Review: Boteco, a haven of creativity, delights, and Brazilian flavors
Chef Suraj cooks up a storm with his special "Filet Mignon stuffed with Foie Gras"
When you enter Boteco - Restaurante Brasileiro, you come across these lines on the wall.
A meeting ground for Bohemians to wander. For poets to wonder. For musicians to sing and people to make merry. For revolutionaries to conspire, and for you to inspire. IT’S WHERE YOU CAN.
You come across the lines again on the cover of the menu. Boteco lives by those lines in its ambience, food, drinks, and service. Boteco has created a space where you can sit on your own or in a group to explore, reflect, contemplate, and find inspiration within its premises whether from the inspiring pictures from Brazil on the walls or its exquisite food prepared by Chef Suraj and his co-chef from Brazil or while sipping the special brews by Bonomi.
To sum it up, "IT’S WHERE YOU CAN" - Boteco is where individuals can be themselves, express their creativity, and engage in activities without limitations.
I had been urged by my friend
to visit Boteco to have the steak as they had added the Filet Mignon & Foie Gras to the menu for a limited period of time.
And as fate would have it, Rachayeta and I ended up at Boteco for lunch as we had to go visit the Birth Certificate office (that’s a story for another day) on Residency Road on Friday, June 2.
After admiring and clicking pics of the beautiful interiors and ourselves, we were ready to order.
Coffee > everything
Rachayeta ordered a mocktail called No-Teq Paloma, a delicious combo of grapefruit juice, lime, sprite, and pink salt. I was about to order one of their tequila cocktails, when my eyes came upon a section labeled Cold Brew Coffee. If you know me or have read one of my food reviews, you know what happened next.
I ordered Bonomi Caramel Mocha Brew (which has since become a favorite) which is low on sugar, has a long finish (some coffees remain in your mouth for a very long time after you swallow) and leaves you with an aftertaste of chocolate mocha.
Tira Gosto and Pão De Queijo
We decided to keep the appetizers light (because of what I knew was next on the menu). We went with Crispy Calamari from the Tira Gosto (Bar Snacks) menu and decided to try the Jalapeno Cheese Pão De Queijo, a Brazilian cheese bread made with tapioca flour & (in Boteco’s case) Dutch Gouda cheese.
The Crispy Calamari was a little chewy and the quantity is too much for two people. So, we ended up having only about half the plate only because I liked the aioli dip that came with it.
The Pão De Queijo was a lip smacker. Baked to perfection, the crispy bread was a joy to bite into and as the jalapeno and cheese hit your tongue, you enjoyed every second it was in your mouth.
The Showstopper
By the time we were halfway into the starters, I decided to take the bold step of ordering the Filet Mignon stuffed with imported Foie Gras. Bold because I usually don’t like the steak served in India (as it’s buff not cow) and I had to finish it on my own (Rachayeta doesn’t eat beef).
Do I regret ordering it? Not one bit. I do regret not being to finish it off. I left 10% of it. Chef Suraj, take a bow. It was perfection on a plate. Before I dive into how it was, some important things to know about a Filet Mignon.
Filet mignon is a popular and sought-after steak cut known for its tenderness and rich flavor. It is taken from the smaller end of the tenderloin, which is a long, cylindrical muscle that runs along the spine of a cow (or buffalo).
The name "filet mignon" is derived from the French language, where "filet" means "thick slice" or "boneless meat" and "mignon" means "dainty" or "delicate."
It has a fine texture and is known for its melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. So, you should not overcook the meat else it will lose its tenderness and moisture.
It is not as flavored as other cuts like ribeye or strip steak. So, it is often paired with sauces and accompanied by veggies and potatoes.
Now that the lesson is over, let me tell you about the storm that Chef Suraj cooked up. The meat is rubbed with salt (no marination) and grilled for hours, ensuring it is cooked medium/medium rare to preserve its tenderness. The buttery, delicate imported foie gras (you don’t get it in India) is stuffed into the steak and it’s plated on a rosemary demi-glace gravy along with baby potatoes (glazed with truffle), rose carrot glazed with truffle and herbs and a scrumptious garlic baguette.
The meat is so tender that you can cut through without much effort and along with the foie gras, it melts in your mouth. The potatoes are tasty and the bread adds the necessary crunch. The best part is that the meat is so well cooked that I took 30 mins to eat it and yet it did not lose its tenderness. I could go on and on and it would be still less. I’d say if Boteco has Filet Mignon again on its menu, just go for it.
Thank you again
else I would have missed out on this delicacy.A Dutch end to a Brazilian affair
No meal can be over without dessert. We decided to try another limited edition imported special, Dutch Classic Stroopwafel. It was a traditional Dutch waffle dipped a third in dark chocolate, a third in white chocolate, and topped with hazelnut and pistachios. A good dessert on its own but the highlight was the freshly made wild berry gelato that came on the side. Tangy and sweet at the same time, the gelato was the perfect palette cleanser.
That was my quick review of Boteco - Restaurante Brasileiro and I hope to visit again to try their all-day Tapas & Cocktails menu on Wednesdays when you can get Tapas for 200 and bottomless Sangrias for 999. Do let me know in the comments if you have had Brazilian cuisine and what should I try next. Until then, tchau amigos.
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