Cabana Carioca (Brazilian)
123 W. 45th St. (bet. 6th & 7th Avenues)
Manhattan
(212) 581-8088

We discovered Cabana Carioca many years ago, and in the time since then, have taken numerous friends and family members to this bustling, colorful restaurant, which is conveniently located near the theater district. The lunch buffet (served upstairs) offers an especially good value, but given the huge portions (more on this later) and the tasty dishes, you can't go wrong with Caban Carioca anytime.

Top Entree Choices
The cuisine at Cabana Carioca is Brazilian, with an emphasis on seafood and steaks. Try Mariscada, a traditional Brazilian dish, which is essentially a seafood stew including mussels, clams, and calimari in a fragrant, tomato-based sauce. This meal is not served on fine china instead, the Mariscada is delivered to your table still simmering in the caldron in which it was cooked.

Feijoada, which is billed as the Brazilian national dish, is also recommended. Feijoda is a black bean and sausage stew served with rice. It is especially good with the salsa-like garnish you'll find at your table. If you're a steak lover, don't hesitate to order one here (with or without the egg on top). It comes with tasty deep-fried potato slices which are not to be missed.

The emphasis at Cabana Carioca is on hearty food, so don't expect a sophisticated wine list. That said, the house red is pleasant and goes well with most dishes served. For those who prefer a cold one, try a bottle of Sagres, a Portuguese beer with a distinctive hops taste.

The portions are huge: you can load up your plate and still have plenty of food to share with your companions. And don't be shy about doggie bags everyone seems to leave with one. We were able to make a full meal from ours!

Cabana Carioca takes all major credit cards and will accept reservations for parties of four or more.

The NYC Insider Site Directory: