Beautiful beaches, bums and erm…nature. Brazil is known for many wonderful things and its gastronomy is no exception.
Street food is a strong tradition and there’s something for every tongue type, but take precautions, because nothing is ever completely hygienic in this world. I live in Rio, so take my hard earned advice.
Get Shredded on the Beach
On the beaches, the homemade iced tea and the natural sandwich (tuna or shredded chicken) are very popular and safe items, as well as the starch cookie called Globo. The iced tea is stored in large metal cans and served in a glass, while the sandwich is in a Styrofoam box; essentially, they are sold to bathers on the sand at beaches such as Ipanema and Copacabana.
Another combo that’s a hit in the city is the pastel of meat with sugarcane juice, which is very common in Rio's markets. Pastel is a thin pastry filled with freshly fried meat or cheese, so it is low-risk. However, some people have intestinal reactions to the drink made from sugar cane or even find it too sugary. It's still worth trying this combination sold together.
Don’t Get Rat Roasted in the Streets
On the streets, a sweet made from grated coconut and sugar called Cocada is very well known in the country; however, avoid the dessert due to the weather conditions that can affect the sweet. Another very common food is roasted green corn. Vendors can be seen pushing their carts through the streets, fairs, and squares of the south zone (Rio's tourist area). Although tasty and warm, avoid eating them. These street food carts are usually stored in dirty and often rat-ridden warehouses in the central region of the city, posing a danger to those who eat them. The same warning applies to popcorn carts and sugary peanuts.
Order Your Cat Well Skewered
Another popular food sold by street vendors is barbecue on a stick (small pieces of roasted meat skewered on a stick). They are usually sold on makeshift barbecues in the street, near events such as soccer matches. Nicknamed “cat's barbecue”, it's just an irony in relation to the (unknown) origin of the meat and is more of a legend. In general, it poses no health risks and is cheap and tasty. In any case, always order it well done.
The Giant Hamburger of the Lower Middle Class
The X-Tudo (in English, X-All) is a type of hamburger that, as its name suggests, has everything inside. It's a typical Carioca sandwich (an expression for those born in Rio) and is almost always sold in vans transformed into mobile snack bars. The sandwich consists of: meat, cheese, tomato, lettuce, ham, bacon, green corn, peas, eggs, olives, grated carrots, and any other item that fits.
The sandwich has a peculiar characteristic; it is usually sold at night and near nightclubs when people are leaving the place, usually hungry. Because it's a cheap hamburger, it's often consumed by young people on low incomes, while those with more resources frequently choose McDonald's. Despite the large size, tourists should be aware that the storage conditions of some items that have a short shelf life (such as vegetables), can cause serious stomach damage.
Keep Your Stomach Safe: Check for Gloves
In short, you should always check the cleanliness of not only the food on offer but also the vendor's trolley and clothing. Is he wearing gloves? Rio de Janeiro is a city with an extremely hot climate, where the temperature can have a significant influence on the time it takes to consume the food. If you happen to be in poor health, opt to eat in restaurants and snack bars so that your vacation in the wonderful city, as Rio is known, doesn't end up in the bathroom.
Oh, and By the Way…
In Brazil, anyone can ask the manager to visit the kitchen of a restaurant or snack bar, and such a request cannot be denied. In you go!