Testimonials & Press
Florida Based – Internationally Inspired
Catering Culinary Artesian Cuisine
Unexpected and Delightful Pleasure
Outstanding would be an understatement for Chef Soares culinary abilities. I have had the pleasure of her preparing traditional Brazilian dinners on two different occasions when she was visiting Florida. I can say I and my friends were very impressed not only with the quality of her dishes but also her professionalism and attention to detail. Not only did she fix the traditional Picanha; perfectly, but she also prepared side dishes appropriate to Belo Horizonte and Rio de Janeiro that were a delightful taste experience.
It is my understanding that she is hoping to relocated from the hectic and cold of New York city to a warmer and slower passed Florida. I can’t wait! I only hope she chooses a location within a reasonable distance from my location.
Quando a gente cansa dos hambúrgueres, chineses, mexicanos, bate uma saudade do arroz com feijão… Nunca tive muita sorte com restaurantes brasileiros fora do Brasil, com exceção de algumas churrascarias geralmente a comida deixa a desejar.
Mas não me decepcionei com esse restaurante! Pedimos o bife acebolado e o bife a cavalo e estavam muito bons! Arroz fresquinho, feijão bem temperado e bife bem feito, minha mãe e eu amamos. Isso pq fomos no final da noite de domingo.
O atendimento é outro ponto alto. Os garçons são super simpáticos, o Gabriel foi super atencioso conosco. Super recomendo e os preços são justos também! Com certeza volto na próxima visita a NYC.
Everyone’s Talking
No great artist or athlete suddenly wakes up one morning and climbs out of bed as the best in the world. Greatness comes from dedication to practice, drive to become better than all of the rest and the willingness to listen and learn from the wisdom of those recognized as the finest in their field. Chefs are not an exception to the norm and good cooks learn the skills from practice through time. Great chefs, however, learn how to interpret the sentiments which pour from the masters who understand that cooking is an expression driven from deep inside the soul and shared with those who dine upon that which is lovingly shared.
Nothing is more inspirational than the special bond between a father and his daughter. For Samira Soares, Head Chef at Emporium Brasil, the fact that her Pai was a restaurateur in the state of Minas Gerais provided her two kitchens to learn family Brazilian recipes that can only be created from ingredients native to the region. It is with fond memories and decades of family tradition that guides Samira as she prepares the most exceptional and unique dishes the NY area has ever experienced. Combining authentic ingredients with unparalleled dedication to preserving generations of culinary excellence, Samira creates good will to accompany her good steaks, good stews and throws in a pinch of her own unique good energy which has resulted in her being featured four times in the book “Best Chefs of New York.”
Variety is the Spice of Life
Diners who think of Brazilian fare as a never-ending parade of beef and more beef are doing themselves a disservice. There’s a whole spectrum of food beyond the all-the-meat-you-can-eat rodizios that populate the city, and Little Brazil Street is the place to find it. Once a market and coffee shop, Emporium Brasil has a minimal atmosphere. The tiled dining room, with midgrade lighting and grey and orange walls, could be any restaurant, anywhere. But with ingredients like palm oil, manioc, and dried codfish, the menu isn’t standard issue. The flavors—blending African, Caribbean, and Latin influences—are pungent and unusual in everything from hearty stews to rustic grills to delicate sautés. But even in the boldest fusion place, a dish of shrimp, hearts of palm, cheese, and acorn squash, in a broth of orange coconut milk, would seem odd. Here, it’s delicious. Of course, the Emporium does have a way with beef, and a Latin flair for the dramatic—steaks arrive on sizzling platters, and all the food is rolled out on tablecloth-covered carts. For homesick Brazilians or jaded foodies, this place can be an unexpected treat.