An inviting and vibrant interior with inventive cocktails and dishes from around the Americas
€€ – €€€
Belém
Tue – Thu, 16h – 23h; Fri – Sat, 12h30 – 23h
The interior designer spared no expense when it came to realizing the vision for this cavernous space on Avenida da Índia. Cushioned seats, tables buffed to a high sheen, colorful accent pieces, and a vibrant, inviting atmosphere draw you in, and the passport-style menus make you want to sit down, get comfy, and leaf through the restaurant’s dishes and drinks from across the Americas. It helps that the staff are impeccable — friendly, efficient, on hand when you need them but otherwise let you be.
Since the Argentinean Chef Chakall‘s concept is re-imagined Central and South American cuisine (the U.S. is graciously included on this list, but it’s mostly about all the others), we settled on the classic ceviche to see just what the kitchen is made of. While we waited, we also opted to try their couvert of pickled aubergines (!), black bean dip ,and tostones while my companion sipped at his mescal-based “Onde Há Fumo Há Fogo” cocktail and I on my red house wine, which was a little underwhelming at 7€ a glass.
After a long wait — which, given that it was well before 19h, suggested that everything was made from scratch, which we appreciated very much — the ceviche arrived. It was a purist’s interpretation of the dish to be sure: no crackers or plantain chips or toasts. We dug in with forks and whatever leftover tostones we had from the couvert. While the fish was clearly a great cut and extra-fresh, as were the rest of the inventive ingredients, the dish lacked zing. I’m curious to see what kind of flavor the main dishes might deliver, because the idea of a pan-American kitchen is appealing indeed.
