Miam Miam, Botafogo
Botafogo, an unassuming Zona Sul suburb, is increasingly developing a reputation as one of Rio's best neighbourhoods for interesting nightlife and dining options. Clubs such as Casa da Matriz and Bukowski are attracting hordes of fashionable 20 and 30-somethings, and restaurants such as the excellent Miam Miam are providing a refreshing alternative to the starched collars and extortionate prices of areas such as Ipanema, Leblon and Jardim Botanico.
Housed in a cute little white colonial building on Rua General Goés (about 10 minutes' walk from Botafogo metro station), Miam Miam is easy to miss - the name is simply etched in tiny letters on the front window. The French/Brazilian owners describe the restaurant's cuisine as 'comfort food', and you can expect hearty portions of indulgent dishes such as an amazing risotto of wild mushroom, with wild rice. There's an interesting take on the Bahian dish Moqueca (seafood stew) as well - here it almost resembles a curry.
As Miam Miam is only small, you'd be advised to make recommendations even on weeknights (it's open from 19.30-00.30 Tue-Fri, and until 01.30 on Saturdays). There are a couple of tables and chairs outside for al-fresco dining, but you'll want to take a peek inside too - the entire place has been kitted out with original pieces from the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Even the toilets are a masterclass in kitsch design! The background music is a break from the norm, too. The owners asked several local DJs to compile CDs featuring the music they listen to at home, and the result is a mixed bag of jazz, bossa nova, tropicalia and samba.
In a city where many of the restaurants suffer from an overly formal atmosphere, it is refreshing to be greeted here by waitstaff with untucked shirts, jeans and piercings. Unsurprisingly, there's no dress code here for diners either, and 'relaxed chic' is the general look among the clientele.
Despite the casual attire, this is no student hangout - the restuarant is popular with food lovers of all ages. Prices are on the high side for Botafogo - around R$30 for a main, and R$5 for a small beer - but modest in comparison to what you'd pay for food of a similar quality in Leblon.