Casa Brasil

Edir Cunha, the owner and sole chef, hails from the Minas Gerais region of Brazil which, as any Brazilian will tell you, is home to the best cuisine and most of the country’s top chefs.

When the owners of London’s first and well-established Brazilian restaurant, Sabor do Brasil, on Highgate Hill, retired, Edir decided to open her own Brazilian eatery in 2007. She was determined to offer Londoners real, traditional, home-made Brazilian fare and show that there is far more to Brazil than just football and beaches.

Almost immediately, Casa Brasil made an impact, attracting people from all over London. By August 2007 excellent reviews were appearing in Time Out magazine, including a prestigious ‘Top 50’ listing. It also features prominently in Time Out’s annual Eating Out Guide for 2009 - one of only two Brazilian restaurants to be featured.

Casa Brasil, with its distinctive Brazilian flag outside, is conveniently located just 3 minutes walk from Finchley Central tube station and only 100 yards from the well-known Two Brothers fish restaurant.

Casa Brasil has its own unique personality. Rustic, bright and colourful it has just eight tables inside and a further eight on the pretty outdoor patio (weather permitting) where customers are free to smoke if they wish.

The atmosphere is warm and friendly – as befits a restaurant named Casa Brasil - and as you step through the door, you are greeted by the aromas of home cooking, baking and freshly-ground coffee.

The interior has been given a unique touch with an eye-catching Amazonian-inspired mural and original ‘naïf’ paintings from Haiti, while parrots and toucans dance from the ceiling to the sound of Brazilian samba and bossanova music.

Brazilian cuisine is not easy to define as it draws its influences from all over the world; native Indian, Africa, Caribbean, Portugal, Spain, Italy and even Japan.

Casa Brasil is unusual in that there is no written menu or price list. Instead, Edir improvises on the day, creating a surprisingly large range of dishes, both to eat in and take away which, in true Brazilian style, customers are able to combine as they wish.

Brazil’s two most famous specialities are usually available and well worth sampling. ‘Moqueca’ is a classic fish dish with haddock, hake or cod marinated and cooked in palm oil, lime juice and a tasty tomato, red pepper, garlic, saffron and fresh coriander sauce. Another favourite - particularly for those with a healthy appetite - is ‘feijoada’, a slow-cooked black bean stew with spices, vegetables and different prime cuts of pork and sausage meats.

For a lighter choice or starter Edir’s ‘empadas’ are highly recommended. These home-baked individual savoury pies come with a variety of fillings and are ideal on their own or served with salad or vegetables.

For dessert, passion fruit mousse, almond cake, real apple crumble and a traditional Brazilian sweetcorn cake are always popular. A ‘cafezinho’, a cup of smooth and creamy Brazilian coffee (organic and fair trade), provides the perfect finishing touch to your meal.

Portion sizes, as in Brazil, are generous and prices are extremely reasonable with starters beginning at £1.80, main courses ranging from £7.90 to £10.90 and desserts from just £1.90. A vegetarian main course starts as low as £4.90. This means that for a three course meal you will be hard-pressed to spend much more than £15 per head.

During off-peak hours customers are very welcome to pop in and enjoy just a juice or coffee and perhaps a slice of home-baked cake or a simple ‘pão de queijo’ (cheesebread) or two.

Casa Brasil also sells a small selection of Brazilian food products and Xango, a wonderful health-juice made from the delicious mangosteen fruit.

Small, unpretentious, hospitable and excellent value for money, Casa Brasil is the perfect family restaurant, whether you are a lover of home-cooked food or just looking for a new dining experience in a cosy relaxed atmosphere. The restaurant is not licensed but clients are welcome to bring their own wine - corkage is charged at £1 per head.

Casa Brasil is open Tuesday to Sunday from 11am to 6pm, and Friday and Saturday until 9.30pm. Payment is by cash or cheque only. Enquiries for private parties and outside catering are welcome.

Casa Brasil
289 Regents Park Road (A592)
Finchley Central
N3 3JY

T: 020 8371 1999