Western Road, Brighton
01273 747111

Open daily, 11am-10pm

Review: August 18, 2006

A stroll up Western Road might not conjure up images of Rio – but at least we can enjoy some exotic Brazilian flavour there.

Cacau is a bar, restaurant and coffee shop, which aims to give Brighton’s 3,000-strong Brazilian community a taste of home – and show us Brits exactly what tasty delights come from the South American shores.

These include breaded and deep fried banana, fish in passionfruit sauce and home-made avocado ice cream.

“We are trying to create a place for not only Brazilian people but also English people. We want to show them the Brazilian food, drinks, cocktails, music and atmosphere,” says manager Fabio Francisco.

On the site of the former Corleones Italian restaurant, and owned by the same people as Copacabana bar in Queen’s Road, Cacau is named after the Brazilian fruit from which chocolate is made.

It has that laid-back holiday vibe and with coffee tables, soft chairs and a large TV, you could easily while away a few hours, snacking and drinking. Food prices have been kept low – starters range from £1.70-£4.95 and mains begin at £4.95.

Fabio assures us the menu is authentic, with traditional dishes you would expect to see served up in most households in Brazil.

The menu makes for interesting reading, with some dishes you might not have come across before.

During the 19th Century, slavery ended and an independent Brazil became a melting pot for immigrants from all over the world.

Waves of new arrivals from Asia, Western and Eastern Europe and the Middle East brought their kitchen traditions with them that put an eclectic spin on the local cuisine.

“There is a huge diversity – it’s not just chicken and potatoes,” says Fabio.

“We use a lot of seasoningand a lot of garlic. We give big portions, too. When people finish eating here, they can’t move.”

Staple Brazilian ingredients include beans, rice, coconut and palm tree oil.

The national dish, which Cacau serves as a special, is feijoada – a mixture of black beans, pork and manioc flour.

It started as a dish for the slaves brought from Africa, made out of cheap ingredients, and has been adopted by all the cultural regions.

Other dishes include Coxinha (a starter of chicken and catupiry cheese, stuffed in potato dough, £1.70), and Picadinho com catupiry (garlic marinated beef pieces, served with catupiry cheese sauce and toast, £4.95).

There are also fish dishes, pastas, salads and – the most popular – a barbecue section. Here, a meat of your choice is skewered and barbecued Brazilian-style. It comes with a vinagrette and cassava flour for dipping (from £4.95).

Vegetarians, be aware there is not a huge non-meat choice, particularly main courses.

The drinks menu includes Cachaça, Brazil’s native liquor, which is distilled from sugar cane, and is the main ingredient in the national drink, Caipirinha (£4).

Sample the menu
Starters
Mandioca (fried cassava chips), £2.95
Fish cakes Brazilian style, £4.45
Mains
Alho e Oleo Picanha (rump steak fried
in garlic and oil), £11.95
White fish steak cooked in either:
coconut and palm tree oil sauce, with peppers, onions, and tomato; tarragon cream, white wine and caper sauce or passion fruit sauce. From £6.95

Desserts
Caramelised banana, £2.95
Crème de papaya (vanilla ice cream blended with fresh papaya and crem de casis), £3.95

Drinks
Brazilian tea, £1.60
Bottle of Brahma Brazilian lager, £2.60
House wine, £9.95

Review by Leilah Nicola

If you are interested in restaurants in Brighton, Hove and Sussex, visit www.theargusfoodguide.co.uk