Raising a World Cup

by Natasha Wolff | June 10, 2014 8:32 am

When Botequim[1] opens in New York’s Hyatt Union Square, the 85-seat restaurant will offer a modern take on traditional Brazilian street food from chef Marco Moreira. And while they aren’t officially taking reservations until September, Brazilian-born Moreira will be hosting a pop-up version of the restaurant during the World Cup.

Marco Moreira

“The restaurant is going to be a really cool place,” the chef tells DuJour. “I’ve been doing fine dining for so long—I’ve done French, Japanese and I have a new American restaurant—but this is going to be a more low-key establishment serving Brazilian comfort food.”

Here, the accomplished restaurateur shares his top five tips for enjoying a soccer game in classic Brazilian style.

Drink Up

Drinking beer is tradition regardless of the game, but the Caipirinha is the national drink of Brazil. The glasses should never be too big, so they’re always fresh. It seems like that would keep you from drinking too much, but it rarely works out that way.

Eat Well

You want to focus on things that are fun to nibble—little things that are easy to snack on without taking your eye away from the TV. The hors d’oeuvres are the fun part while you watch the game. Afterwards, you can grab a beautiful steak.

Botequim

Pick Proper Footwear

Something happens in my brain when I put on flip flops—I know I can be completely leisurely, cool and mellow. I wear closed-toe shoes most of the time because I’m always at work, so when I put on my flip flops, I know I’m totally off the clock.

Order Authentically

Feijoada—that’s what Brazil is known for. It started with people mixing leftovers with beans and cooking them all together. Now there are entire restaurants devoted to the dish. It’s always made with black beans, rice and some collard greens. This is the best basic Brazilian dish.

Don’t Watch Alone

You want to be somewhere with good energy. Being with friends means you’re going to be interacting, whether you’re rooting with or against one another. It’s a lot more fun to watch games with a group of people.

MORE:

World Cup Collaborator Romero Britto Answers Our Questions[2]
The World’s Best (Dressed) Athletes[3]
How to Shoot Hoops Like Dwayne Wade[4]

Source URL: https://dujour.com/life/marco-moreira-botequim-brazil-world-cup-watching-tips/