I took advantage of New Year’s Eve in Pernambuco to have lunch at Leite, a house located in the center of Recife, in a mansion on Praça Joaquim Nabuco. The restaurant is considered the oldest in Brazil, considering its continuous operation and always at the same address — since opening in 1882. And the cool thing was to see that the house is in great shape. Starting with the service, efficient and kind.
The lounge has a classic decor, with white tablecloths on the tables and light curtains, which surround the entire lounge. The yellowish light from the lamps brings warmth and the battalion of waiters duly uniformed gives a nostalgic atmosphere, lulled by the sound of the piano, masterfully played by the musician Edson Santos.
And eating at Leite is not even expensive. I went back there because of nostalgia but also attracted by the executive menu: starter + main course for R$69. For an extra R$10 you include dessert. And the options are tempting: for starters we ordered the delicious codfish ball with tomato rice and the delicate shrimp pancake. For those who are fans of crustaceans, I strongly recommend the VG shrimp sautéed in olive oil with herbs (R$76), a house flagship that can be shared.
Our mains were the Portuguese shrimp rice, which features broth tomato rice with grilled shrimp and finished with fresh peas. And the chef’s sun-dried meat, with tender meat in strips and onions accompanied by green beans and fried cassava, a beautiful dish! In addition to the executive, there are many tempting options such as tongue with Madeira (R$ 52), cod in cream (R$ 76) and the suggestion of the day: grilled crayfish in butter with broccoli rice and sautéed potatoes (R$ 89). .
We tried the two most requested desserts: the famous Cartola do Leite, with banana and butter cheese grilled and sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon, and the best french toast I’ve ever tasted, made with ordinary bread, but which, after being fried, acquires a the consistency of a pudding, and is bathed in port wine. surreal.
The friendliness of the service is another great differential of the house. I praised the maître d’, mr. Lucas Mesel, and he made a point of introducing the garde manger Manoel José da Silva, the oldest employee who has worked at the house for 48 years, since he was 18 years old. Longevity of the house and employees.
Be sure to include Leite on your next trip to Recife. Tasty food, hospitality and an inspiring environment, capable of transporting you to a unique experience.
milk restaurant – little map here
Praça Joaquim Nabuco, 147, Santo Antônio, Recife (PE)
Tel. 0/xx/81/3224-7977
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