Olinda Restaurants

Brasil is very hot and it is important to stay hydrated, especially on the hills of Olinda. Partake of the local coconut water stand where the proprietor will hack the top off of a coconut with a machete to reach the refreshing water.

Favorite Dish: Coconut water is cool and refreshing.

Tapioca is a snack made by mixing the powdery tapioca and shredded coconut.

The ladies fry the tapioca in a small pan and somehow, the powders stick together after a while, forming a tortilla shape. They add butter and sprinkle some coconut.

Then, you can select your choice of sweet - chocolate, marmalade, banana - or salty - meat - fillings and then, it is folded and served warm.

You can find many stalls setting up from 2pm onwards at Alto da Se, at the top of Olinda, in front of the Cathedral da Se.

Fresh seafood is the main feature at this restaurant, cited by many as the finest in Olinda (or in all of the Olinda-Recife area).

Depending on how the tables are put together, the restaurant can serve 72 to 90 people, all on one floor, with spectacular views of the Recife skyline (especially from the tables in front).

If you order the plate of the day, you get -- free -- a dish handpainted by a naif artist.

(The restaurant is the yellow building on the corner in my photograph. The streamers spanning the street are part of the decorations for carnaval.)

Favorite Dish: On my second visit, shrimp and lobster served in a pumpkin shell, with coconut rice (R$51 or US$18).

Camerao Eco -- shrimp, safron rice, and veggies -- and a free plate on my first visit (R$40).

Chocolate torte, positively decadent (R$10).

Seafood is the highlight at Goya, as it is in most Olinda and Recife restaurants.

Paintings by Goya's owners and staff are on all the walls of this restored 18th century casa -- and some are for sale.

The restaurant is divided into two sections -- (1) the front, before the bar and the stairwell leading down to the kitchen, and (2) the back, open to the air. Altogether the restaurant can seat 32 to 48 people.

Favorite Dish: Ensalada Goya (R$10 or US$3.25) is a nice way to begin a meal; it includes various shellfish in addition to the usual salad ingredients.

The moqueca (R$25) is big enough for two; it's cooked here with much less dende oil than in Bahia.