I’m Brazilian and normally I visit my homeland once every year. One item always present on my “things I miss the most” is the Brazilian empanadas, or as we call it, “wind pastel”. It’s a delicious salt pastry normally filled with mince and cooked egg, but also with chicken and cheese, ham and cheese, or an infinite combination of ingredients. Actually it’s in Rio where I have eaten the most delicious ones and “Feel Rio” does a very good job too. 

I confess I was frustrated the first time I tried it. It was too soft and moist, a sin concerning a Brazilian turnover. And then I passed by again, because it’s just by the entrance of metro Baixa-Chiado and Armazens do Chiado, and I couldn’t pretend I wasn’t seeing it anymore. I gave it another chance, and wow, they got it just right and made a homesick Brazilian happy!!!

So when I go there the turnover is all I ask for, along with other rarity they make, the sugar cane juice. Never heard of that? So you have to try it. I was made a man drinking it, and it’s like a drink of the Gods for me. 

Also they sell another famous one, Brazilian chicken croquettes, but this one you can find almost everywhere in Lisbon now. The only difference is they sell it with “catupiry” cheese, which is a very creamy and salty Brazilian cheese which makes all the difference when it comes to chicken croquettes.