Bossa was always going to be worth a visit. The restaurant, two minutes from Bond Street tube, is the first UK opening from Brazilian chef Alberto Landgraf – whose Rio De Janeiro Oteque has won him two Michelin stars. But Bossa is more than simply worth a visit: the meal was one of the finest I’ve enjoyed this year. (Possibly the finest but I don’t keep a tally.)
The vibe is very Manhattan: high ceilings, modishly moody colour schemes, open kitchen, spirit bottles standing on vertiginous metal shelves behind the bar. Remove the tables and you could be in a showroom for expensive art.
However the atmosphere is far more relaxed than many fine dining establishments (or art galleries). Here’s a good example: a new arrival on the adjacent table asked what wine we'd ordered. We told him and recommended the bone marrow and scallops. His other neighbour overhead and also sang the praises of the scallops.
Maybe it’s a new opening thing: everyone feels like they’re in the know. Maybe it’s the youth and good humour of the staff. (Sharply suited manager Aaron Benito would not look out of place on a catwalk.) Maybe people who dine at Brazilian restaurants are more sociable than people who dine at French ones. Whatever, I liked the atmosphere a lot: Bossa is a lovely place to eat in every sense.
What to order?
Everything, ideally. This isn't the biggest menu – five starters, five mains – but my word if you need an example of quality over quantity then Bossa is the place. Plus you will only need a handful of visits to try every dish – and believe me, the endeavour will be tempting.
Two scallops are served in a yellow sauce, a sauce so good that we immediately requested more bread to mop it up. This sauce is tucupi, made from wild manioc root that grows in the Amazon. It's a fantastic dish, the tucopi’s tang perfectly complimenting the rotund softness of the scallops. It's also the second-best starter on the menu.
For then we had the roasted bone marrow. Oh. My. God. It's rich enough to buy Twitter; it'll have you closing your eyes and grinning like your MDMA has just kicked in. You spoon out the glistening marrow onto a tapioca pancake and wrap it up, the best fucking taco of your life.
You really should order the entrecote. It's a steak, a massive slab of boneless rib-eye served on a bed of shallots and topped with marinated tomatoes. ‘Not a chance am I finishing that!’, I thought as it was placed in front of me. Reader, I demolished it.
Alternatively, try the seafood moqueca – a traditional Brazilian stew made from coconut milk, tomatoes and peppers (and seafood, obviously). The sauce is bright yellow – looks quite similar to tucupi in fact and comes with banana farofa and beans vinaigrette.
Don’t fret about the wine: Lais Aoki might be the coolest sommelier in London. She's bespectacled, Brazilian, covered in tattoos and expertly selects the pairings for each course. A particular favourite was a white grape Alexandre Bain from the Loire Valley – it’s the one we recommend to the neighbouring table, who polished off a bottle.
Will it bankrupt me?
It ain’t cheap, that’s for sure. The scallops and the bone marrow were £22 and £26 respectively, the entrecote and the moqueca £45 and £49. Factor in the booze and you’re breezing past £200 – minimum – without breaking sweat. That number could be doubled without trying particularly hard.
While I mentioned earlier it would only require a handful of visits to sample the entire Bossa menu, you might want to spread them out a bit. Nonetheless, the food is superb and there are infinite restaurants in London offering worse value for money (some of them charging less). Absolutely visit – just don’t expect to do so on the cheap.
Anything else to note?
There are plans to open a late-night bar beneath the restaurant. Manager Aaron took us downstairs for a sneak peak and the place looks as cool as you’d expect. Just make sure you behave yourself upstairs to get an invite.
View on Instagram
4 Vere St, London W1G 0DH; Bossa
