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WITH the countdown to this year’s summer Olympics well underway, 2016 is all about Brazil. And where better to pay a toast to the fascinating South American country than Fazenda, where Brazilian culture is echoed in everything from cocktails to cuisine and even the traditional style of serving?
All the excuse you need to drop by the bar or enjoy the warmer weather out on the terrace
Many know a restaurant visit to Fazenda is characterised by passadores, who carve large cuts of meat at your table, based on deep-rooted gaúcho heritage. But it’s not all about the restaurant, as a glance at the bar menu will confirm. Petiscos (nibbles) are plentiful and, since many are variations of dishes you can find in the restaurant, make an ideal alternative if you’re after a quick bite - or accompaniments to a few sneaky cocktails.
The new spring-summer menu, out next month, is all the excuse you need to drop by the bar or make the most of the warmer weather and enjoy the terrace. Expect Brazilian favourites, both savoury and sweet, and some explosive new cocktails...
Spanning fresh green olives to cod & potato fritters, petiscos cater for every appetite. Like it hot? Try the picantonas, sweet potato wedges with a pot of Sriracha sauce - offset with yoghurt and paprika. Roasted with fennel seeds and garnished with coriander, they’re a spicy sensation. Cassava chips make the perfect alternative for those with a lower spice threshold: tapioca fried wedges, served with garlicky Brava dip and a sprinkle of parsley.
Fresh Green Olives
No less satisfying are the picanha sliders, a signature Fazenda meat cut skewered with drop pepper or green chilli and sandwiched in cheese bread balls. These can also be ordered on their own, accompanied by a chimichurri mayonnaise dip. Don’t miss pasteis either, little empanadas flavoured with tomato & prawn or honey pork belly with a dash of cinnamon.
Picanha Sliders
Coxinhas, rice dough croquettes filled with beef, are another fantastic Brazilian export - as are the tropeiro sausages, served with an egg and feijao tropeiro. The history of this iconic dish can be seen on a plaque at the salad bar and tells that, during the Colonial period, groups of cattlemen known as ‘tropeiros’ were engaged to explore the inland of Brazil: since they had to carry most of their food with them, they developed the practical yet tasty mixture of black beans, salted meat and cassava flour that now carries their name.
Coxinhas
Sweet-toothed snackers are catered for, too. Fazenda’s mini churros, dough pastry sticks with a pot of dipping chocolate, are also filled with chocolate for good measure whilst brigadeiros - sprinkled chocolate fudge balls - are bought in a little wooden box for extra occasion.
Brigadeiros
Happily, the spring-summer cocktail menu is just as diverse; with eight new creations alongside the fruity Fazenda special and Madeiran Poncha, a tropical aperitif that’s perfect for sharing.
For a refreshing take on the gin-based Bramble classic, opt for Pama Bramble, which replaces the traditional blackberry element with refreshing pomegranate. Equally invigorating is Raspberry Smash, which blends fresh raspberries and mint with Bourbon whiskey and a touch of cranberry juice and lime. Honey Trap, meanwhile, is one potent cocktail you’ll want to be trapped in: homemade honey syrup, lemon juice, Brazilian cachaça, orange bitters and Goldschläger for a dash of cinnamon.
The others? That’s for us to know...
Fazenda’s new Petiscos menu is available from Tuesday 3rd May.
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Raspberry Smash
Mini Churros
Picantonas
Pasteis
Pama Bramble
