AGÔ: A NEW RESTAURANT IN SANTA TERESA THAT SERVES FOOD INSPIRED BY AFRICAN RELIGIONS
The Cost -$11 per person
The Atmosphere – If you don’t know what Agô is all about, the interior might seem a little strange. However, upon learning that the restaurant’s décor features items often found in terreirros, spaces for religious ceremonies used by the Afro-Brazilian population of Brazil, things make more sense. Symbols representing African gods including Exu, the trickster, adorn the walls along with other symbolic items such as a bull skull and a horseshoe. Art from Afro-Brazilian artists is also hung up around the inside of this uniquely decorated eatery. There are no reservations taken and casual attire is totally fine. The restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating and does take credit cards.
A new restaurant has opened in the heart of Santa Teresa, Rio’s boho-chic neighborhood, and it’s not just serving up the typical Brazilian dishes that you find at most establishments around the city. Agô, which is located right across the street from the famous Bar do Gomez, celebrates the Afro-religious populations and their culture through décor and food. The menu features home-cooked versions of traditional dishes that are inspired by foods of the Orixás, spirits sent back African gods, and on Thursdays, the restaurant hosts Macumbou, a religious chanting ritual.
The Order – Pela Égua, Ceviche de Tilápia, and Bobo de Camarão no Coco.
The Good – All three of the dishes ordered received our Good rating. The first dish out of the kitchen was the Ceviche de Tilápia. Not much different than the typical ceviche, Agô’s version came served in a basket that was overflowing with homemade chips. The portion wa quite large for a ceviche and it was priced especially well at 35 Brazilian Real (~$7) given that. The quality of the fish was better than expected, as was the quality of the marinade, but there were way too many onions in the dish. The ceviche also came with pimenta biquinho, small red tear-drop-shaped peppers that are a bit spicy and sour that are commonly used to add spice to Brazilian food.
The next dish up was the Pela Égua, a popular dish that is more typically found in the Brazilian State of Minas Gerais, Rio’s neighbor to the north. The base of the soup-like appetizer is made from crushed corn and herbs. agô really takes the dish up a notch, adding in pork rib, beef sirloin, and sausage to the tiny pieces of crushed corn, giving the soup a really hearty, homey taste that is full of meat flavors and a rice-like texture. The pela égua is served in a mug with some pieces of garlic bread on the side that you can dip into the soup. It was my favorite dish of the evening not only because of the taste but because of its uniqueness.
Last was the largest and heaviest dish and the only entrée that was ordered, the Bobo de Camarão no Coco. This very typical Brazilian stew is native to the coast and is made with palm oil, which is frequently used in the country, as well as manioc flour which thickens it. Agô’s version of the dish was made with shrimp and was tasty - the shrimp flavor in the bobo was very nice and there were small pieces of the shrimp throughout the thick liquid. In the middle of the plate was a mound of white rice which you mixed in with each spoonful of bobo. The only disappointing thing here is that it wasn’t much different from the bobo that you would get at most other restaurants in the country.
The Verdict – The lively atmosphere full of people light-heartedly drinking, eating, and laughing was a special one to be part of. While the food at Agô didn’t wow me, it was nice to have dishes on the menu that give you a glimpse into the foods eaten by the Afro-Brazilian population, even if some of the dishes on the menu are more commonly found around the city. While it wouldn’t be on my shortlist if I was only in Rio de Janeiro for a few days, Agô is a fun spot for locals or people with an extended stay to check out.