This is arguably the oldest restaurant continuously operating in Brazil, opened in 1882. At the…read moretime, Brazil still had an Emperor (Pedro II) and slavery would not be abolished for another 6 years. They've got the historic part covered. It's also a very attractive restaurant, with the style of a bygone era which adds to its charm.
The front door is guarded by a suit of armor named Dom Armani. The waiters wear white jackets and of course there are white tablecloths. They're only open for lunch, from 11 AM until 4 PM and they are closed on Saturdays. We dined here on a Sunday and in a short while the restaurant was completely packed. Service suffered a bit after the restaurant became crowded.
The menu is heavily influenced by Portuguese cuisine and is traditional, but the ingredients are of high quality. We started our meal with bacalhau croquettes (dried salt cod), which were possibly the best I've tasted. We also had veal Carpaccio which, if you like this dish, was very nicely done. The grilled shrimp were very large and perfectly prepared. Our main courses were underwhelming: I had filet mignon à Gilberto Freyre, served with absolutely flavorless fettuccine Alfredo and, for some reason, sliced cheese on top of the filet. The meat was cooked to my requested point. My wife had octopus à Espanhol. The potatoes were undercooked, but the octopus and shrimp were acceptable, though not interesting.
It was definitely worth visiting, and if you're in the area, I'd recommend you eat here, but make a reservation.
