For this week, I wanted to find a fun location. For those of you who read my blog and completely understand my passion for food, you will know that the best food isn't necessarily found in the ritzy restaurants. In fact, all of my favorite places in California were small places that didn't look like much on the outside.
Scott and I are always looking for something new and flavorful. It is our weekly goal to try to find the greatest food we can while we live here in Oklahoma. And when you don't live in Tulsa, sometimes it can prove to be difficult. Oklahoma City is a sporadic grid of houses and restaurants which, we have found, are a hit or a miss.
So this week we decided to try out one of the places we have heard a bit of good press about. Cafe' do Brazil. It is located in the heart of Oklahoma City, right across the street from McNellies pub.
Walking up to the place, I was feeling excited. The first time I ever ate Brazillian food I was in Utah. There was a very popular, very nice place that was just as entertaining as it was delicious. They came by your table with giant skewers of meat and carved off the pieces you liked. They had huge bowls of sides for you to scoop from and you ate until you weighed considerably more that when you first walked in.
I wasn't expecting all of that from this small place. Something about it was less flashy. It was almost like going to a friends house (large house, mind you) who happened to be from Brazil. It felt more homey.
Scott and I went for breakfast on a Saturday morning. We walked in, famished, and I instantly felt happier. The decor was truly wonderful.
The artifacts, trinkets, worry dolls, and paintings made me feel like it was a tiny slice of Brazillian heaven that we just walked into. The walls were painted with a shocking yellow, and very few things in the room were muted. Colors clashed all over the place, fighting to be the brightest and catch your eye. Even at 12 in the afternoon, there were vibrant drinks at almost every table. The atmosphere inside was that of a gathering with friends. Brazilian or not, when you walked inside the main hall, you felt like you were being welcomed home.
Scott and I eagerly sat in the middle of the room, looking around us for about ten minutes. There was so much to look at! We struck up a conversation with our waitress about the place. How does a little gem like this not get tons of press? In Oklahoma, something this unique is rare. Who started it and why? Why here?
She laughed, and explained that a small Brazilian lady started the restaurant. She came to Oklahoma in 1982 and opened up a muffin shop. More than Muffins was her pride and joy and she made a name for herself making cheesebread and muffins in a variety of unique flavors, like butterscotch.
Once she had become very known for her pastries, she decided to make the shift to the savory side, and bring a bit of her home to Oklahoma. She now is making a name for herself by showing off everything that she loves about Brazil.
Everything about Cafe do Brazil was bold to me. Intense colors, loud music and flavors that could never be called bland. As I was soaking in my surroundings, our food came... and it was an even bigger slice of heaven.
Scott got the Migillas. A traditional dish of beans, eggs, green chilie salsa and tortillas. I stole a few bites, and it took me to my own little pocket of memories of eating breakfasts with family. My grandmother was Mexican, as is her whole side of the family, and one of my favorite memories of my childhood was going to a family reunion in Mexico. She taught us how to make mexican eggs called 'Titas' (or chilie quillies if you are in the Berkson family ;)) which consists of fried tortillas, eggs, peppers, salsa, onions and whatever else you have lying around. it was a favorite of mine growing up and I still eat it to this day.
Scott's breakfast made me happy like few things can (white rice!!) and the flavors were exceptional.
I am continually on the hunt for the best Eggs Benedict that I can find. Hollandaise sauce, to me, is bliss in liquid form. I love everything about the dish, and pathetically, get very excited every time I cut into the poached egg and its golden insides come running out, spilling all over my plate. I love sopping everything up with my english muffin and to me, both the flavor and texture combination are hard to beat. My meal came with bacon instead of ham and the hollandaise was beat with thyme instead of tarragon. It came with a side of fresh fruit drizzled in a passionfruit and raspberry sauce and sprinkled with walnuts for good measure.
For the next 25 minutes... I truly was in Brazillian heaven. The music, the flavors, the drinks, the company. It was by far one of the best brunches I have had in a very long time. I was a bit embarassed to lick the plate clean and use my fingers to get the last little bit of sauce that was lingering... but it was truly that good.
We walked out of there happier than we had been when we entered, and that is a very good sign of an incredible restaurant. The cafe opens at night with dinners that made my mouth water and they have live music at the rooftop bar. Scott and I will be returning to see if the dinners were as delectable as the breakfast was.
And for the rest of that Saturday... I thought about the little Brazillian lady that took a chance and did something bold. Opening up a restaurant is always difficult, especially one that is so different than anything else in Oklahoma. I give the restaurant an A and highly reccomend it if you are ever looking for a great place to eat brunch. Just be sure to thank the tiny Brazillian lady in the back for the incredible meal. :)
Cafe do Brazil
http://cafedobrazilokc.com/
440 NW 11th St. Ste 100, Oklahoma City, OK 73103
405) 525-9779
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