Last Updated on April 26, 2024
Brazilian Festa in the heart of Camden
After 20 years on Inverness Street in Camden Town, Made In Brasil has marked its anniversary by debuting a new menu that reaffirms its role in showcasing Brazilian culture, cuisine, and spirits in London. Frequented by London’s Brazilian community and the large numbers of visitors and tourists passing through Camden all year round, Made in Brasil is celebrated not only for its culinary offerings but also for housing the UK’s most extensive Cachaça (a Brazilian sugarcane spirit) collection, with 384 distinct varieties. The restaurant is adorned with photos and artefacts from Brazilian nature, art and culture and TVs on the wall play a slideshow of iconic Brazilian locations. The playlist cycles through Brazilian tunes to keep the atmosphere upbeat and festive.
I was pleased to be invited to try the new menu which encourages diners to delve into the rich tapestry of Brazilian flavours. The vast country stretches from the Atlantic to the heart of the Amazon and its huge area and vibrant culture is reflected in the diversity of its cuisines. Noteworthy dishes offered at Made in Brasil include the iconic Feijoada, a beef stew, and the Picanha Aperitivo Sharing Platter—a prime cut of Brazilian beef, pan-fried with onions and crispy garlic, served alongside chips and salad. Other traditional offerings like Vatapá da Bahia, a dish from Salvador made with ground peanuts, ground manioc, okra, coconut milk and dende oil with tiger prawns, and Bobó, a creamy cassava puree served with steamed rice and cassava shavings, highlight the diversity of Brazilian cuisine and offers an opportunity for London residents and visitors to try dishes from areas of the country which may be less familiar to British travellers.
During my visit, we began our meal enjoying a selection of tapas and classic Brazilian street food, including the pǎo de quiejo (Brazilian mini cheese bread), pastel de queijo light and thin pastry filled with mozzarella cheese served with vinaigrette) and coxinha (chicken pastries served with garlic mayo).
For our main courses, we enjoyed a vegetarian moqueca, normally a seafood stew from the northern coast of Brazil, but served here also as a vegetarian option with sweet peppers, coconut milk and dande oil along with steamed rice and farofa (grated cassava). In addition, we tried the feijoada, probably the closest Brazil has to a national dish. This was a black bean stew with assorted beef, pork and smoked meats served with sauteed collared greens, pork crackling, orange segment, farofa and steamed rice.
We ordered the Brazilian caipirinha from the extensive cocktail list. It can be served either plain or flavoured with a range of fruits such as passionfruit, mango, strawberry, kiwi or acai. Made in Brasil was pleasingly authentic to the cocktails served on the world-famous Copacabana, and the fun and relaxed atmosphere makes it a great Camden location to enjoy some drinks. Live music is also on offer, featuring performances by Samba do Chapéu on Fridays and various DJs and musicians on weekends.
The dessert selection was also impressive, featuring treats such as Açaí na Tigela, an Amazonian açaí berry sorbet served with granola, bananas, and honey, and the refreshing Mousse de Maracujá. We particularly enjoyed the quindim, an egg yolk custard tart with grated coconut,
The friendly and attentive staff also contributed to the great atmosphere. Made in Brasil is recommended as a lively location to enjoy drinks, dancing, live music and an impressive range of the best of Brazilian cuisine.
Made in Brasil
12 Inverness St,
London NW1 7HJ
Tel: 02074820777