Gaucho100K

Yes... Im an idiot, I completetly forgot Rio.... thank you for correcting my mistake JBCarioca.

Troisgros was indeed outstanding... didnt get to Olympe last time I was in town with my wife. On the subject of Rio Restaurants, one place that I never miss when in Rio is Gero. While not in the same league as Troisgros, I think Gero is a very good option with a well balanced model of food quality, service and ambiance... and its not as high-up in terms of price.

jbcarioca

I always enjoy Gero, no question. In Rio I try to stay to carioca places rather than transplanted Paulista's Despite that I suspect we should add one or two such as Rascal, maybe the best buffewt-style restaurant one might find (about a dozen or so locations between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro). The list could go one for some time.

if value is a factor still it is Lima and Buenos Aires, zero question about that.

aw

I keep hearing Sao Paulo is a culinary mecca. It's supposed to have excellent Japanese, Middle Eastern and Italian food. I shall find out in December when I go there and sample the local places.

I'm very familiar with Peruvian food and it is not surprising to see that it is the best known South American cuisine here in the USA, so I would expect LIM to attract a few foodies.

jbcarioca

Sp does have tons of fine examples of all three.

When you choose Japanese please remember that Brazilians love cheese, especially Philadelphia Cream Cheese (Brazil must consume more than all other countries combined, or so it seems to me) so a favorite 'sushi' choice is "Hot Philadelphia", and many other "sushi" choices also have cheese. If you like such things these are quite good. There are also a fair number of more traditional Japanese choices and there are sushi bars everywhere. There are almost none of the Japanese curry houses, katsu palaces or Japanese regional food that one might find in other Japanese cities. Still, with the largest Japanese population of any city other than Tokyo and Osaka SP has many many options for Japanese cuisine.

Arab restaurants are ubiquitous for similar reasons. Most Brazilians do not perceive the distinctions but SP is full of excellent permutations of foods of the Levant. The Jerusalem-style is usually clear by the presence of such fine choices as "Berinjela Israelense" of eggplant/aubergine Jerusalem style. ones with that one the menu almost always have falafel in the Jerusalem style also.

Italian restaurants come in every variety, but most have a strong Brazilian influence. There is a very good chain of buffet-style Italian restaurants called Rascal (they're in Rio also), wonderful Pizzerias (Braz, for example, is also in Rio too), and fantastic high end Italian restaurants too. Prices for these places tend to be high but the quality is superb too. Pizza at the best places will be US$30 or more for an individual pizza. Don't complain about the price uintil you try them and don not go to the cheap ones. If you're in Rio the best is Capricciosa, but in SP I go for Braz. If your expenses know no limit the restaurants of the Fasano group are all quite superb.

As other parts of this and other threads indicate. SP and Rio have many superb restaurants. the problem is price because the good ones are really very expensive. One way to have excellence at a more modest price is "comida a quilo" (food by the kilo) where you choose from a buffet and pay by weight. Several of these have extremely good choices from all three of your ethnic preferences. I am more knowledgable about Rio but the SP options are even broader than those of Rio.

Have a wonderful time.

aw

Thanks jbcarioca for your insightful comments and advice.

Talk about Brazilian's love for cream cheese, do they also like to eat it with guava or quince paste for dessert? I have come across these at the supermarkets in Miami and was wondering if this is something that only Cubans do or it extends to other places in Latin America.

jbcarioca

With the guava (goiaba) sweet, called goiabada, Brazilians usually use a cheese called Queijo de Minas (cheese of mines- referring to Brazil 4th largest state, Minas gerais or General Mines) that is a fresh cheese beloved by almost all Brazilians. I personally detest it because it is too sweet for me; were I to admit that publicly I'd probably lose my passport . Any Brazilian restaurant usually will have goiabada on the menu. It is always available at the house of my mother-in-law or any other self-respecting Minero (person from Minas) house.

Goiabada or the equivalent seems to be found anywhere a guava can grow. I've found it in India, Southeast Asia, all over middle and South America and Western Africa too.

Obviously I have answered with far too much information.

Gaucho100K

Considering the experience and what I assume are deep pockets of the family behind Gero... I wish a member of the family would choose to move to EZE and open a Gero here in Buenos Aires.... I think the concept would do very well here if they picked the right spot and are ready to weather the first 24 months until their regular clientelle stabilizes...

Gaucho100K

The above dessert jbcarioca mentions is very popular in Argentina, but under a derivative version called Postre Vigilante... which is basically fresh cheese with quince jam, or sweet potato jam. Its also called Fresco y Dulce, or Fresco y Batata...

If the cheeese is high quality Quartirolo... and if the jam is delicatessen quality and not mass made junk full of sugar, this can be a gourmet experience...

jbcarioca

They are opening a Hotel Fasano in Punta del Este so they are becoming closerhttp://www.fasano.com.br/site_hoteis_en.php

You might contact them and pitch. They're suckers for good wine and people who really know the subject, though, as Paulistas, they're wildly prejudiced in favor of Italian wines.

david_33

Lima is a culinary tour destination. I hate sea food and still find plenty to eat here. There are plenty of other traditional Peruvian dishes for example; based on chicken (aji de gallina), steak (lomo saltado), potatoes, (papa a la huancaina) as well as many excellent Italian, Oriental and elegant fusion restaurants.

Jorge Luis

...Try the fabulous "Astrid & Gastón" in the heart of Miraflores. It belongs to awarded peruvian chef Gastón Acurio and his wife Astrid. Mor info: http://www.astridygaston.com/

andreadbc

I'm getting nostalgic about food and Lima...
I recommend checking out LivingInPeru.com's feature articles for information in English about some great places...

They have a Reader's Top 20 choices list, a Dining Directory and a long list of Feature Articles.

heramato

It depends on what you want to eat. Of course fish would be in Lima, and some japanese and arab food in Sao Paulo are the best of the region. If you're looking for some good steak or even a good italian food and pizza this place is Buenos Aires.
It has to be this way... Im not willing to have a great Paella in Rome and let alone a good pasta in Spain!
Cheers

AAEXP

Does it really
Lima (as has been hinted to earlier in this thread) is much more than "fish". It's like saying that Japan is "fish". It's much more than that....and so is Rome and so is Spain.....now, the OP's question was: Culinary Capital of South America? .....and at this moment, I think it is safe to say: Lima.

jbcarioca

How sad that there are no votes for Belo. Oh, well, you have Aécio, and he's better than some restaurant.

There still is no better pizza than in Capricciosa, better than any I've had in Italy.

Lima has wonderful Italian and Japanese. The historical prejudice does not work. So, for that matter does SP and Rio, not to mention BA.

So, I still have trouble accepting Lima as THE culinary capital, although I do agree it is wonderful. How can a place without Moqueca or Feijoada be THE capital for the continent, anyway?