Bom Apetite

Bom Apetite

Think Brazil and you’ll probably find the Vengaboys’ yesteryear song To Brazil! ringing in your ears. Well, that’s the closest you may have got to Brazil, if you haven’t already visited this vibrant country in South America. And like the upbeat song, Brazil is indeed vibrant and colourful, and the food too is full of flavours. 

You can get a taste of the magnificent flavours of Brazilian food at Botequim Cervejaria in one of the top-notch neighbourhoods of Pune — Koregaon Park, Lane No 7. This  Brazilian beach shack inspired rooftop terrace bar, which is situated right above Boteco, serves Brazilian dishes along with some of the best on-tap beers in town. Perfect for a group gathering of friends who want to catch up over drinks and a few sides, the restaurant is an apt choice. On certain days, guests can also enjoy game nights and gigs. 

On a pleasant January evening,  we dropped in at Botequim Cervejaria and we were more than impressed with the cuisine. Our evening started with a tasting tray of the handcrafted beers on tap. We were informed that the bar is known for its handcrafted beers which are available in a number of interesting flavours. We tasted the Chilli Guava, Brazilian Chope, Basil Peppercorn Witbier and a Blueberry flavour, and decided to go with the Chilli Guava. 
 
Chilli Guava is a great combination, so we decided to order this hearty beer. The sweet taste of guava and the spiciness of the chilli is quite evident in each sip that you take from the glass. The light golden beer is best suited with absolutely anything on the side. 

Moving to the bar bites, the chef suggested that we have the Bolinho De Aipim which is a gluten-free croquette made with buttered cassava and served with hot sauce. The chef explained that cassava is a root vegetable similar to sweet potato. 

The typical Brazilian bar snack is crispy on the outside and smooth and light in the inside, the hero being the cheese in it. The hot sauce added a punch to the dish, making it perfect for a nice chilly evening. 

Next, we tried the Pao De Queijo Pesto Paneer slider, which is one dish that left us in awe. The small-sized burger tastes much better than a regular burger. As the name suggests. Pao De Queijo is a Brazilian gluten-free cheese bread. This cheesy, gooey bun is slightly on the heavier side, but you can’t stop eating because of its sweet-salty-buttery flavour. Beautifully packed between the buns are fresh paneer cubes coated with a dollop of pesto. Watch out as you might have two or three of these heavenly sliders! This dish is a must try, and brownie points for the buns. 

Brazil is meat lovers’ paradise and Brazilians take their grilling, roasting, barbecuing very seriously. On the chef’s recommendation we tried the Beyti Kebab, which is originally a Turkish  dish, but this one is the chef’s version of the traditional kebab. Red meat grilled on a skewer placed and rolled with a gentle lavash, which is almost like a pita bread, along with the flavours of tomatoes, bell peppers and cream, used as garnish, balance the spiciness of the well cooked red meat. 
 
As we tried Hell’s Chicken and Mint Chicken listed under Churrasco, which means grilled in fogao-a-lenha (open-fire), our culinary journey got more interesting. The super spicy Hell’s Chicken can make you cry, because like the name suggests, it is fiery hot. Served on skewers, the chicken is coated in siracha sauce. Not a dish for the faint-hearted. 

To cool the heat from the chicken, we had a spoonful of the Farofa, which is light bread crumbs topped with fried onions. 

The Mint Chicken is well balanced with the fresh taste of green chutney and heavy use of mint. Though it is served straight from the open fire it will cool your mouth. The two dishes taste even better when dipped in the chilli butter, which is not very spicy.  

Ending the night, we had a handsome bowl of Korean BBQ Chicken. On a bed of buttered rice, a side of veggies, grilled chicken with in-house Korean BBQ sauce and a sunny-side up, this dish is not just colourful, but a total package of carbohydrates and proteins. The bowl makes a good choice after a hearty night of drinking. 

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