Brazilian super-chef and proud owner of two Michelin Stars Alberto Landgraf, has opened his debut London restaurant, Bossa. Located in the heart of London between Mayfair and Marylebone, Bossa embodies the best of Brazil. Everything about Bossa just falls into place and feels great. The restaurant is next door to the Brazilian Consulate and brings the soul of Brazil to the British capital with an inviting, utterly delicious and fun dining experience.
The story so far
Landgraf’s highly revered Oteque is considered one of the top restaurants globally and is currently placed at number 76 on the World’s 50 Best list. Located in Rio de Janeiro, Oteque focuses on his Japanese heritage not through ingredients, but through simplicity, precise technique and high ethics. Without forgetting the human relationships between the producers, staff and clients, Alberto’s creative style strives not only for excellence on the plate but strongly supports fair trade. Alberto brings his expertise, as well as his core team from Brazil, to London’s world-class dining scene.
London is a city close to Alberto’s heart, as it is where his first hospitality role was during the early 2000s, working with the likes of Gordon Ramsay and Tom Aikens. With the opening of Bossa, Alberto is applying his passion for precise cooking techniques and using the very best ingredients to the city where he started his culinary journey.
The Interiors
Expect a stunning restaurant, with an open-plan kitchen and a ten-seater dining counter offering a front-row seat to watch the team at work.
The interiors are contemporary and comfortable with banquette seating, atmospheric lighting, bespoke woodwork and large windows flooding the restaurant with natural light during the day. A spacious bar runs along one side of the restaurant and will be the ideal place for a lively pre or post-dinner drink, as well as a 10-seat private dining room.
The Dining Experience
The Bossa menu offers a concept that differs from most Brazilian restaurants in London. Alberto extols traditional Brazilian products, creating contemporary dishes that also have a British touch. As Alberto says, these are British versions of dishes that Brazilians eat at home. The list of dishes is concise and very tempting. Each of them has a Brazilian ingredient that shines and elevates the dish. Bossa is the culmination of more than 20 years of Alberto’s experience and dedication to the craft of cooking.
A selection of small and large sharing plates will include dishes such as ‘Scallops, Leeks, Buckwheat and Tucupi’, ‘Yellowtail, Bottarga, Dried Berries and Kombu’ and ‘Seafood Moqueca with Rice, Banana Farofa and Beans Vinaigrette.’ A highlight was a bone marrow dish with some incredible cheese-infused tapioca bread. Another must-have is the slow-cooked pork belly with an exquisite crispy crackling top. Served with feijoada broth, pickled biquinho pepper and black garlic, this is by far the best pork belly in all of London.
For those wanting a sweet end to their meal, desserts such as ‘Tonka Bean Flan with Cupuaçu Jam and Cacao Nibs’ and ‘Açai Sorbet with Sugar Cane Crumble, Spiced Chocolate and Dried Açai’ are on offer. Our favourite was egg & coconut custard, a Brazilian dessert with Portuguese heritage and so many textures. The vegan chocolate tart with cashew nut praline was also sensational and paired so well with some dessert wine.
Bossa’s Sommelier and wine connoisseur, Laís Aoki, brings a formidable selection of wines and sakes representing the highest quality from all over the world. She is widely considered to be one of the best sommeliers in South America, having recently been awarded the title of Brazil’s Best Sommelier by Prazeres da Mesa Magazine.
Maroto Mayfair
After dinner, visiting Maroto is a must. Maroto is a sophisticated late-night den, located underneath Bossa and directly underneath the Brazilian Consulate. Maroto combines classic art deco styling with authentic Brazilian flair. Having recently undergone a stunning refurbishment, Maroto is open till 5am and oozes cool. Expect Brazil-inspired cocktails, the classics and a focused food menu that will offer a taste of Bossa upstairs.
In a nutshell
Bossa pays tribute to Alberto Landgraf’s previous achievements without mimicking them, offering a unique approach to the culinary sphere with its blending of unusual South American ingredients with elements of Landgraf’s German and Japanese heritage, as well as inspiration from nature. This is quite easily one of our favourite openings of 2023.
To discover more, visit: bossa.co.uk
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All imagery courtesy of Bossa.