according to Camillo.
Bourdain meets up with Camillo at Galeto Sat’s, a local favorite for late-night chicken dining.
Camillo tells him that it is run by customers who went there for 15 years before they bought it from the original owners because they didn't want to see it close.
They chow down on spicy chicken with garlic and pepper called 'the dog's television.'
Served with a side of manioca (starch from cassava plant) which is made with farofa (toasted manioc flour) scrambled with eggs.
Afterwards, they wash it down with shots of cachaça.
The next day, Bourdain travels to the most "magical" neighborhood of Rio, Santa Teresa. Set on top of the famous hill with winding streets, the now-bohemian neighborhood used to be the "Beverly Hills" of Rio 100 years ago.
In the "cool" neighborhood, Camillo takes him to a boteco, which is a corner shop that also sells food and drink. Camillo won't name her favorite boteco on air in fear that it will get too crowded.
In the mystery shop, Bourdain claims it's "beer o'clock" while he and Camillo sip on mulled draft beer. "Rule number one, cold beer," says Camillo.
They munch on the Portuguese snack of Bolinhos, which is just deep fried balls with salt cod.
Next, Bourdain spots and orders a mortadella sandwich, which includes large heaps of sliced Italian sausage.
After Ottavia wins her jiu-jitsu match, she and Bourdain dine at her trainer's house with his mother and her opponent.
They enjoy home-cooked Picadinho, which is a hodgepodge of filet mignon cooked with garlic, onion, tomato, a sprinkle of salt, splash of cachaça, peas, and corn.
Another dish they have is Feijoada, one of Bourdain's favorites. It's a stew of black beans and "meaty bits," flavored with two types of pork sausage.
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