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I’ve never been to Brazil, but I once participated in a cultural exchange programme and stayed in a dormitory with a group of Brazilians, who took me in as one of their own. Needless to say, Brazil has had a special place in my heart ever since. So when the opportunity to visit the newly-opened Made In Brasil in Camden presented itself, I was only too excited to go.

But, I was also slightly nervous. See, I had been to a different restaurant in the area about a year ago, not Brazilian, but equally culturally themed, and my friend Gavin and I had a downright traumatising experience. The food was good enough, but the ambiance absolutely awful, and we couldn’t get out of there fast enough to settle down with a bottle of wine for a Harry Potter marathon.

So the stakes for Made in Brasil were high, and I grabbed Gavin to come join me on another adventure to (hopefully) rectify last year’s disaster.

made in brasil camden entrance and menu

It may not look like much from the outside, but you’ll be pleasantly surprised once you step inside.

made in brasil interior

Elegant, clean, and wonderful – the interior was everything I could have wished for.

Luckily, Made in Brasil turned out to be so much more than I could have even hoped for.

It doesn’t look like much from the outside – a tad hole-in-the-wall – but the moment I set foot inside, I knew I was in a good place. The decor is simple and elegant, not at all in-your-face Brazilian as you may expect, but there are some gentle notes of Brazilian culture here and there. It’s bright and airy, semi-spacious (this is London, after all), and really comfortable.

Made In Brasil Camden Menu

We settled down at a table by the window, were greeted by our very finely dressed waiter, and started studying the menu.

made in brasil in camden, london, collection of cocktails

Chilli Raspberry Caipirinha and Classic Passion Fruit Caipirinha (left), Matte Leão Ice Tea and Brazilian Martini (right).

Cocktails

Apparently, cocktails are the way to go, and we wanted to try something authentically Brazilian.

Gavin had a very delightful Chilli Raspberry Caipirinha and I opted for a Classic Passion Fruit Caipirinha, both £9.50. I’m embarrassed to admit that I did not know that the caipirinha, from São Paulo, is Brazil’s national cocktail. It’s traditionally made from cachaça, sugar, and lime, but, as our choices will have alluded to, you can add a variety of other fruits.

If you’re like me and stumbling over the name, this video may be helpful:

Cocktails in hand, we had the liquid ammunition to look at the rest of the menu – and what an extensive one it is. Made in Brasil’s menu features everything from petiscos (Brazilian tapas), to starters, traditional main courses, and desserts. And more cocktails, of course.

Petiscos – Brazilian Tapas

I do love a good tapas dish, so we started with these:

  • Camarão alho e pimenta: Pan-fried garlic and chilli tiger prawns, served with toasted bread (£8.50)
  • Coxinha: Chicken pastries served with garlic mayo (£8.25)

Prawns are usually one of my go-to choices, and these were quite lovely.

I shelled them, as usual, but Gavin devoured them shell and all, enlightening me to the fact that the exoskeleton contains an orangey pigment called astaxanthin, which is commonly believed to protect cells from damage and play a role in anti-ageing. Since I’ve begun my journey working with Do Not Age, this was of tremendous interest to me.

I failed miserably at trying to get down the shell, but did a much better job at gobbling up all of the coxinha, a traditional Brazilian street food that combines a deliciously creamy shredded chicken inside with a crunchy batter. They’re much like croquettes, one of my many foodie krpytonites.

made in brasil london camarão alho e pimenta and coxinha

Our petiscos: Pan-fried garlic and chilli tiger prawns and coxinha.

The tapas portions were decently sized, excellently priced, and had “more” written all over them – I’d definitely come back for these.

The Main Act

Choosing mains was a little more difficult. The menu consists of a beautiful conglomeration of vegetarian, seafood, and meaty options – all authentically Brazilian, of course. While I would have liked to try one of the veggie options, my heart was set on something meaty and hearty – as was Gavin’s.

So we had:

  • Feijoada: Famous Brazilian slow-cooked mixed pork meat and black beans stew served with rice, farofa (cassava crumbs), sautéed greens, pork scratchings, and orange (£13.50)
  • Picanha na chapa: A special cut of beef (cap of rump) from Brazil, served sizzling with onions, crispy garlic, steamed rice, salad garnish, tomato, and coriander salsa (£15.95)

I’d urge you to take a moment to appreciate those prices. These were not nibbly portions. Quite the contrary, in fact. Sure, the lunch menu is slightly cheaper than the dinner menu (you’ll be adding roughly £2 – £3 per meal for dinner), but these are definitely still prices to write home about.

And even if the prices don’t impress you, you’ll be wanting to write home about the moreishness of these dishes.

made in brasil food items coxinha and picanha na chapa

The inside of a coxinha (left) and the delicous picanha na chapa (right).

made in brasil camden london feijoada stew

This pork meat and black beans stew was super hearty.

The feijoada absolutely blew me away. Sometimes I wasn’t quite sure what I was eating, but every single bite was delicious. This is the perfect meal for any cold day, any rainy day, or any day where you’re just craving a little bit of comfort.

The picanha was also fabulous, and Gavin swears it was perfect for him. I only had a small bite as I was quite happily tucking in to my stew.

Sweet Finishes

It’s always a good thing when you finish off your main meal and feel absolutely giddy because everything had been so beautiful. But there were more cocktails – and dessert – to come.

This time round, Gavin went for the Matte Leão Ice Tea, which sounds more exotic than it actually is since Matte Leão (English: “Lion Mate”) is simply a Brazilian infusion and tea brand, now owned by the infamous The Coca-Cola Company. I had the Brazilian Martini. Both were lovely.

made in brasil camden desserts quindim da colonização and pudim de leite

The egg-yolk custard tart and Brazilian creme caramel aren’t as pretty as the rest, but still delicious.

The dessert menu at Made in Brasil is simple, but, in my experience, includes all the favourites you’d expect from a Brazilian restaurant.

My heart was set on the brigadeirão de chocolate, which my Brazilian friends often made for me, but Gavin insisted brownies (and said cultural equivalents) were boring, and we should rather go for something else.

So, we had:

  • Quindim da Colonização: Egg yolk custard tart with grated coconut (£7.00)
  • Chef’s Special Pudim de leite: Brazilian creme caramel (£7.00)

The desserts lacked the finesse the other dishes presented, but were equally delicious in flavour and generous in portion size. Unless you’re expecting a fine dining finish, you won’t be disappointed.

made in brasil brazilian flag ordem e progresso painted against wall

The best hint you’ll find that you’ve entered a Brazilian space is the iconic “Ordem E Progresso” at the back of the restaurant.

Visit Made In Brasil Camden

We left the restaurant feeling happy and fulfilled – this was a phenomenal experience, and a restaurant I would happily visit again.

London is a “difficult” place at times since there are always thousands of options to choose from, but if you’re after something that’s truly unique (Google tells me there are fewer than 10 Brazilian restaurants in London – but they could be lying), absolutely delicious, and offers fantastic value for money, Made In Brasil is it.

You’ll get all the contact details below.

Made In Brasil Camden Contact Details

Address: 12 Inverness Street, London NW1 7HJ

Website: www.madeinbrasil.co.uk

Call: +44 20 7482 0777

Email: bookings@madeinbrasil.co.uk

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Written by Benike Palfi
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Article Date: April 2024

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