Cafe Brazil Restaurant, Maldon: South American Fusion Flavours

London is bursting with Brazilian restaurants, but East of the capital they are a little thinner on the ground. That’s why I was so charmed by finding (yes it was there already) Café Brazil on the High Street in Maldon, an ancient maritime town on the Blackwater Estuary in deepest Essex. 

This friendly neighbourhood spot for sampling an array of Brazil’s street food-led specialities, from cassava fries to classic bean stews, was opened by chef-patron Diego Bastos and his family two years ago. Greedy to try as many things as possible, I went for a tapas-style hat trick of risoles de queijo, £5.25, small deep-fried empanada-like pockets of softly melting white cheese served with a pinky-orange Cajun mayo; bolinho de bacalhau, £6.50, satisfying salted cod croquettes served with lemon and aioli with a side of my favourite plantain, £3.50, sweet and warm but not greasy.

My daughter Maya went vegan (even tho she isn’t) with the Baiano (meaning Brazilian) plant-based burger, £11, made from a sweet mix of black beans, red pepper, sweetcorn and lentils. Her compliment was that it wasn’t dry (unlike some vegan burgers). It came with a fan-shaped slice of grilled watermelon and sweet potato fries. She’s a slow eater generally but she wasted no time in eating it all.

My partner Ali chose the Brazilian classic feijoada, £12.95, a slow-cooked pork rib, beef and black bean stew, accompanied by rice and what they cutely refer to on the menu as ‘fixings’ such as smoked farofa (toasted cassava flour), potato matchsticks, kale and juicy orange slices (tempting to make a football joke here but I won’t even though Diego’s brother and business partner is called Everton…). It’s a rich and smoky dish as warm and comforting as the restaurant itself served in a retro white tin pot. While we’re talking about presentation, all of the dishes are colourfully patterned with variations of orange and yellow or blue.

If I hadn’t looked out at the rainy High Street, I could almost have imagined I was in a Brazilian beach bar as the décor is as sunny as the welcome plus the sounds being played are pure South American. I imagine for the Brazilian and Portuguese diners coming from around the area, it’s a welcome sight.

These are testing times for any restaurant, but if you’re seeking a little sunshine on your plate, now you know where to go (and remember they do takeaways too).

 *Cafe Brazil, Maldon