Discover Casa 201, a speakeasy restaurant in the heart of Rio de Janeiro

Even the cheese is homemade at this surprising Rio address

At 8pm sharp, when the door opens, jazz is already playing: on the turntable right now, in the kitchen since early morning. In the past, number 201 Lopes Quinta, in the Jardim Botânico, was actually a house. It spent a decade locked up and, a year ago, more than just a restaurant, it became the headquarters of Joao Paulo Frankenfeld.

A graduate of the Paul Bocuse Institute, in Lyon, France, and a trainer of the Cordon Bleu courses in Brazil, the forty-year-old chef runs this gastronomic haven – which, by the way, deserves to be your next discovery in the wonderful city!

Looking a bit like Professor Pardal, a bit like chef of a starred restaurant, João Paulo makes everything there, everything: sausages, bread, cheese, beer, butter, preserves, ice cream and puff pastry, choux and macaroni.

Discreet, even at 2 meters in height, he is an unhurried type: he ages his portion of Duroc pork and his buffalo cheese for three months, he spreads millefeuille, he cures the broths night and day, he ferments vegetables and malt.

Processes like this permeate the autumn menu (R$590), on display until June 25. An eight-stage tour through French techniques, Italian flavors and German family memories. A tour told with Rio bravado for up to 20 guests, who can be accompanied by national wines (R$ 380).

The welcome begins with freshly baked bread, a variety of cured meats, butter, homemade pickles and mustard. Subsequently, a couple of edible treats are presented, namely the croissant mignon tartare with mujol roe and the cod choux with cauliflower.

A buttery and toasted brioche is accompanied by a vinaigrette of smoked duck and green beans to be “seasoned” with cornichon ice cream. Then comes the prawns with stracciatella ravioli, watermelon and Lambrusco sauce.

The amazing description and the size of the main course are impressive. How can warm watermelon, seafood, sour cream, and pasta go together so well? The author tries to decipher the mystery.

“It’s a pairing I’ve been doing for a long time. I started in France, with lobster and burrata. Then I introduced watermelon because it gives an interesting sweet touch and Lambrusco for its acidity, which balances the cream and sweetness of the other elements on the plate”, evaluate

Without wanting to reveal all the secrets of a speakeasy, it doesn’t hurt to mention the pithivier, a complicated and classic French puff pastry which on the table at Casa 201 boasts layers of Angus bacon, mushrooms and cabbage, all duly spread with a thick sauce Port wine.

If the laborious delicacies mentioned weren’t enough, something like a workaholic craftsman, João Paulo doesn’t even give up carving his own pastries on a daily basis. Since that is the case, a word of warning: I hope they include the financier (moist almond cupcake) with cumaru.

“I have a great love for French cuisine, but I always add touches of Brazilian and German cuisine, which are in my blood. I can’t say exactly where it comes from, but I can say that my cuisine is a strong work on animal proteins ​​and dairy products”, defines the chef.

So, for the next menu, he is thinking of a version of the VGE Soup, a legendary recipe by Paul Bocuse based on meat broth, vegetable brunoise and grated truffle crowned with puff pastry which, in this case, will include foie gras.

House 201

Rua Lopes Quintas, 201, Jardim Botânico. From Tuesday to Saturday at 8pm. Reservations: (21) 96707-0201

Source: Terra

Ben

Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.