Happy birthday Rio, impressions from Sao Paulo and a good portuguese bar cum restaurant in this culinary hotspot of Brazil

This Thursday, 1st of March Rio is turning 447 years of age but still a beauty – happy birthday!

I visited Sao Paulo for a couple of days for the first time in 20 years and am very impressed by the sheer size and economic development the economic capital of Brazil has had. But the shining skyline of skyscrapers in all styles as well as the ever growing number of large high-end shopping malls makes Sao Paulo look very similar to any large metropolis in Asia – modern cities today have so little what tells them apart and once you are in one of the office towers, shopping malls or hotel chains it is absolutely interchangeable.

But one thing clearly sets Sao Paulo apart – the culinary, the gastro scene – it is so much more international and sophisticated than in Rio de Janeiro, with trendy restaurants serving all kinds of fare from any corner in the world dotting the streets – oh I wish to have more time to try lots of them out.

We went to a lovely portuguese restaurant for a light lunch – Espirito Santo, meaning Holy Spirit in the neighborhood of Itaim Bibi.

We had delicious pasteis de bacalhau – stockfish cakes and a fresh and succulent seafood salad.

Nothing better than finishing this light lunch with a Bica (portuguese word for an expresso and a pastel de Belem or de Nata (a portuguese delicacy pudin egg tart served warm sprinkled with cinnamon). It originates from Lisbon and the best once are found in the Pastelaria do Belem in Belem in Lisbon – thus the name. a must go if in Lisbon!