The new status symbol for São Paulo playboys, it seems, is to own outposts of N.Y. clubs.

Recent club openings include:

1oak

Owners: Richie Akiva (Butter Restaurant, G SPA & Lounge), Scott Sartiano (Butter Restaurant, G SPA & Lounge), Rony Madra (Playhouse Productions, The Park), Jeffrey Jah (Lotus, The Double Seven, The INN LW12).
Brazilian partners: Roberto Scafuro (also owns Heaven in São Paulo and Praia Café de La Musique in Florianópolis) and Armandinho Lara Nogueira (also co-owns Heaven) .

Rua Bandeira Paulista, 676, tel. 2122-4051


Pink Elephant

Owners: Giuliano De Luca, Ricardo Goldfarb, Thiago Mansur, Pedro Biagi Simões, Cássio Gebara.
Lighting is done Louvre e do megalô Burj Al Arab, em Dubai. Lounge vip por Dom Pérignon. Baheiro tipo camarim pras moças com produtos Dior.
Onde: Dacon, www.pinkelephantclub.com.br

Jun Sakamoto, in São Paulo: the Masa of Brazil

Our very own Masa.

That's the easiest way to describe Jun Sakamoto, the sushi restaurant owned by the eponymous chef. Jun has developed quite a reputation in São Paulo, as a stern and serious man who charges incredibly high prices for his sushi and won't let anyone mix wasabi into their soy sauce.

In a way, it's all true. But if he won't let anyone mix the wasabi into the soy, for instance, the reason is that he doesn't serve those little green balls of so-called wasabi, but, rather, grates the real stuff on each sushi himself. The root is imported from the mountains of Japan at a premium. Like your sushi less spicy? Tell him, and he'll give you less on the next morsel.

And yes, he's serious. Serious about his craft and his reputation. But I still manage to have nice, easy chats with him whenever I sit in front of him at his counter.

Although you can order à la carte and stick to hot dishes only, I don't recommend it. See Jun as the Brazilian Masa, and reserve a spot at the bar. Then put yourself in his hands and let the man wow you.
Here are photos of my last dinner there, Nov. 08:



the amuse bouche:



Yellowail:




Salmon:










Pargo wrapped in shiso:



Squid with a pinch of Hawaiian sea salt:



Ebi (sweet shrimp) lovingly deep-fried right in front of me:







Salmon roe:



Soft-shell crab:







Eel:



Dessert menu:




Brunoise of tropical fruits, green tea ice cream, bean paste.




For serious sushi eaters, the place is a must-visit while in São Paulo.

More on São Paulo Japanese restaurants on this blog:

• Kinoshita, my favourite Japanese restaurant in São Paulo
• The best traditional (old-style) Japanese restaurants in São Paulo

Kinoshita: São Paulo's top Japanese restaurant

Since the day it opened, in 2008, Kinoshita, in the Vila Nova Conceição district of São Paulo has been the talk of the town. The sushiman and part-owner is Tsuyoshi Murakami, a.k.a. Mura, and he's everything you'd NEVER expect him to be. Outrageously funny and outgoing, Mura speaks many languages, lived in the U.S., Japan and Barcelona, and prepares the absolute best tasting menus in town. He's not really a sushi-sashimi guy, and prefers to serve a very personal set of dishes, painstakingly thought out and executed, with a few sushi and sashimi thrown in for good measure.

One of my recent dinners started with a tartare of robalo, tuna and salmon – not my favourite of the night, I admit – followed by tiny mushrooms on a bed of lime and julienned okra. Then came octopus with cod roe and raw quail yolk (for adventurous foodies only) and a myriad other delectable surprises. The best was the tonkatsu made with filet mignon instead of pork, topped with foie gras.

I am a temaki fanatic, and Mura makes the best ones I've ever had, the nori impossibly crunchy. He applies the soy sauce himself, with a brush - a special shoyu, prepared in-house. Heavenly!

What else? They've got a sake sommelière dressed in a kimono and pretty as a porcelain doll, Spiegelau wine glasses and other posh touches here and there.

Mura shares with Jun Sakamoto the title of best Japanese chef in town, no question.

