A fantastic open air bar, my kind of women’s day treat and recipe for tuna steaks with tomato salsa

Yesterday friends took us to discover an area of Rio that we so far had not yet been to – Rua Pacheco Leão in Jardim Botanico. A street facing the botanical gardens lined with old colonial double story houses slowly being transformed into galleries, restaurants and bars.

A landmark is the Par Paxeco, a wonderful open air bar with views over Corcovado – what a place for nightcap.

For dinner we went to Jojö  a tiny place serving fusion fare at about 10 tables on the sidewalk:

but the best is that each Thursday they serve fresh succulent oysters with a free glass of bubbly for the ladies as it was women’s day – what a treat:

Recipe for tuna steaks with tomato salsa for 2:

• 2 fresh thick tuna steaks about 250g each
• 2 spring onions
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 tomatoes
• fresh coriander
• 1 red chili deseeded
• olive oil
• lime juice
• salt and pepper
• green beans and boiled potatoes for serving

Blizz the spring onions, garlic, chili and coriander in a food processor. Add the tomatoes and just blizz for a couple of seconds not to cut them to finely. Season with salt, pepper a dash of olive oil and lime juice.

In a hot pan fry the tuna steaks in olive oil until nicely browned on both sides but still slightly red in the middle. Serve with boiled potatoes, green beans and topped with the tomato salsa.