São Paulo is not a beautiful city, far from it, but it has got some hidden gems. If you try hard, you’re going to find places definitely worth visiting, be it for their unique character, historical value or for their cosmopolitan flavour. Mercado Municipal (Rua da Cantareira 306, Metro São Bento) is an example of the latter, literally. This city market is a hive of activity with food stalls, selling delicacies from all over the world; Italian Parma ham, Spanish olives, Portuguese salt-cod (ubiquitous!) as well as heaps of Brazilian dried meat and colourful pyramids of local fruit and veg - everything you can get somewhere else with a little effort, but for an adequately higher price. This doesn’t not seem to deter the crowds who fill the alleys to the point of absurdity. Forget delightful strolls among aromatic mangoes and smelly cheeses; to cross the market from one end to other will take about half an hour of tiny steps, meandering among other hungry souls, with your hand firmly on your wallet. I may be turning neurotic, but living in the centre does make your eyes go around your head in search of potential thieves.
What made my day last Saturday afternoon, was, surprise, surprise! - lunch. I had read about the famous mortadela sandwiches to bite which you wish you were Mick Jagger, but having thought about it, I rejected the idea of paying 15 reais for what you can easily make at home for 2 and opted for pasteis instead. A pastel* is a deep-fried rectangular pastry typically filled with meat or cheese, available at virtually any bar. But it wasn’t any bar my boyfriend took me to. He would be very unhappy to find out I didn’t give him credit for leading me to the pastel paradise. The menu boasted a staggering number of more to less typical pastel fillings, just reading about which made my mouth water. In my excitement, I decided I would have two – one with prawns and one with bacalhau. I may have been hungry, but I surely overestimated the capacity of my stomach; the pasteis were enormous! You needed two hands to hold them (I mean to hold one at a time!). And, yes, they were the most delicious ever! Crispy outside, soft and creamy inside. Sheer heaven in my mouth. Now, forgive me, but having stood in a lengthy queue, once I devoured the pasteis, all I wanted was to get out, so I didn’t record which bar it was. If you ever want to go there, you’re going to have to do it by trial and error, or get yourself your own Brazilian boyfriend to take you. I ain’t lending you mine.
Oh, and here’s a video I made during the visit! No eating without music ;)
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