PRICE:
Frommer's Exceptional

Another Rio favorite, Quadrifoglio proves that you don't need trendy gimmicks to run a successful restaurant. Chef and owner Silvia Bianchi shows off her skills in the kitchen, making some of the family favorites she learned from her grandmother in Italy. No frilly, prissy cuisine; Silvia's food is rich and hearty. Maitre d' (or should that be maîtresse?) Marlene is a wealth of knowledge at the front end. She knows the menu inside out and can offer excellent suggestions for wine. The list includes -- surprise -- a good variety of Italian. Most bottles will set you back R$60 to R$120 (US$30-US$60/£16-£32). Memorable dishes include the mignonette al gorgonzola (steak in a creamy Gorgonzola sauce, served with fresh pasta) and the agnello al rosmarino (a succulently grilled filet of lamb with fresh rosemary and a side of pumpkin gnocchi). Those who like veal will love the tender veal on a bed of orange risotto. True, this is not exactly light cuisine, but the dishes are worth a calorie splurge. And speaking of splurging, one of the best desserts we have come across recently was the profumi mediterranei -- roasted fresh fig served with a scoop of lavender ice cream and topped with toasted almonds and some crème anglaise. I wish my grandmother had taught me to cook like that!

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Brazil, 4th Edition, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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