Opinion – Marcelo Katsuki: Fasano Trancoso combines Bahian and Italian cuisine in a paradisiacal setting

Inaugurated in December 2021, Hotel Fasano Trancoso entered that month on the popular Condé Nast Traveler Hot List, a British magazine that chooses the best newly opened hotels around the world. Located on Itapororoca Beach, in the south of Bahia, the hotel has 40 bungalows and a surprising 500-meter long certified wooden deck. Built 1.5 m above the ground, it connects the entire enterprise and preserves nature.

The restaurant, located at the end of the deck and next to the main pool, has a minimalist design by Isay Weinfeld, who signs all the hotel’s environments. Interconnected lounges and lounges without walls guarantee a relaxed atmosphere, punctuated by the architect’s elegant contemporary design, always in harmony with the surrounding nature.

To guarantee the tradition of Italian gastronomy present in the brand’s DNA, chef José Antonio Rodrigues, or “Zé Branco”, with more than 20 years of experience in the Group, was summoned. “The big challenge was to assemble and train a local team in just two months”, says the chef, who says he is quite satisfied with the result. “I have two great sous-chefs, Ivan and Magno, who help with the daily operation,” he said.

The restaurant has a menu focused on seafood and strolls through Italian and Bahian cuisines with the same ease. To guarantee the authenticity of the regional dishes, Zé Branco has the help of local cooks, such as Benedita, who is responsible for preparing delicacies such as acarajés and crab croquettes with spicy sauce, which are unmissable.

The menu is divided into starters, pastas, risottos, mains, Bahian selection, kids menu and desserts. The moquecas are garnished with rice, farofa and mush and appear in individual portions or to share. They are aromatic, delicate but rich in flavor and very well served. The shrimp bobó is also beautiful and brings the palm oil on point. One of the highlights of the menu is the fish ravioli in white wine sauce, which reveals lightness and a refined sauce that delights the palate. A perfect dessert is the cocada in the oven with brown sugar ice cream, cachaça and spices. Or the traditional tiramisu, a classic from Fasano.

The restaurant also has a service point on the beach, amidst the vegetation and under an immense almond tree. As if the privileged setting – an authentic foot in the sand with tables and comfortable armchairs – was not enough, the meal is enlivened by DJ Monica Soldan’s sets, which mix MPB and deep house. The menu includes seafood, such as white fish ceviche and salmon carpaccio, or grilled dishes, such as shrimp skewers and grilled whole fish, served with vegetables and farofa.

Hotel Fasano Trancoso is located on Itapororoca Beach, in one of the most privileged stretches of the region, and the restaurant is also open to non-guests upon reservation. Pleasure guaranteed.

Hotel Fasano Trancoso: Estrada de Itaquena, 3925, Trancoso, Bahia
WhatsApp: (73) 99818-1091