For the past 35 years Tapera Restaurante has been welcoming diners with their gracious hospitality where diners can enjoy dining inside the restaurant or dining al fresco. We had an excellent dinner at Tapera Restaurante on March 20, 2019 where we opted to dine outside to people-watch.Sitting at a table covered with a floral print cloth tablecloth, with colorful pots of plants arranged around the space, and the large tree reaching upwards through the terra cotta tile roof, it was the perfect ending for our stay in Bonito where the focus is on eco-tourism and nature.
Our evening began by sampling the restaurant’s delicious cachaça (Brazil’s national spirt) infused with guavira (a regional berry-like fruit of Mato Grosso do Sul that blooms only once per year in November), which they serve to welcome diners to the restaurant. With its deep, rich color, the guavira-infused cachaça resembled whiskey, but the taste was a sweet delight on the palate followed by a lingering kick.
CHEERS!
Guavira-infused Cachaça
We followed that with Brazil’s classic cocktail, the Caipirinha, made with cachaça and sugar muddled with lime, and served on the rocks. Always refreshing, it was a tasty way to relax while we enjoyed reading the menu consisting of regional fish as well as chicken and meat offerings.
Mato Grosso do Sul is known for its freshwater fish, and we selected two of their exceptional fish preparations of pintado (regional freshwater catfish), Natelha and à Bonito. The Natelha version was very tasty and consisted of catfish in a rich and flavorful spicy tomato sauce presented steaming in a terra cotta roof tile.
Natelha – Pintado in spicy tomato sauce
à Bonito was pintado cooked with coconut milk and cream cheese, which was also delicious. Paired with accompaniments of cooked white rice and French fries, along with a salad of arugula, lettuce, sliced tomatoes, cooked carrots and sliced cooked potatoes, it was hearty and delectable fare that showcased regional ingredients and preparations.
à Bonito – Pintado in coconut milk and cream cheese
For dessert there was a nice selection of fruit-based sweets, typical of the region, including Doce de Carambola (sliced starfruit cooked with sugar), Doce de Jaca (jackfruit cooked with sugar), and Doce de Leite (Sweet milk confection), accompanied by cheese, and we had a small sampling of all of them to leave with sweet memories of our dining experience at Tapera Restaurante.
Dessert Selection
After dinner, we spent time with owner A.C. Silveira Soares to discuss his restaurant and his inspired books of poetry, including Da vida se faz poesia – Egles, umamor para se guarder (A life ofpoetry – Egles, a love to keep (for his wife, Egles, Da vida se faz poesia – 60 anosde Pilad Rebuá (A life of poetry – 60 years of Pilad Rebuá), and Da vida se faz poesia – O catadorde guavira (A life of poetry, the guavira taster).
A. C. Silveira Soares
It was the perfect evening of great food, great service, and great conversation in a warm and welcoming ambience.
Tapera Restaurante is open for lunch from 11:30 am until 2:30 pm, and for dinner from 7:00 pm until 10:00 pm.
To learn more about Tapera Restaurante please visit their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/restaurantetapera/
Books of poetry by A.C. Silviera Soares
Davida se faz poesia – Egles, um amor para se guarder, ISBN 978-85-8176-258-6
Davida se faz poesia – 60 anos de Pilad Rebuá, ISBN 978-85-8176-260-9
Davida se faz poesia – O catador de guavira, ISBN 978-85-8176-236-8.
Tapera Restaurante
Rua Coronel Pilad Rébua, 1961
Bonito, Mato Grosso do Sul (MS)
CEP 79290-000
Brazil
Telephone: +55 (67) 3255-1757
Facebook: www.facebook.com/restaurantetapera/about/
Read more about our experiences in Brazil inthe Pantanal and Bonito in the Destinations, Hotels and Resorts, Restaurants, Chefs’ Recipes, and Adventures sections.
VIDEOS:
o Watch Andre of Tapera Restaurante discuss the restaurant’s guavira-infused cachaça – https://youtu.be/EtohssWsXFo
o Watch the Pintado dish being served– https://youtu.be/shMuQGT1-J0
Important Travel Information:
Agência Ygarapé
We used Agência Ygarapé for expert and professional tour information and booking our adventures. The agency has been providing high-quality, attentive service for tours, packages, accommodations, and transport services and more for over 20+years, serving Bonito and the Pantanal region.
Please visit their site for more information (site is available in English, Portuguese, and Spanish): www.ygarape.com.br.
Agência Ygarapé is open daily from 7:00 am until 9:00 pm (and until 10:00 pm during high season).
Agência Ygarapé
RuaCoronel Pilad Rebuá, 1853, Centro
Bonito, Mato Grosso do Sul (MS)
CEP 79290-000
Brazil
Telephone: +55 (67)3255-1733
Cellular: +55 (67) 99213-7374
Skype: ygarapetour
Email: informacao@ygarape.com.br
Website: www.Ygarape.com.br
Facebook: www.facebook.com/agenciaygarape
Instagram: @agenciaygarape
Visit Brasil
For more information on Bonito and Pantanal, please visit: http://www.visitbrasil.com/en/destinos/bonito.html, http://www.visitbrasil.com/pt/destinos/bonito.html
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