Time Out has teamed up with tastelondon to offer you a fantastic one month free trial
-
Raizes
-
-
-
By Chris Moss
On turning up at Raizes, we were faced with the ultimate Brazilian experience. It was the local capoeira club's annual dinner and there were 20-plus lissom hardbodies gathered around a table with their handsome teacher from São Paulo, all focusing on a huge flatscreen TV showing expert movers from the home country.
I suspect the martial artists don't eat at Raizes very often. While our starters of mandioca frita (fried cassava chips) and cozinha (breaded chicken faggot) were fair as far as beer food goes, they were pretty heavy-going. As well as being rather fatty, the food was dry and not particularly flavoursome. Another dish we ordered - torresmo (shredded pork belly with lime) - was substituted by smoked pork sausages without any consultation, and it was tediously untasty.
Three starters were a bit much, so we shared these with a friendly Brazilian woman and asked for a feijoada as a single main course between two - the promise of black beans, pork stew and, according to the menu 'greens' gave some hope. But it was not to be. The feijoada was more of a mush, and the meat didn't come through - again I saw those suspicious sausage discs inside the stew.
The greens were a few shreds of lettuce and were browned off by the bean juice. The desserts came - the choices were 'condensed milk pudding covered with caramel' and 'chocolate condensed with double cream'. Yes, they were quite stodgy and at the end of it I could no more have lifted my leg capoeira-style than I could have scored a Pelé-style goal. By sticking so faithfully to the roots, Raizes offers little in the way of variety, taste or tradition.Time Out London Issue 1953: January 23-29 2008
Time Out reviews restaurants anonymously and pays for meals. Of course, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or independence of user reviews.
|
|
Advertisement
Details
- 460 Hackney Rd, Bethnal Green, E2 9EG
- Area: Bethnal Green
- Tel: 020 7739 2009
- Category: Brazilian
- Travel: Bethnal Green tube
- Times: Open daily 12noon-11pm
- Price: Meal for two with drinks and service: £50
Map
Most viewed restaurants
Date of the day
vernonhardapple
I have this 20s party coming up and apart from the dancing I need a slick John Dillinger outfit and a moll who can dance. Oh. my name's not Vernon....
|
|
More ways to enjoy Time Out
-
Weekly London newsletter
The best of London in your inbox
-
Time Out Widgets
|
|
Very tidy and cosy place, delicious food!!
i recomend to everyone who loves Brazilian food.
Raizes is not the best Brazilian restaurant in town, however I've been twice in the past 18 months and the food was equally as authentic and of great value. I agree with what someone said - there is room to improve the service - however it's just as good as any other cheap eat's place - and on the menu translation but if you like Brazilian food, it's still a very good place to go, recommended by real Brazilian people!
Having eaten at Raizes several times with many Brazilian friends who come from Bahia, Sao Paulo, Florianópolis and Rio, I have to say that this review is unbalaced and unfair.
Raizes offers simple and tasty traditional Brazilian cuisine at very reasonable prices. The atmosphere is also traditional and lively with live music at the weekend.
If you don't like traditional Brazlian food, don't eat at Raizes. If you don't know what traditional Brazilian food is Chris Moss, don't write such scathing reviews!
I always enjoy great food and a great night at Raizes.
Raizes is my little local and as being Brazilian i can tell they serve proper EVERYDAY BRAZILIAN FOOD, the sort of thing I’d have at my grammar’s house or on a Sunday dinner. They still have to learn a lot on service but still they are so friendly that this little detail almost doesn’t count. Brazilian food is heavy and that’s why we tend to have loads of fruit and veggies with and between meals. The price is amazing and I do agree that is very hard to spend £20 per head, my boyfriend is English and love going there…he loves braizlian food and eats like mad…as good as my mum’s food I would say. So I do think that whoever review the restaurant should go out and learn a bit about our food and eating culture, and re-review this restaurant because everyone who goes there enjoy themselves and just find it brill!!!
I complete desagree with what was mencioned in the magazine. I've been there few times and had always a very good food and drinks besides to be in contact to the real brazilian culture and traditions. If the restaurant was so bad like you guys said it wouldn't be always busy as it was when I went there.
The review above does not give the real picture of Raizes! Yes the food is basic, but it is very cheap to eat here. A main course is £5-6! We have eaten here a few times and have never managed to spend more that £20 per head, and that included a substantial number of drinks. Raizes offeres a cheap and cheerful expereince in a freindly atmosphere with lots of Brazilians.