sit here, reservations are a must). For an appetiser, go for a pastelzinho (a small fried pastry) or duck rolls with tangerine sauce. The couvert comes with crackers and vatapá (fish paste with dried shrimp and dendê oil). Try the shrimp with pupunha (palm fruit) served in a green coconut shell. Last but not least, the waiters are attentive, warm, and entirely tuned in to the needs of the diners – they round out a perfectly divine dining experience. Alameda Ministro Rocha Azevedo 471, Jardim Paulista (3068 8486/capimsanto.com.br) Metrô 2, Consolação. Open noon-3pm, 7.30pm-midnight Tue-Fri; 12.30-4.30pm, 7pm-1am Sat; 12.30-4.30pm Sun. Main courses R$59-$89; lunch R$49-$73; couvert R$16.50.
Supper club Clandestino
JAPANESE Tanuki The mischief-making, shape-shifting badger creature of legend graces both the name and symbol of this traditional Japanese joint. Chef Shigeru Hirano has done a bit of shape-shifting himself, opening Shigueru in Bibi recently and leaving Koje Yamasaki in charge of Tanuki. If you can navigate the somewhat inaccessible menu, you’ll find some real gems, such as a fish version of the more traditionally meaty fondue-style shabushabu – named after the sizzling sound as the food hits the hot oil (fish version R$155; meat version R$135; feeds two). It’s also a rare chance to try fugu, the poisonous puffer fish, but check availability: ‘It’s two weeks since it last came in.’ At the sushi bar, tuck into the Tanuki especial (R$110), a combination of 40 pieces of sushi and sashimi. Rua Jericó 287, Vila Madalena (3814 3760/tanukisushi.com.br). Metrô 2, Vila Madalena. Open noon-3pm, 6.30pmmidnight Mon-Fri; 1-4pm, 7pm-midnight Sat; noon-4pm Sun. Main courses R$39$98; lunch R$26-$31; couvert R$3.50.
Jardins PORTUGUESE Adega Santiago A cosy tavern with dishes inspired by Iberian cuisine, Adega (as it’s known to regulars) combines good food, a great atmosphere and a fine wine list. Seafood lovers should go for the polvo à lagareira (chargrilled octopus) – with a side of buttered vegetables, which makes a simple but mouth-watering duo. More expensive fish dishes, such as bacalhoada na lenha (oven-baked salt cod with potato, onion, peppers, olives and eggs) at R$135, are designed to serve two. Rua Sampaio Vidal 1072, Jardim Paulistano (3081 5211/ adegasantiago.com.br). Metrô 4, Faria Lima. Open noon-3pm, 6-11pm Mon; noon-3pm, 6pm-midnight Tue-Thu; noon12.30am Fri, Sat; noon-10pm Sun. Main courses R$38-$135; couvert R$4.90. Other location Shopping Cidade Jardim, 4th floor, Avenida Magalhães de Castro 12000 (3758 4446/adegasantiago.com.br). JAPANESE Aizomê If you can judge a place by its clientele, then chef Shinya Koike was clearly doing something right when he ran A1 – a small izakaya (Japanese bar with hot food) and longrunning favourite with the Japanese suits at the nearby Bank of Tokyo, on Avenida Paulista. Koike relocated a few blocks south when he opened Aizomê in 2007. The two-storey restaurant, in an old house in Jardins (look for the large ‘39’ on the wall
INTERNATIONAL Chez Lorena It’s no surprise at all to find Chez Lorena hitting the spot between chic and descolado (cool) with pitch-perfect precision: it’s owned by the same hip cabal of owners as Bar Secreto (see Nightclubs). The restaurant, which opened in 2010, has rapidly become a favourite casual-chic dining spot and attracts thinking-man’s celebs like Philippe Stark, spotted there in November. We recommend the ceviche and the risotto with tomato, broccoli and grilled baby calamari from the Spanish–Italian influenced menu; a seat on the front terrace for the see-andbe-seen brigade; and table at the back, intimately lit by candles at night, for those discreet about dining. Alameda Lorena 1989, Jardim Paulista (3081 2966/chez. com.br/chezlorena). Open noon-1am TueFri; 12.30pm-1am Sat; 12.30-10.30pm Sun. Main courses R$36-$66; lunch R$21.90-$25.90.
