Rio de Janeiro’s infamous carnival season may be imminent, but if you can’t make it to the marvellous city for the celebrations, at least your tastebuds can enjoy it at Bossa.
The Brazilian restaurant opened its doors last summer seconds from Oxford Street; though that particular part of town is hardly known as a gastronomic wonderland, Bossa flawlessly delivers dishes of deliciousness under the creative leadership of Nilson Chaves, alumni of Rio’s two Michelin-starred Oteque. With an a la carte offering alongside a two or three-course set lunch menu, introduced in September, every dish is packed with flavour.
It’s a spacious set-up, refreshing considering many prime location spots like this tend to pack in the tables to the extent where you feel as though you’re on someone else’s date. For a piece of the action grab a seat at the counter, right in front of the open kitchen, though we tucked ourselves into the best spot in the restaurant, a gorgeous round booth with a prime view of goings on.
Start with a cocktail, you’ll find the national drink – a classic Caipirinha – at the top of the menu, but read on for a host of creative serves like the Mezscaldinha, a smoky take on the classic with Abel Cachaça Branca and a fantastic Mojito.
Food at Bossa
The menu is split into The Beginning, The Middle and The End, with a host of picky small plates flavourful mains and unique desserts. Juicy grilled red prawns arrived doused in garlic and herb vinaigrette, mopped up by warm crusty bread, while a pair of succulent scallops, in a scallop and leek cream, were beautifully finished with a sprinkling of toasted buckwheat for added crunch.
The main event subtly brings in ingredients and flavours of Brazil, a juicy tentacle of grilled octopus accompanied with fresh peas, roasted sunchoke – Jerusalem artichoke – and a rich Brazil nut pesto, while the duck was our star of the show, the breast winner with roasted plantain, purple broccoli and parsley yoghurt, a delicious combination.
A Brazilian dessert may be hard to imagine, but they do them well. The Quindim, a sort of egg custard, was delicious enough, but the standout was the Cupuaçú cheesecake, a tasty relative of cacao, with a sprinkling of Brazil nut crumble and cocoa nibs. Sublime.
This is one destination worth making the mission to Oxford Street for, a shimmering beacon for Brazilian dining that undoubtedly made us want to book a plane ticket to try the real deal.
Bossa
4 Vere Street
London
W1G 0DH
United Kingdom
