[content_slider]
[content_slide]
[/content_slide]
[content_slide]
[/content_slide]
[content_slide]
[/content_slide]
[content_slide]
[/content_slide]
[content_slide]
[/content_slide]
[content_slide]
[/content_slide]
[content_slide]
[/content_slide]
[content_slide]
[/content_slide]
[/content_slider]
MELBOURNE | Bossa Nova Brazilian Café is a Carlton cafe owned by Brazilian couple Gabriel and Gabriella Gebaile, who have put together a small menu of family dishes that remind them of home. It’s a homely space, and Gabriel’s passion for the food that he’s serving comes through in the space, and in conversation when you talk to him. The menu contains a lot that looks appealing, and probably new to many Melburnians. Those who like to avoid meat are in luck too. Vegan versions of almost everything on the menu are available alongside their meaty counterparts.
I ordered the Tropeiro, a porky blend of smoked chorizo, bacon and chopped kale mixed with beans, eggs and toasted manioc flour, served with rice. The egg is listed as optional, but as if I wasn’t getting it. Also fantastic is the Moqueca, a Barramundi fillet immersed in a citrusy Brazilian-style curry with notes of coconut cream & lime. It’s served with rice and farofa (Brazilian seasoned manioc flour). You might have seen the dish on season two of Netflix’s “Street Food”.
Also worth a try are the Coxinha. They’re crunchy fritters filled with creamy shredded chicken and homemade cream cheese (requeijão). Very moreish. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, I highly recommend the bombocado. The recipe comes from Gabriela’s aunty, who has a cake shop in Sao Paulo. It’s a delightful treat made with eggs, condensed milk, and moist coconut.
If you’re looking for a taste of Brazil in Melbourne, you can’t go wrong with the delicious food, and friendly, welcoming atmosphere of Bossa Nova. I’ve not been to Brazil before, but there was a lot about the food that transported me back to my time in Colombia. I’d love to explore the food of the region some more.
Bossa Nova Brazilian Café
156 Elgin Street
Carlton
Victoria 3053
Australia
Telephone: 0423 146 157
E-mail: [email protected]
Website
Open
Tue – Thu, Sat – Sun: 11:00am to 3:00pm
Fri: 11:00am to 3:00pm; 6:00pm to 9:00pm