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ASIAN Yakissoba da Vila This informal little eaterie, with chopstick and bowl stencils covering the outside wall, is ideal for picking up a stir fry or ordering a delivery. It’s popular for not just its tasty food but also for the reasonable prices – the 33 varieties of yakissoba start from R$8.50. If indecision is your middle name, then go straight for the special yakissoba with beef, shrimp, chicken and mushroom, and leave the tough decision-making to which type of fresh fruit juice to have. Rua Fradique Coutinho 695, Pinheiros (3032 2785). Open noon-10pm Mon- Thu; noon-11pm Fri, Sat. Main courses R$8.50-$25. Cash and debit cards only.
Food & Drink
schnapshaus.com.br). Open noon-4pm, 6pm-midnight Mon-Fri; noon-11pm Sat; noon-5pm Sun. Main courses R$18.30$41.50; lunch R$18-$28.
Childhood memories are the inspiration behind the new edition of chef Bel Coelho’s contemporary supper club, Clandestino, held on Thursday nights upstairs in her restaurant Dui. Weekends at the beach inspire the golden squid starter, while the ‘Meu Sukiyaki’ dish (above) – Coelho’s version of the Japanese hotpot – harks back to food outings with her parents in Liberdade, the Asian heart of São Paulo. 10-course tasting menu R$195; R$335 with wine. Reservations required. See Dui listings.
as there’s no sign) serves a mix of sushi, sashimi and hot Japanese dishes. Koike is best known for rolling out ‘East meets West’ fusion sushi, adapted with Brazilian ingredients. The sushi may not match the reputation of chefs like Jun Sakamoto, but the all-round Japanese food experience – best sampled in the tasting menu (R$155 for 5 dishes; R$180 for 6 dishes) – is one of the best in town. Alameda Fernão Cardim 39, Jardim Paulista (3251 5157/aizome. com.br). Open noon-2.30pm; 6.30-11pm Mon-Fri; 6.30-11pm Sat. Prices R$12$48 for individual small dishes; lunch R$38-$100. BRAZILIAN Bolinha Set up in 1946 by
taxi driver Affonso Paulillo, and now run by his two sons, Bolinha is all about feijoada. The service is top notch (as you’d
hope, given the hefty prices), and when prompted, the waiters will happily tell you more about the humble slave origins of this hearty black-bean-and-pork stew, guiding you through choices including the classic, old-fashioned version of the dish – nose-to-tail eating, Brazilian style – a more modern version, without the scary bits; and a ‘light’ version. Avenida Cidade Jardim 53, Jardim Europa (3061 2010/ bolinha.com.br). Open 11am-5pm Mon; 11am-midnight Tue-Sun. Main courses R$52-$97. BRAZILIAN Capim Santo Morena Leite’s
Jungle Book restaurant features two gardens. The front bar patio is reminiscent of Bahian beaches, with wooden benches and throw pillows; and the stunning back garden is fit for Amazonian royalty (to
BRAZILIAN D.O.M. D.O.M. is the fiefdom of tattooed celebrity chef Alex Atala, who absorbs molecular gastronomy tendencies and gives them a very Brazilian twist. The food is balanced and harmonious, particularly in the tasting menus, and the vegetarian version is served with carefully selected juices and fruit essences to provide contrasts of colours and textures. If you’re prone to passing out at the sight of large bills, try the lunchtime executive menu, which gives a beautifully presented spin on home-made Brazilian food, using crunchy, toasted manioc farofa with beans, rice and chicken or John Dory. It sounds simple, but Atala takes it to a different level, earning the restaurant the number six ranking in the San Pellegrino world’s 50 best restaurants award, in 2013. Rua Barão de Capanema 549, Jardim Paulista (3088 0761/domrestaurante.com.br). Open noon-3pm, 7pm-midnight Mon-Thu; noon-3pm, 7pm-1am Fri; 7pm-1am Sat. Main courses R$107-$145; lunch R$59; couvert R$20. INTERNATIONAL Dui Midcentury designer furniture in the lobby tips you off to the relaxed chic of this Jardins find. There’s a light-filled outdoor terrace and a long view over the kitchen, where the chefs seemed spookily calm the night we went. The cocktails are enjoyable, and prepare you for a slight wait. Very good food includes black pasta with seafood fidellini negro – with ‘the best prawns I’ve ever eaten’, as one of our party was moved to comment – and perfectly cooked robalo (snook), crispy on its bed of cashews and palm hearts. The chocolate dessert was a little dry, and could happily have been skipped. Alameda Franca 1590, Jardim Paulista
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