On a summer’s day in Rio when temperatures can reach 40 degrees and feel like 50 due to the humidity, there’s nothing a Carioca likes more at the end of the day (or even in the morning) than a ‘cerveja estupidamente gelada’, that is, a freezing cold beer. Unlike beer in Europe, which is judged on its flavour, beer in Brazil is judged on its temperature; the colder the better. There may be ice floating in it, but a Carioca will still tell you that it is ‘too hot’.
If you find yourself in Rio on a day when the pavement might at any moment melt below your feet, it’s important to know the best place to find a frozen beer and perhaps, some accompanying nibbles – you will of course have the latest info to hand if you booked your holiday or Honeymoon through local experts Dehouche. The choice of establishments is baffling; add to this the rapidity with which these places fall in and out of favour as the fickle Carioca crowd change their allegiances with as much frequency as they do their other halves, and you realise that a guide book just won’t do. Ask luxury travel specialists Dehouche to organise your holiday however and you’ll be provided with an up to date bible of where to battle for a table and where to avoid at your utmost.
As Dehouche are based in Rio themselves they test out these places on a regular basis (demanding research indeed) drinking the bad beer so you don’t have to. Some current favourites include the traditional ‘Bracarense’. Situated in Rio’s most upscale neighbourhood, Leblon, ‘Bracarense’ is referred to as a ‘pé sujo’, which roughly translates as a ‘dirty drinking hole’. In any other neighbourhood, however, it would probably be considered a place worth dressing up for and you’d be a fool to pass up the tasty snacks with which to wash down your ice cold beer. Dehouche recommend the ‘bolinho de aipim com camarão e catupiry’ that’s manioc balls filled with prawn and cream cheese to you and me. Bustling in happy hour, the efficient waiting staff keep the ‘chopp’ (draught beer) flowing and you’ll soon find your thirst and appetite quenched.
If you’re not a beer lover however, fret not, as there are many other ways to cool down and tantalise your taste buds. It’s impossible to overlook the national beverage, cachaça, and its cocktail manifestation, caipirinha, available in an ever increasing range of fruit combinations. The charming ‘Da Graça’ in Horto, the leafy, tranquil neighbourhood hidden behind the botanical gardens, offers an impressive drinks menu including various tempting cocktail combinations from caipisake (a popular variation on caipirinha made with, you guessed it, sake, instead of cachaça) to the refreshing house mixture of vodka, mint liqueur and pineapple. Admire the eclectically decorated kitsch interior before making yourself comfortable amongst the cushions on the softly lit terrace, admiring the view of Christ the Redeemer. Calmly tucked away from the rush of Rio’s traffic, ‘Da Graça’ is a place to settle down for the evening and is a popular haunt for couples.
A relatively new addition to the Dehouche team’s drinking circuit is ‘Prima’ a ‘Bruschetteria’ in Leblon, where this Italian toastlike delicacy comes in an infinite number of guises, all of which are very pleasantly accompanied by a carafe of house wine. Dehouche can’t are keen to return and try the sparkling wine and limoncello cocktail.
Of course, despite their current popularity, Dehouche won’t guarantee that any of these establishments will still be functioning on your holiday to Brazil, so the best course of action is to ask Dehouche to organise things for you and they’ll make sure you receive the most up to date recommendations in Rio and anywhere else you might choose to visit across the South American continent.
Contact Brazil specialists Dehouche
Dehouche S.A.,
Leblon,
Rio de Janeiro ,
Brazil
www.dehouche.com
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