Kinoshita: Rua Jacques Félix, 405, Vila Nova Conceição, tel. (55-11) 3849-6940

More on São Paulo Japanese restaurants on this blog:

• The best traditional (old-style) Japanese restaurants in São Paulo
• Jun Sakamoto, in São Paulo: the Masa of Brazil
  

Uxua: new luxury boutique hotel in Trancoso, Bahia

Every summer there's something new in Trancoso, and this time it's Uxua that everyone's talking about. The tiny boutique hotel just opened and it's right on the Quadrado - the town green on a bluff overlooking the ocean. The Uxua is made up of a string of candy-coloured fishermen houses which were bought over the years, one by one, by Wilbert Das, creative director at Diesel. At the nine-house hotel one guest rarely runs into the others - it's as private as it gets. Maximum capacity is a mere 28! Each house has its own kitchen and high speed internet but no TV - who needs it? A spa with a space for yoga and pilates is being built.
Uxua: Tel. (55-73) 3668-2166










To read a recent article about Trancoso published in Travel + Leisure which mentions the Uxua, click here.

Chef Alex Atala opens Dalva e Dito restaurant in São Paulo

Chef Alex Atala's Dalva e Dito, officially launched this week, is, most definitely, THE restaurant opening of the season. Construction was very delayed - months and months, if not even a year! - and in that time, expectations grew.

Only a mere steps away from his flagship D.O.M., Dalva e Dito aims to serve ultra-perfected Brazilian comfort food. Simple food made by a huge brigade (70 cooks!) under the direction of Frenchman Alain Poletto, in an ultra-expensive and equipped kitchen (the restaurant reportedly cost 6 million reais, or more than 2 million dollars).

Dalva e Dito's open kitchen has very separate food stations, including one entirely devoted to sous vide.




Waiters have been trained to serve the dishes - big, family-style portions - tableside, in the traditional French manner. The signature dish is the roast chicken, roasted to perfection in what Atala calls "the Ferrari of roasters", a Rotissol rôtissoir flewn in from France.

The space is nothing short of beautiful. Modern, but not in a tired all-white minimalistic way. Very Brazilian, but not in a folksy or tacky way. Hats off to designer Marcelo Rosenbaum. I especially like the terrace shaded by ferns (pictured above).

The restaurant has a very big bar serving finger food, with a communal table:








Here are the chefs: Alain Poletto (left) and Alex Atala.




Dalva e Dito:
Rua Padre João Manuel, 1.115, Jardins, 3064-6183

More Atala on this blog:
Alex Atala serves Amazonian ingredients to Spanish chefs at D.O.M.
Interview with chef Alex Atala

Barra Grande, Bahia: all the best beach bars and restaurants

Barra Grande, in Bahia state, is one of the hottest New Year's destinations in Brasil.

This year the party was hotter than ever. The trio Beto Riginik, Juzinha Ferreira and DJ Duty set up their usual HQ, the Beach Club, which was bigger and nicer than ever. That's where all the good parties happened, even on the nights pre and post New Year's. It had big day beds for chilling out, a serious DJ booth, huge dance floor and more.



This year there were people for all parts of Brazil, and not just the usual São Paulo crowd. Thumbs up for a much-improved party set-up. Thumbs down to São Paulo-style pricing. Absolut shot at 12 reais, anyone?
Apart from resident DJ Duty organizers flew in Jody Wisternoff (Way out West) and Shur-I-Khan, ensuring the party ended only at 7 in the morning.

Best beach bars in Barra Grande:

1. Bar das Meninas, on Taipus de Fora beach. During low tide, pools form and coral is everywhere. Beautiful, but crowded with tourists. To get there, you must ride a truck for half hour on bumpy dirty roads. Try to get there early to make sure you get a table there or at next-door neighbour Bar do Francês.
2. Lagosta Azul: Walk from the town píer towards Ponta do Mutá/ Três Coqueiros, where the calm Camamu waters meet the open sea. Great tunes: jazz, beach house, vintage rock. Ombrellones and oversize cushions on straw mats make for a comfy day at the beach. Bad food, bad service.
3. Bar da Rô: Departing from the píer turn left and walk until the point where the Carapitangui river meets the sea. Rô has the best setup of all the beach bars. You can go swimming in the river or the ocean, then rinse off under a big open shower. Caipirinhas are served on floating tables in the middle of the river. Lunches have to be pre-ordered, and arrive at the set time without a glitch. And the food is delicious! Great badejo fish with pesto.
4. Bar Deck: The newest of the bunch, located next to the pousada Barrabella. As the name implies, it has a deck with incredible sunset views. The owner hails from Barcelona (which explains the delicious tortillas) and has other businesses in town. Two DJs take turns on the pickups.

