I was passing through and heard about this place. I lived in Brazil for 3.5 years, so this was a really special find. I walked in and got such a nostalgic feeling. I will admit that Saraga has some of the same items for a bit cheaper, but it was still worth it to come here because of the bakery/restaurant. They had my FAVORITE street food, pastel! Close your eyes and imagine: a Hot Pocket, but fried with a thin, flaky crust....that is the wonder that is pastel, and it did not disappoint. Crispy and hot on the outside and the cheese was all melty and wonderful inside.
I saw that there are a couple negative reviews, but as I read them, I think they are simply misunderstandings of the food itself or how things work in Brazil. As someone who has lived there and is fluent in Portuguese, it was exactly how I expected. For the pastel, yes, you want there to be sufficient filling, but it's supposed to be airy too, not jam-packed or busting out the seams like an actual Hot Pocket. Because they are fried, you don't want to overfill it or it could burst and fill up with oil, which would be yucky. I thought it was super authentic...brought back a lot of memories.🫶🏻🇧🇷 And for those complaining about the price when you weigh the food, that's how most buffets in Brazil work..
Same as a lot of froyo places here. You'd be surprised how much food actually weighs, especially if you get a lot of rice and beans. Sometimes in Brazil, I'd get sticker shock myself at the buffet checkout. But just because it's not what we're used to doesn't make it wrong. It's just a different way of doing things, and you learn after that first time to only get what you really really want. Still, I can see how paying by weight could be off-putting here in the States. If it were me, I'd probably just go to one of the Brazilian steakhouses so I could get whatever I want, but still know upfront what I will be paying.