Dalva e Dito
House Juice of Cupuacu, Caju, Mel
Corn Bread, Pao de Queijo, Pork and Bean Paste, Caponata, Salted Butter, Roasted Garlic, Tomato Salad, Peppers, Crudite
Crab, Cheese
Manjubinha Fish, Jambu Mayonnaise
“Pato no Tucupi” – Duck, Rice, Jambu, Farinha-Dagua
Ruby Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, White Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, Chocolate Biscuit
Romeu e Julieta – Queijo Minas, Guava, Mango
Following the same ethos as D.O.M., but taking a look at heritage recipes with a format intended to be enjoyed more regularly by guests of all ages, Dalva e Dito continues to show Alex Atala’s commitment to Brazil, its products and traditions.
Itself a Michelin-starred establishment, Executive Chef Elton Junior in charge of the Dalva e Dito’s daily operations and on this day particularly busy cooking for a Rainforest Preservation lecture hosted by Chef Atala in the downstairs event space, guests are welcomed for dinner beginning at 19h00 Monday through Saturday, a weekday Lunches apparently also quite popular along with weekend Brunch.
Situated next to an all-day Market, its offerings similar to those at recently opened Café Dalva e Dito down the street, it is after passing through the brooding bar area that seating is offered, a place near glass windows in full view of the kitchen a real treat as several Chefs work purposefully with a diversity of native ingredients.
Informal but professional, English-fluent staff and menus both thorough in their descriptions, guests are soon greeted with the day’s “Couvert,” a R$25 charge bargain-basement for Bread, Beans, Salad and Spreads all made on-site and refilled for free.
Decorated in Amazonian art and wood furnishings, high ceilings and foliage softening the volume of guests in a room filled by 20h00, it was alongside housemade Juice that dinner continued, the sweetness of Cashew Fruit and Honey not exactly “pairing” well to much but nonetheless an excellent palate cleanser between starters of local Crab au Gratin and whole-fried Manjubinha Fish with tongue-tingling Mayonnaise for dipping.
Built on “Grandma’s Recipes,” Chef Atala’s favorite reportedly Duck in Manioc Root Juice, anyone craving more of D.O.M.’s penultimate savory will do well to check out Dalva e Dito’s more rustic version, the fork-tender flesh rich but not gamey while a generous helping of Rice and Flour to thicken the Broth makes the dish easily sharable for diners with small appetites.
Finishing with Dessert, several offered from a Cart and others prepared in the kitchen, it was passing on items previously tasted at the Café that Cake and Pudding took center stage, the former offering four distinct layers of Chocolate atop a crispy Crust while Romeu e Julieta played sweet off savory bite-after-bite with no two quite the same.
www.dalvaedito.com.br
