Restaurante Point do Açaí Belém

Point do Açaí - Belém (Brazil)

Brazil is so vast that you can spend your whole life travelling around the country and not even scratch its surface. The same applies to its food, which varies a lot across each region.

Until recently, I had not tried the food of Pará, one of the most rich and amazing gastronomic cultures that the country has to offer. But thankfully that was fixed with a whole week of eating in Belém, the state’s capital.

Let me start by just stating the food there was incredible and lived up to my very high expectations. But at the same time, at least for my southeastern palate, it is not exactly comforting. It is not the type of food that I will crave when feeling sick or after having a bad day. It’s actually quite the opposite of that, being instigating and unfamiliar. It is often bitter, numbing and very different overall. Which made this particular food adventure that much more special.

My first meal in town was at @pointdoacaibelem, as I had to kick things off trying what is probably the single most famous ingredient from the region.

This precious fruit is at full display around the city, but differently from what most parts of Brazil have grown to believe açaí is (a processed version of the berry, mixed with artificial sweeteners, syrups and other ingredients that mask its real flavors), here this berry is consumed in its actual form. This highlights its creaminess and unique bitter taste that has absolutely nothing to do with what outsiders consume on smoothie bowls with granola and god knows what.

Another key difference is where the fruit is consumed. Forget breakfast bowls , the ultimate way to eat açaí is to pair its pulp, blended until reaching a creamy texture, with another staple dish of Northern Brazil: fried fish.

Point do Açaí offers a great version of this classic combination and was the perfect place for me to be introduced to such a rich and different array of flavors.

(Versão em Português nos comentários) Less