43 Carmine Street (between Bedford and Bleecker Sts.) 212-242-2606 www.berimbaunyc.com
Brazilian. I don’t usually get too excited by soup, but that changed dramatically the moment I tasted sopa de galinha at Berimbau Do Brasil. Brazilian chicken and rice sounds deceptively simple but make no mistake, the flavor is magic on a spoon. Yes, I’m gushing. Over chicken soup. And proud of it.
But that’s only one of the endlessly rave worthy dishes I was lucky enough to experience. The casquinha de siri (stuffed crab, Brazilian style) is absurdly addictive as well. Now that I think of it, I felt the same way about their strogonoff de filet mignon (strips of filet mignon with house seasoning, fresh cream and mushroom, garlic rice, house potato sticks). There’s something so compelling about its sweet sauce, the more I ate, the harder it was to come to terms with the thought it would end.
Moving on was a little easier thanks to the moqueca a baiana (traditional seafood stew, Mahi-Mahi, shrimp, calamari in a coconut and palm oil broth, garlic rice, dendê farofa), allegiance inducing in its own right. I just couldn’t conceive of being any more captivated; then learned the word brigadeiro.
If you like balls of chocolate blanketed in chocolate sprinkles and accompanied by strawberries, this classic Brazilian dessert will leave you delirious. It’s hard to imagine anyone who would not be blown away. Yet it’s equally difficult to envision a single soul who wouldn’t be taken with the entire meal, warm, attentive staff and thoroughly amazing evening.
They often say it’s best to overcome an addiction. But in this case, the cure is to return as quickly and often as possible.