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Food
in Brazil is excellent. If you love barbecued meat (carne),
chicken (frango), and sausage (linguiça),
then you will be in heaven while dining in Rio. The above are always
served with rice (arroz), black beans (feijão) and
manioc flour (farofa) and in very large portions.
Brazilians typically eat their largest meal (almoço)
in the middle of the day (11:30 am – 2pm) and have a lighter dinner (jantar)
in the late evening. So if you venture into a restaurant around 6pm,
chances are good it will be empty. Here are a few different styles of
restaurants that are available:
Por Quilo (per kilogram) restaurants are very common lunch
buffets that are very easy on the traveler because you don’t need to
translate a menu (cardápio) or try and order from a waiter. All
you need to do is grab a plate, fill it up, and then take it to the
weigh scale where they will write down the cost of your meal on your
entry ticket. (Note: do not lose this ticket as most restaurants
will charge you the equivalent of 3 kgs if you do!). Buffets will
have a large variety of vegetables, fruits, meats and the usual
accompaniments.
Lanchonetes are snack bars that serve sanduiches
(typical sandwiches and burgers), pasteis (pastries stuffed
with chicken, meat, or cheese), and the famous misto quente
(grilled ham and cheese).
Most tourists enjoy the rodizio styled restaurants.
These are defined by the waiters who circulate amongst the tables and
bring the selected food until you can no longer eat anymore.
Churrascarias (barbecued meats) are the most common, while pizza,
seafood and sushi are also available.
There are also many restaurants where you will be able to choose from
a menu. Most of these meals are para duas pessoas (for 2
people).
In all restaurants where you are being served by a waiter, there will
be a 10% tip automatically added to the bill. Leaving a tip on the
table is not part of Brazilian culture, but if a waiter or someone is
deserving, feel free to slip them a little something extra.
Overcharging customers is also known to happen so don’t be afraid to
ask the waiter to go over the bill with you. |
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