About this time of year, I begin feeling a bit restless. I dream of traveling somewhere stimulating – like Rio de Janiero to celebrate Carnaval, the world’s largest pre-Lent party, a four-day festival that begins on a Saturday (Feb. 17 this year) and ends on Mardi Gras. That’s not happening (at least not this year), but I can get the flavors of Brazil right in Rock Hill.
At Café Brasil, chef and owner Jorge Carvalho and his staff strive to create an atmosphere that feels like a celebration year-round. The servers are friendly, the Brazilian music is upbeat and the dining area is open, bright and breezy. Café Brasil has expanded exponentially since opening with a couple of dozen seats in 2002. Now the room accommodates nearly a couple of dozen tables, as well as a separate bar and adjoining patio.
Sunday brunch is a party in itself. For $14.95 including coffee and juice (orange, papaya or pineapple), you can spend a leisurely time catching up with friends and sampling the flavors of Brazil. You can start with the pastries and breads or skip them, as I did, and move on to the other interesting dishes. (They actually looked a bit on the dry side, so they were easy to pass up.) Traditional American favorites were part of the long buffet including scrambled eggs, French toast, thick-cut bacon and housemade sausage links that were skinny but deliciously crisp on the outside. Omelets are also included in the price of the brunch.
On one visit, I tried tender, grilled chicken in yucca sauce that had a mellow flavor. Another time, the tortellini with cream sauce and parsley hit the spot.
But the most outstanding entrée is the feijoada, the national dish of Brazil. Black beans are cooked with onion, pork, sausage and beef. The rich flavor of the meat infuses the dish, making it a deeply satisfying stew (so satisfying, I could have eaten nothing but this and been completely content). Served with rice and oranges, it’s generally topped with sautéed collard greens and a dusting of farofa, a condiment made of manioc flour. On one visit the greens and farofa were missing, but I still managed to eat a couple of servings.
At lunch and dinner, one option is having roasted meats brought to the table and carved onto your plate. I was thrilled to see a scaled-down version of this offered at brunch, as well. Prepared churrasco style over an open flame, the beautiful cuts of meat are presented on long skewers. We had a medium-rare piece of picanha (from the rump steak) that was juicy, succulent and flavorful. As my friend said, “They know what they’re doing with meat.”
Fresh, ripe fruit – most recently, papaya and pineapple – glistens on the buffet. Cheeses, at least seven different large wheels, were abundant. Unfortunately, these were unlabeled (labeling, in general, would help identify certain dishes and breads), so I couldn’t place my favorite, a creamy and slightly tangy white cheese. Another small flaw: There were no serving pieces, so you were at the mercy of tiny tongs to scrape what you wanted.
The house-made desserts are fantastic. The pudim is the Brazilian version of flan. Brigadeiro, a sweet described as flourless chocolate cake, had more of a pudding texture, but is rich and decadent. Quindin is an egg custard layered atop coconut. The many other cakes, pies and sweets are tempting, too, and most of them are likewise made on-site.
We ended our meal of a caipirinha, the signature cocktail of Brazil. This drink is made with limes muddled with sugar and cachaça, a liquor made from sugarcane. (Note to self: When your server asks you if you’d like it strong, just say no.) The caipirinha is sweet and pungent and just a sip transports you to a Brazilian beach.
Although the food was good and overall the experience was enjoyable, there were a few glitches on our first visit. For example, our server was extremely busy, but she was honest about being short-staffed, which definitely helped us have more patience. And the coffee was disappointing, weak and with the faint flavor of detergent. But on our second visit, I couldn’t get enough of the dark, rich stuff.
At Café Brasil, food and fun are at the forefront and newcomers are treated like family. Brazilians know how to make you feel welcome, and every day feels like a celebration. So, you need not go far to enjoy the party.
This article appears in Feb 1-28, 2007.