Nathalia Durval
Chef Helena Rizzo is expanding her business this year and has just opened two units of the Manioca restaurant.
The restaurant, opened in the Iguatemi shopping center in 2015, is a more informal version of its Maní, voted the best restaurant in the city by the special O Melhor de São Paulo Gastronomia.
Atmosphere of the Manioca da Mata restaurant, in Itaim Bibi –
The two new addresses have very different proposals. One of them, opened about two months ago, is on the street. Nicknamed Manioca da Mata, it is next to Padoca da Mata, his bakery, opened there at the beginning of this year.
Surrounded by plants, the more intimate room accommodates 48 people. In front is a parklet.
The menu is different from the main one and has exclusive dishes. It is only served there, for example, chicken curry with vegetables, coconut chips and green banana chips (R$90). The chef and MasterChef judge also recovered some of Maní’s dishes that were successful, such as the lightly grilled tuna with quinoa and blackberry chutney, ginger foam and shiso (R$ 128).
In the center of the room, a bar serves signature drinks and non-alcoholic cocktails — among these, the refreshing house grass (R$ 27) contains lemongrass cordial, pineapple syrup, sparkling water and lemon.
Opened this week, the other Manioca is on the third floor of the JK Iguatemi shopping mall, in a glass-enclosed hall that holds 178 seats. There, almost the entire menu features new dishes, in addition to the hits, highlighting recipes prepared over coals and maintaining the focus on Brazilian ingredients. In addition to Josper, the kitchen has a grill.
Among the dishes to order is grilled octopus accompanied by fried cassava, chili oil and pepper aïoli (R$ 95). Inspired by childhood memories, the chef created a xixo gaucho, a filet mignon skewer with peppers, onions and bacon roasted over coals, which in the restaurant comes in a PF with rice, fried egg and cassava (R$ 110).
Another new feature is a menu of drinks designed by Argentine bartender Chula Barmaid, made with ingredients that pass through the fire or oven. There are seven signatures, such as the smoked cocada (R$45), with rum, smoked pineapple and toasted coconut syrup.
Both addresses welcome customers for lunch and dinner.
Manioca
R. da Mata, 212, Itaim Bibi, western region, tel. (11) 97473-8994, @manimanioca
Shopping JK Iguatemi – av. Pres. Juscelino Kubitschek, 2,041, Vila Olímpia, southern region
Source: Folha
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