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Lasai

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Brazilian farm-to-table champion

On the Pass

Rafa Costa e Silva

Lasai, which means ‘tranquility’ in the Basque language, sees the world-class cooking of chef Rafa Costa e Silva paired with knowledgeable but intrinsically warm service, topped off by a stunning dining space in Rio’s Botafogo neighbourhood. Set in a historic house dating from 1902, the restaurant includes a terrace with a view of the most famous landmark in the city: Christ the Redeemer.

Many products come from Costa and his wife Malena’s own farms (the family has one in the city, one in the country) and each table has the central product of the day, such as corn, a cassava or blue carrots, displayed under a glass dome. Standout dishes include palm heart ceviche, and  banana, bok choy, manioc and sour cream. Plus the wine and cocktail lists are among the very best in Brazil.

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