Best restaurants and bars:

1. Tubarão: For those (rare) days when you're not at a beach bar at lunchtime, Tubarão is your best bet for lunch. Right next to the pier, ultra-simple, it serves a grilled octopus that is hard to beat - absolutely the best in town. As an appetizer, try the casquinha de aratu: a stir fry of aratu (a blue crab-like shellfish) with palm oil and spices, served in a shell and au gratin. Have it with farofa (toasted manioc flour) and drops of hot pepper. The tunes vary from Jack Johnson and Dave Matthews to Chet Baker no fundo.
2. Don'Ana: A classic. Wonderful fish stews and moqueca (fish and shrimp stew with coriander and coconut milk). The setting is a cute fisherman's house with tables in the garden. The service is very very slow.
3. A Tapera: Another classic. Fish with fruits done on the grill is the specialty. The best tables are under the shade of a mango tree. Very pleasant ambiance.
4. Matatauba: A pizzeria owned by an Italian couple. Pizzas have a thin and crunchy crust and pastas are also made in-house.
5. Macunaíma and Mediterrâneo: these nextdoor neighbours are both right by the pier. They share the same style: straw mats, big cushions for lounging, hip ambiance. Macunaíma serves Asian cuisine, while Mediterrâneo is known for the pizzas.
6. Café do Mar: A bit out of the beaten path, but you can find it by asking around. The detour is more than worth it. This is where the golden youth comes to drink, flirt and party. A huge screen serves as impromptu movie theater. Movie nights are alternated with live music nights. Here, too, you'll find great pizzas.

São Paulo art gallery shows American art

Choque Cultural is São Paulo's premier grafitti and urban art gallery. It made its name for showing art by Brazilian grafitti greats that went on to earn fame and fortune in the U.S., like osgemeos and Spetto. Choque shows art that is mostly ignored by the mainstream galleries and the Brazilian museus, much of it clearly influenced by the street scene and graffitti.

From a press release: "Choque Cultural (meaning Culture Shock) started as a print publisher in Brazil. Over the years they have produced more than 150 print editions on various papers and in different sizes representing the diverse techniques of close to 90 Brazilian and international artists. In 2004, Choque opened their first gallery space in São Paulo, showing exhibitions anchored with a young contemporary audience. Every exhibition is a new installation where the artist brings the aesthetic and energy of the street indoors. In the four years Choque Cultural Gallery has been open, it has exhibited many young contemporary artists; old masters, such as 60’s Pop Gerald Laing; and popular mid-career artists including; Beatriz Milhazes, Vic Muniz, and Shepard Fairey."

From January 17 until February 27 it will be showing works by four American artists:

TARA McPHERSON, JIM HOUSER, DOZE GREEN and ADAM WALLACAVAGE.

Not only will they show original work, but they'll also create work for this specific show during their stay in the city. They will also work on a collective painting.

THE ARTISTS:

Adam Wallacavage is an important figure in the American Surrealist Pop scene. The sculptor and photographer is known for his "chandeliers" made of drystone and coated in an irridescent powder (below). Some of these chandeliers will be shown at Choque.

Doze Green developed his complex drawings and textures both at the High School of Art and Design part in the Hip Hop scene. He's a great inspiration to Brazilian grafitti artists.

Jim Houser is a skater from Philadelphia. He likes to incorporate the scenery into his art, drawing and painting on objects, the floor, the walls and anything else that surrounds him. He'll be showing some of his "painted objects".

Tara McPherson started off designing flyers and posters for rock bands, and that heritage is very present in her paintings. She'll show ten paintings but also posters and engravings.

In 2007, Choque Cultural made an official partnership with Jonathan Levine's New York gallery. Since then, Levine has shown Brazilian street art, and vice-versa: Choque showed some of Levine's artists in January 2008 and does so for a second time this month.

It is the first time that these four American artists show in Brazil.

CHOQUE CULTURAL

Rua João Moura, 997

Tel: (55-11) 3061 4051